Body Protector all the time or not?

[JenniD]

After years out of the saddle, at 66 I'm in it again...more than a bit rusty! It's a decent BP, but when I'm in the school plodding along and taking instruction I feel quite restricted and bulked up to the max! I know it makes sense to wear it for my own good, and let's face it they're made to 'protect' the body as much as possible in the event of a fall. So I've answered my own question really! But does anyone else out there in similar circumstances feel uncomfortable at times? Obviously when out on a hack or popping the odd jump (and it would be a very small one!) it would be idiotic not to wear one.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

dunno, I hate them, never wear one. I do have a bodyguard jacket from mountain horse but thats it-and I don't wear it in the summer.

 

[ester]

I spent a fair few years as a teen/early 20s wearing them for everything as a RS rider and later an owner but I found they were restricting me too much and also making my neck issues worse. In recent years I’ve only worn one for hanging on the back of a carriage when the rules say I have to.

 

[Sprout]

I have mixed feelings about them - I had a bad fall many years ago before they were in use, came off in canter out hacking and got trampled by another horse, resulting in a damaged kidney, internal bleeding, ,surgery and long hospital stay ..... if I had been wearing a BP I would just have had bruising.
I always made my children wear theirs, and now they make ME wear one.
I know a lot of people only wear them when jumping but they can save serious injury when just pootling out hacking ...... I HATE wearing mine though!

 

[JenniD]

Thanks for that ester.....how long have you been hanging on the backs of carriages??

 

[Tiddlypom]

I have migrated from wearing a BP to wearing an air jacket, which I pop on every time I ride. I don't know it's there even on the hottest of days.

 

[JenniD]

I have mixed feelings about them - I had a bad fall many years ago before they were in use, came off in canter out hacking and got trampled by another horse, resulting in a damaged kidney, internal bleeding, ,surgery and long hospital stay ..... if I had been wearing a BP I would just have had bruising.
I always made my children wear theirs, and now they make ME wear one.
I know a lot of people only wear them when jumping but they can save serious injury when just pootling out hacking ...... I HATE wearing mine though!

Crikey! you've been through the mill! I'm beginning to think that maybe they're a necessary evil!

 

[JenniD]

I have migrated from wearing a BP to wearing an air jacket, which I pop on every time I ride. I don't know it's there even on the hottest of days.

Do you think that air jackets are just as effective? Maybe it's worth a try. Thanks!

 

[Cortez]

I've never worn anything like that, but then I don't fall off a lot. Any damaging falls I have had would not have been any less so had I been wearing a BP or hat, but that is just plain luck. I do tend to be a bit of a "qué sera, sera" fatalist though....

 

[Tiddlypom]

I believe that in most cases an air jacket is at least as good, and probably better, than a body protector. It's certainly more effective than a BP which is left hanging up in the tackroom because it's too uncomfortable to wear...
I'm 60, and tbh I'd probably give up riding if I had to wear a BP every time. They are too restrictive.
Apologies to those who have seen this pic before (I must get a better one!), but here is me hacking a couple of months ago in my Hit Air. I wore it today over a thicker jacket - no probs.

 

[Wheels]

If it makes you feel safer and you feel you need it then carry on but you might be more comfortable in an air jacket

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I wear one at work because it is compulsory. I have never worn one at home, even in youngsters. I don't want to be restricted in any way, I want to know my body can move to where I want it when with nothing in the way.

The ones we wear at work at Racesafe ones which are very flexible and mostly feel like your wearing a snug gillet or something.

I'm not one for falling off very often either, usually every 2 years or so! None of my falls would have been made any better by wearing a bp, if anything a couple of them have been easier because I could move and wasn't locked in a body position.

Op what body protector do you have? Some are so horrible and solid I wouldn't even consider looking at one let alone wearing it! Then others are very flexible and much more comfortable.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I always wear mine on DP, he can throw a huge buck if the mood takes him and it just makes me feel safer. Never wear it on B though as I trust him. So all in all it may not help me if the fall is bad but mentally I feel more secure.

 

[JenniD]

I believe that in most cases an air jacket is at least as good, and probably better, than a body protector. It's certainly more effective than a BP which is left hanging up in the tackroom because it's too uncomfortable to wear...
I'm 60, and tbh I'd probably give up riding if I had to wear a BP every time. They are too restrictive.
Apologies to those who have seen this pic before (I must get a better one!), but here is me hacking a couple of months ago in my Hit Air. I wore it today over a thicker jacket - no probs.

View attachment 28538

It looks really light and airy!

 

[Abi90]

The only really bad fall I’ve had, my BP didn’t help. In fact it made my clavicle break worse as instead of breaking in the middle, my BP protected that bit, it broke in the shoulder and took ages to heal! So I’m not sure how I feel about them. Although I do wear mine if I’m feeling scared as a confidence boost... as ironic as that is

 

[JenniD]

If it makes you feel safer and you feel you need it then carry on but you might be more comfortable in an air jacket

I'll certainly look into it.

 

[JenniD]

The only really bad fall I’ve had, my BP didn’t help. In fact it made my clavicle break worse as instead of breaking in the middle, my BP protected that bit, it broke in the shoulder and took ages to heal! So I’m not sure how I feel about them. Although I do wear mine if I’m feeling scared as a confidence boost... as ironic as that is

Not ironic..just human!

 

[JenniD]

If it makes you feel safer and you feel you need it then carry on but you might be more comfortable in an air jacket

cheers!

 

[JenniD]

I wear one at work because it is compulsory. I have never worn one at home, even in youngsters. I don't want to be restricted in any way, I want to know my body can move to where I want it when with nothing in the way.

The ones we wear at work at Racesafe ones which are very flexible and mostly feel like your wearing a snug gillet or something.

I'm not one for falling off very often either, usually every 2 years or so! None of my falls would have been made any better by wearing a bp, if anything a couple of them have been easier because I could move and wasn't locked in a body position.

Op what body protector do you have? Some are so horrible and solid I wouldn't even consider looking at one let alone wearing it! Then others are very flexible and much more comfortable.

It's a Harry Hall. I look like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle in it!! Haha!

 

[cold_feet]

I used to wear a BP all the time after starting Riding again at around 50 (I’m now 63). But for the last 2or 3 years I haven’t worn one at all. I would wear it for jumping if I ever did that! The major falls I’ve had have been limb damage, so made no difference apart from the ambulance crew said it helped them lift me on to the stretcher. BUT - it did give me confidence, so wear it if it helps you feel better - you’ll know yourself if you feel you no longer need to.

 

[Theocat]

After a pretty bad fall, a broken back and even more pertinent a total loss of confidence, I swore I would always wear one. I got fitted with a new one and with the exception of one VERY safe pony I have ridden in it every time, ever since, including a week riding in India in the mid-30s wearing it for several hours a day. I honestly don't notice it and because I was properly fitted, it isn't at all restrictive.

I wasn't wearing my old BP when I fell because it was too long in the back and it interfered with the saddle. I have no idea if it would have made any difference, but I reckon the extra confidence it gives makes me less likely to fall, and it's worth it for that alone.

 

[planete]

Somebody saw me setting off on my horse bareback once and insisted I borrow their body protector. I gave in in the end, got on the horse, set off, came back and gave her the BP back. I felt extremely unsafe as the solid feel of it got in the way of my normal balance and movement which are the only things to keep you on if you are bareback. I never wore one in all the time I was riding even though I know they have to be a good thing, I just do not like the ones I have come across and was too used to relying on my body's reflexes to accept any restrictions.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I'm wearing my race safe at all times these days.

Didnt usually wear it for hacking, but a spin, tip off and run when I was actually wearing one (my old airowear outline) and got stamped on by my escort 5 yrs ago, means I wear it all the time.
Left a shoe print on my BP, on my chest, I was just bruised on my bum!

I cannot afford to be squashed, my core isn't what it used to be when younger, so I'm prudent.
Its akin to hat and gloves for me now I may be an older rider, but I'm not set in my ways, always open to trying things.
My BP is quite comfortable and I really don't find it restricts me.

 

[J&S]

Hate them, won't wear one unless absolutely necessary....... i.e the time I went to the PC HT. I pretty well retired from Summer Trec because it became compulsory to wear one when there was a fixed fence of any type. Too old and too stuck in my ways to get used to them. When I was young, they simply did not exist! However: if forced to wear one or not ride at all I would go for a Racesafe.

 

[Louby]

I never wore one until I got launched totally out of the blue and broke my jaw. A BP wouldnt have prevented my injury but my confidence was shot at and I realised I didnt bounce anymore and broke easily lol. I bought a Racesafe one for riding my newly backed horse, she wasnt the horse that launched me btw and I thought Id hate it but apart from getting a bit hot this Summer I dont realise Im wearing it now. It has definately helped my confidence.

 

[ihatework]

Can’t stand body protectors, I feel so restricted in them.

If I feel I need/want to wear something then it’s my hit air on its own

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

We wear these ones at work, the tail annoys me so I have it flicked up on itself. Completely flexible, lightweight, airy and as comfortable as you are going to get from a bp. We can wear level 1 but for normal people competing the rules are level 3 I think which just means it's a wee bit chunkier.

http://www.treehouseonline.co.uk/mobile/product/484

 

[cold_feet]

Just wanted to add that although I don’t wear mine any more, when I did it never bothered me. If you wear one all the time you adjust and don’t notice it at all. I suspect if you never wore a hat putting one on will feel odd, but we all get used to that.

 

[JenniD]

I always wear mine on DP, he can throw a huge buck if the mood takes him and it just makes me feel safer. Never wear it on B though as I trust him. So all in all it may not help me if the fall is bad but mentally I feel more secure.

I agree,

I used to wear a BP all the time after starting Riding again at around 50 (I’m now 63). But for the last 2or 3 years I haven’t worn one at all. I would wear it for jumping if I ever did that! The major falls I’ve had have been limb damage, so made no difference apart from the ambulance crew said it helped them lift me on to the stretcher. BUT - it did give me confidence, so wear it if it helps you feel better - you’ll know yourself if you feel you no longer need to.

I think you're right, if one day I don't want to wear it, I'll know

 

[JenniD]

I'm wearing my race safe at all times these days.

Didnt usually wear it for hacking, but a spin, tip off and run when I was actually wearing one (my old airowear outline) and got stamped on by my escort 5 yrs ago, means I wear it all the time.
Left a shoe print on my BP, on my chest, I was just bruised on my bum!

I cannot afford to be squashed, my core isn't what it used to be when younger, so I'm prudent.
Its akin to hat and gloves for me now I may be an older rider, but I'm not set in my ways, always open to trying things.
My BP is quite comfortable and I really don't find it restricts me.

I'm getting more and more convinced that I should stick with it!