testimonials

Below is an email we received dated Monday, January 29, 2007 12:41 PM.

"Dear Sirs

Three years ago I had a truly horrendous horse riding accident on the road. 6 months prior to this accident, I had purchased a Charles Owen Showjumper riding hat. That was the best £80 or £90 I have ever spent in my entire life. May I thank you for being directly responsible for the fact that I am here to type this email!

On 26th August 2003, my friend and I were riding out from our stables, when a motorbike, travelling well in excess of 100 MPH, came belting along, lost control when he saw us and smacked into us broadside as we rode across the road. He hit my friend's horse at 70 mph, which was cannoned into my horse by the force of the impact. The skid mark on the road was 15 metres long, so you will be able to calculate that he was travelling at a very fast speed. One horse died in agony at the scene, completely ripped asunder of course, my horse had to be put down 2 days later. I sustained multiple fractures, including a broken neck and pelvis, and both of us are still suffering from anxiety and post traumatic stress. I have today posted the hat I was wearing off to the BHS to Sheila Hardy, the Safety Executive Officer, for them to test the hat to see how well it bore up to the massive impact of me landing on the hard road on the back of the hat from a height of about 8 or 10 feet at very high speed. I have asked her to make sure that you are kept informed as to their findings, but I thought it a good idea to contact you so that you can liaise with them as well to make sure that you receive full feedback which may be helpful in the development of future riding hats.

When I purchased this hat from Tower Farm Saddlers, Barby, my husband went potty, saying to me "you only potter round on that old nag, what on earth do you need such an expensive hat for!" I tartly replied that my cousin was killed out riding, due to a massive blow to her head, and I wanted to make sure that I had the best hat that money could buy. Naturally, he hasn't protested at me replacing this hat at Tower Farm last Sunday, and also in addition I purchased a back protector as well to protect my spine, ribs and pelvis - to which he uttered not a murmer!

I would be more than delighted to give you a formal endorsement for this product for your advertising and marketing purposes, for which of course I would not require remuneration. Do please let me know if you want me to do anything in this regard, because I feel so strongly about the subject of safety, in particular re riding hats. They are so important, but all too often people borrow hats for their children, which doubtless don't fit properly, nor do they know if they have ever been involved in an accident. £90 odd is nothing to spend on something that is going to last many years, until the next safety standard comes along."