The Olympics! They are just a couple months away and yesterday the final riders were announced for the U.S. Olympic team riding in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Watching the Olympics, summer or winter, is a special event. The top athletes in their sport representing their country. I swell with pride and well up with tears just thinking about it. I love watching!

   I remember vividly watching the 2000 Sydney Olympics and stumbling across the show jumping playing in prime time (that almost NEVER happens). I was almost 9 and I pointed at the screen and declared "That is what I want to do!" I started riding lessons the following spring and haven't looked back. One day I will cross off doing the Grand Prixs. Until then, I will keep watching and cheering.

   If you read last weeks post about the 6 Wrong Ways to Wear a Hair Net and were guilty of one of those styles then this post is for you! Wearing a professional and sleek hair net is one of those things you don't want to draw attention to. People only notice a bad looking hair net. Don't be that person.

   First you will need a horse show hair net. I've tried before to buy the hair nets they sell at Walmart or Target, but those are extremely thin and useless. Spend the money and get the kind they sell at tack shops or horse shows, they are worth it! I like and use these from Dover Saddlery, and they come with a matching hair tie. It's everything you need! The hair nets come in a range of colors, so try and get the one that matches the best. I usually stick to the medium brown.

   Start by brushing your hair straight down and in front of your shoulders. This helps cover your ears the best. I'm not 100% sure as to why covering the ears is SO important, but it is! If you have short bangs, be sure to pin them back, trust me it's just easier than trying to wrangle them into the hair net. If you have layered hair don't worry, so do I and the hair net can handle them. Now I don't have very thick hair, but it is pretty long and I don't have any problems with it all fitting under my helmet.

   When you put the hair net on to begin don't worry about it coming too far down your face, we'll fix that later. First just focus on covering your ears completely with hair. I let me earlobes stay poked out so my earrings don't get caught. And this adds just a touch of sparkle that I can't help but enjoy. Pull the hair net back into the same grasp as the rest of your ponytail and use the hair tie to secure it all together. Now you can push back the hair net to be in line with your hairline. Flip upside down and pull your ponytail forward. Make sure there aren't any runaway strands. Then put on your helmet from back to front. Check the hair over your ears one last time and you are all set!

   As the weather heats up, the horse showing jumps into full swing! There are quite a few things that are special to horse shows, and hair nets tend to be one of them. Some people will ride with a hair net every day, but most do not. This post will demonstrate some of the most common ways to wear a hair net that is all wrong! If you wear your hair in one of these fashions, fear not! Next week there will be a video detailing how to properly wear a hair net.

   Please, if any of these looks have graced your noggin, or if you have seen them on your friends please stay tuned for next weeks video on how to correctly wear a hair net!!!