How To...

How to create the perfect Competition Bun.

1. Put your hair into a low pony tail. Its best to keep the pony tail lower due to most helmets sitting quite low.

2. Pull your pony tail through a hair donut and place the hair donut at the base of the pony tail.

3. Fold the remaining pony tail hair over the hair donut, making sure that it is evenly spread to cover the donut. 

4. With the excess hair,  twirl it around the base of the donut.

See below for further instructions. 
5. Secure the excess hair with bobby pins. You can also use a rubber band/hair tie to help for extra security. 

6. Place a Full Head Hair Net over the front of your head. This is to secure any flyaways that may peak out from under your helmet.

7. Place an invisible hair net over the bun.

8. If your hairnet is bigger than your bun, we suggest folding, this with help with extra security and keep any flyaways at bay.

See below for further instructions. 
9. Place a rubber band or hair tie over the base of the donut for extra security. 

10. Now is the time to add your scrunchie of choice. We have chosen the Urban Horsewear Rosalie Crystal Scrunchie in Navy. We suggest using a scrunchie that will compliment your competition jacket and helmet. You could choose a colour that compliments your accessories, if you are a dressage rider, wearing the White Rosalie Scrunchie would match your white gloves and breeches. Maybe if you are a show rider, you may choose the Red Rosalie Scrunchie to pair with your lapel, tie and browband. 

11. Place your helmet on, you may have to adjust your bun a touch to sit under your helmet. You have now created the perfect competition bun.

12. We have shown a more classical look with the Urban Horsewear Isabella Pearl Scrunchie and Invisible Pearl Hairnet. 
Your perfect competition look. 
Carly has perfected her bun over many competitions. For her bun she wears an Urban Horsewear L Hair Donut in Blonde, Urban Horsewear Invisible Hairnet in Blonde, and the Urban Horsewear Anastasia Spakle Scrunchie in Navy.
Carly competes in Dressage, Hacking and Show Jumping, and her bun never changes for any discipline, and has never come out.

Some extra tips;
  • Carefully select your hair donut size on the length of your hair. If you have shorter hair, we suggest the Small or Medium Urban Horsewear Donut. From the photos you can see Carly has long, medium-thick hair. She wears a L size Urban Horsewear Donut.
  • You may want to practice your bun skills prior to competition day. We also suggest making sure you use your competition helmet when practicing your bun as all helmets will sit different. 
  • Riding in your bun at home will help you get used to the feeling. Most of us a ride in a pony tail at home, and the feeling of wearing a bun is much different.
  • A tip for riders with short hair. If you can't make a bun, put all your hair in an Urban Horsewear Full Head Hairnet in your matching colour so there are no flyaways.
  • Make sure your bun is secure. We don't hold back on the number or bobby pins or hair ties in our bun. We also cannot stress the importance of hair nets. I have seen many riders with beautiful buns, only for it to be ruined with flyaways. Hair nets blend in with your hair colour and keep everything in place, both on your head and your bun.

Products used:

Urban Horsewear Rosalie Scrunchie

Urban Horsewear Isabella Pearl Scrunchie

Urban Horsewear Hair Donut

Urban Horsewear Invisible Hairnet

Urban Horsewear Invisible Pearl Hairnet

Urban Horsewear Full Head Hairnet