Hat Silks & Covers
Show your colours.
Hat silks and covers that pull on snug, stay put, and keep your hat clean.
Horse Riding Hat Silks/Covers
A hat silk or cover slips over your riding hat to add colour, show your cross-country colours or simply keep the shell clean and looking smart. The choices that matter are the fabric (one-size stretch lycra or jersey silks versus sized velvet covers), whether you want a detachable pom pom, and extras such as reflective detailing for road riding. Just Horse Riders stocks more than 50 hat silks and covers from brands including Shires, Hy Equestrian, Woof Wear, Premier Equine and LeMieux, from around £5.
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Hat silk and cover advice from the Just Horse Riders team — last reviewed July 2026.
Choosing a hat silk or cover
| Choice | What it means |
|---|---|
| Stretch silk (lycra or jersey) | One-size, four-way stretch fabric that pulls snug over most hats with no creases — the classic choice for everyday riding and cross-country colours. |
| Velvet or velveteen cover | A traditional, smart finish. These are usually sized — for example 53–57cm or 58–62cm — so check the measurement inside your hat before ordering. |
| Pom pom styles | A faux-fur pom on top for a fun, wintry look. On many designs the pom is detachable, so you can take it off for competition or swap colours. |
| Reflective or hi-vis | Bright fabric with reflective detailing, designed to help drivers spot you earlier when hacking on the roads in dull light. |
| Fun and children's designs | Glitter, unicorn and pony prints from Little Rider and Hy Equestrian — the same easy stretch fit, in designs young riders actually want to wear. |
Cross-country colours and matching your kit
Cross-country riders traditionally run in their own colours, and a silk over a peakless skull cap is the standard way to show them. If you want everything to coordinate, some brands make it easy: the Woof Wear Convertible is designed to match the Woof Wear Colour Fusion range, and the LeMieux Pom Hat Silk is part of the Le Collection, made to tie in with LeMieux saddle pads and base layers. Buying the silk and base layer together is the simplest way to get an exact colour match.
Fit, sizing and care
Most stretch silks are one size and fit hats measuring roughly 53–62cm; sized velvet covers need your actual hat size, which you will find on the label inside the hat. Silks sit best on a smooth, peakless skull cap — if your hat has a fixed peak, check the product page, as not every cover is cut to go over one. For care, most lycra silks brush or hand-wash clean in cool water, velvet covers prefer a soft brush, and detachable poms should come off first. One honest note: a silk or cover is purely decorative — it never changes the protection your hat provides, so make sure the hat itself meets current standards and replace it after any impact.
Hat silk and cover favourites
- Best budget: Shires Metallic Hat Cover (from £5.13) — a one-size metallic-finish cover and the cheapest way to brighten up a plain hat.
- Everyday default: Hy Equestrian Lycra Hat Cover (from £9.61) — plain stitched-panel lycra with a button top; smart enough for competition and cleans up with a soft brush.
- Cross-country colours: Woof Wear Convertible Hat Cover (from £13.99) — iFlex four-way stretch in a big colour range, with a detachable button so you can add a matching faux-fur pom.
- For road riding: Shires Equi-Flector Hat Cover (from £13.50) — reflective stars on a bright one-size cover fitting roughly 53–62cm, designed to help you be seen in poor light.
- Winter favourite: Premier Equine Jersey Hat Silk with Faux Fur Pom Pom (from £14.40) — smooth 360-degree stretch jersey that fits crease-free over most skull caps, with a detachable pom.
- Premium colour-match: LeMieux Pom Hat Silk (from £22.95) — silky four-way stretch with a detachable pom, made to coordinate with LeMieux saddle pads and base layers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a hat silk and a hat cover?
The terms are used almost interchangeably. Traditionally a silk is the thin stretch cover worn in racing or cross-country colours, while a cover is anything that goes over the hat — including velvet, metallic and pom pom styles. Everything on this page does the same basic job: it dresses the hat and keeps the shell clean.
Will a one-size hat silk fit my hat?
Usually, yes. One-size stretch silks are made to fit most hats in roughly the 53–62cm range. Sized covers, such as the Shires velveteen styles in 53–57cm and 58–62cm, need your hat measurement — you will find it on the label inside the hat.
Does a hat silk make my riding hat safer?
No. A silk or cover is decorative and helps keep the shell clean, but it does not change the protection the hat provides. The hat underneath should meet current safety standards and be replaced after any impact.
Can I match my silk to my base layer and saddle pad?
Yes — some ranges are designed for exactly that. The LeMieux Pom Hat Silk coordinates with LeMieux Le Collection saddle pads and base layers, and the Woof Wear Convertible matches the Woof Wear Colour Fusion range. Buying the pieces from the same range in the same season is the safest way to get an exact shade match.
Not sure which silk will fit your hat? Tap the WhatsApp button at the bottom of the screen and the team will happily check before you order.