Body Protectors - beware, it could get nasty!

I've never been asked by an A&E doctor whether I was wearing a body protector! But always whether I was wearing a hat.

Even when I took part in some research on equestrian injuries, they asked me what safety equipment I was using but didn't specifically ask about body protectors (although that was a long time ago when you only had one if you were a proper eventer and they were called back protectors and made you look like the hunch back of notre dame). That was when I had to confess that I fell off while bare back jumping..........


........these days the riding school would have had the health and safety executive on their doorstep within seconds after confessing to that sort of dangerous behaviour, but my broken arm healed, I got back on and I didn't sue.

Incidentally the whole exercise was very good for improving position and balance and I would have been fine if the naughty pony hadn't put in that third buck....................
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QR- As much as I am a fan of my BP (it's a racesafe and I do find it comfortable to wear), I do not ride in it all the time.
The only time I will wear it is for planned XC, getting on a youngster for the first time and jumping younger horses.
Me and pony took a tumble earlier this year, and while my injuries may not have been as bad if I'd had my BP on, I still only wore it the next time I jumped as a precaution (on my mother's behalf. I was given the ultimatum of no body protector, no pony!!)
When I went back to the riding school I used to have lessons at, 85% of the riders had a BP on, with about 84.9999% looking very uncomfortable and rigid in them (and some were very good riders in all other respects!)
While BP's do help prevent serious injuries, I think the cotton wool bearers have come into equestrianism to enforce Health and Safety precautions that just aren't necessary.
Although, if someone wants to wear a BP, but all means I wouldn't stop them as it's personal choice, but I do think it's a little OTT to wear one for simple hacking, and even grooming/tacking up (as I have seen being done).
 
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Just to add, on the over jacket thing- when i purchased mine they said to wear it as close to the skin as possible and wear any layers over it to enable a more snug, secure and generally better fit. Which actually makes a lot of sense and i think is the main reason i don't like seeing them over jackets. Plus it looks a bit daft.

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yes I always thought that too actually. Always make me cringe when I see them over the top of jackets.
 
All I have to say is that if some of you spent some time in your local A&E maybe you would consider wearing them a bit more.

I'm sure MilosDad and some of the others on here who work in A & E and have the job of patching people up have seen the benefits and the damage limitation they provide close up would have a very different opinion to some of you.

BUT it is your life, your body and your descision to wear one or not BUT don't judge others for the descisions they make about their safety it is their life and thier body they are looking after.
 
I wear my racesafe when ever I get on a horse.....no exceptions, not because I'm nervous or novicey but because if I damage my spine again (crumbling disc) I will be lucky to avoid a wheelchair and it will end my riding "career"

I have to say that I don't find any discomfort or restriction while wearing a bp and as a huge bonus
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there is no longer a need for an industrial strength sports bra
 
I know, I know, I said I would shut up but from reading posts on here its fairly obvious that for some of us, hacking isn't "simple" in terms of the hazards people encounter. It was only a little while ago some one reported a bunch of teenagers firing missiles at their horse with a catapult before roaring off in their car. If my horse took off down a tarmaced road after some one did that to her, I would be very grateful for a BP on such a "simple ride".

I will try very hard to zip it now.....
 
Haven't read all the replies but my son - 8 - wears one every time he gets on his pony. My parents didn't wear hard hats but they always made me wear one. Times change and if Small Boy was injured doing some of the very stupid and ill thought out things he does on his pony I couldn't live with myself.
My 15 year old son doesn't wear one. I wear one for XC but not for hunting, it would ruin the cut of my rather sexy coat.
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and as a huge bonus
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there is no longer a need for an industrial strength sports bra

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That is why my sister always wears hers!!!
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Mine is a different shape though and doesn't seem to have the same benefit.....
 
i wear my bp everytime that i plan to do some jumping over about 2ft as i dont feel safe jumping without it as he is only a baby and my wee sister rides with one every time she rides as her pony can be a wee bugger even though the pony is 16 but she is only 5
 
I decided only earlier on that i was going to buy a body protector as my horse has decided to act like an idiot when ridden
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I thank my lucky stars that there are such things to help keep us safe. It would make me feel safe and confident, not nervous. I think people are being sensible when it comes to safety, surely that's a good thing?
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I wear one for XC and for hacking.
I followed a friend hacking once and she got well and truly dumped on the road and landed splat on her back, it actually left marks on her BP, I hate to think what her injuries would have been had she not been wearing one.

I also wear one if I have a new horse I am unsure about, I would't say it gives me confidence but I feel if things go pear shaped I have made ever attempt to protect myself.
After being thrown off a 16.3 Warmblood and stamped on I was very pleased I was wearing it that day.

I would also add that my son when he was younger was also not allowed on his pony unless he had a BP on. Call it mollycoddling if you like but I would call it sensible parenting, I would never had forgiven myself if he had fallen off and I had not taken all possible precautions.

I think it is personal choice and cannot see why the OP would be offended or annoyed at other people wearing them.
 
Haven’t read the reply's... it's each to their own, having had my mum fall off out hacking a couple of weeks ago and breaking her back, we feel if she had worn a BP she may not have come of so bad. Also please see the below video, this lady broke her back and all she was doing was schooling her horse, I’m sure she might have something to say about wearing a BP now..... I can't believe someone could be so naive about such a thing it is each person's own choice, and if they want to look silly fair do's it's nothing to do with you..

Maybe it's a good job you’re not in fashion, let's go all the way and say leave you hat in the tack room next time you go riding as 99% of rider's wear them and we don't want you becoming a fashion victim now do we.

http://www.youtube.com/user/kerryanneford#p/f/90/4ZpUyEAeXMY
 
I agree they don't look great over jackets, but you can't put them underneath without looking like the michelin man.

I used to wear mine for hacking out, as every time I've ever fallen off has been whilst hacking out! The one time I did injure myself quite badly, the BP made no difference at all, I landed right on my arse and really hurt my back. Hopefully BPs have improved in the last few years, and when I next buy one it'll fit a bit more comfortably.

My sister had quite severe scoliosis and corrective surgery a few years back, so her spine is stronger than most peoples as its supported by metal rods. But she still wears a BP all the time, partly because she was a nervous rider after a few years break and now due to habit. She hasn't fallen off in years, her pony is very reliable though and rarely does anything silly. I don't know if it would truly make any difference if she was to fall off to be honest.
 
nikki_07766 - I said in an earlier post (you said you didn't read the posts, so am saying it again) that I know someone who broke their back because they were wearing a BP that didn't fit them perfectly, despite it being professionally fitted when they bought it, so not all injuries are made worse by not wearing a BP! (I know this is not the case in all falls, but neither is your statement).
If you want to wear a BP, go for it. If not, ditto. Nobody should judge anybody else for their decision about it, it is a personal decision taken by weighing up the risks from both sides.
 
I just watched that video and Oh My Cod!
See, thats why *some* riders choose to wear BP's. Like I said before, each to their own-why should people who choose to wear them be lambasted for doing so and people who don't get told they should.
I personally couldn't give a rats ass if people think I am wrapping bubs in cotton wool but then don't expect me to be dolling out the tea and sympathy if yours comes a cropper and wasn't wearing one.
 
Haven't read many posts but I always wear mine hacking and XC (obv) and before long I always wore it SJ and flatwork aswell
I fell a bit insulted by those of you who say its is "stupid" to wear one hacking, I have fell off so many more times hacking than anything else and that is why I wear one.
I don't care hor ridiculous I looked with BP over hacking jacket but I was safe and that was all I cared about. I put safety before looks
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I totally disagree with you tbh
I wear one always, just because if I did have a nasty accident it 'could' well save my bacon.
A friend of mine had a nasty incident and would not have been hurt in the way she was if she was wearing a BP.

You may think the world has gone mad health and safety wise, and i agree with that on the whole. But where horses are concerned I am afraid, they are in fact and expensive and dangerous hobby, there are no two ways about it.
I do not give off more nervous vibes to my horse now I am wearing it as a matter of course, a nervous rider is a nervous rider regardless of a BP or not.
Personally if I did have a child I would insist they wear it at all times, I do not believe in wrapping children up in cotton wool either, i never used to wear one as they simply weren't really about back when I was younger.
 
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Haven’t read the reply's... it's each to their own, having had my mum fall off out hacking a couple of weeks ago and breaking her back, we feel if she had worn a BP she may not have come of so bad. Also please see the below video, this lady broke her back and all she was doing was schooling her horse, I’m sure she might have something to say about wearing a BP now..... I can't believe someone could be so naive about such a thing it is each person's own choice, and if they want to look silly fair do's it's nothing to do with you..

Maybe it's a good job you’re not in fashion, let's go all the way and say leave you hat in the tack room next time you go riding as 99% of rider's wear them and we don't want you becoming a fashion victim now do we.

http://www.youtube.com/user/kerryanneford#p/f/90/4ZpUyEAeXMY

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having watched it, i think it's impossible to say whether a bp would have helped or not... she didn't seem to hit her back against anything, perhaps it was a compression injury, which i don't think any bp can guard against.
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i echo those who are saying that it is personal choice whether to wear 1 or not for hacking, at home, etc, and no-one else's business! i certainly don't look down on anyone choosing to wear one for any discipline...
 
What utter tosh! I am a 35 year old women who knows only too well the risks of riding a horse with its own mind and damn idiot drivers on the road to help too. I do not get on my horse without my hat, body protector and high viz gear...does that make me a victim of fashion or just someone that wants to protect themselves with the available equipment whilst enjoying riding my horse.
Do I want to break bones or seriously injure myself if I come off...NO! So I choose to wear what I wear because I value my health and skin and want to continue riding whilst minimising risk for as long as possible.
Good on people that wear such items...that is there choice, but an insult for anyone to suggest we feel we are better riders than others in some way...good lord almighty you cant please anyone nowadays!
 
i understand what you are trying to say about the body protector being restrictive and making you less flexible and mobile in the saddle. i think a body protector is restrictive by its nature as it is encaseing you to protect you and i do think that that makes you more ridgid and more likely to fall off espically on very small children when often the body protector and hat are bigger than they are!!!! but i think technology is moving on to change this and make them less restrictive and to flatter and fit to different body shapes!!! (im 5"7 size 8 on my top half with 32E boobs how the hell am i meant to find 1 to fit???? the slim ones do not cater for my chest and the others are to big!!!)hence why the are becoming more popular and compulsary for different sports. The .2 is an example of this whatever you views on the situation it is much less restrictive and i do not think it hinders the rider in any way.
To answer the question no i do not think that they are constantly neccassary (for the record i compete BSJA so do not have to wear one and therefore never do!!) but it think they are becoming a part of modern riding safety wear so will see them more and more often
 
We can only speak from own personal experiance's, when we say this happened because we was/wasn't wearing a BP is all speculation because we don't know what would have happened if we were/weren't wearing one, yes a doc could say this had happened because... but we just don't know, my mum might not have broken her back or she might have come of even worse if she had been wearing a BP, like the person you know, they may well have come off worse, just because they had a BP on and still had bad injuries doesn't mean anything... like i said it's personal choice, it just get's my goat that people are frowned apon cause they don't look smart or they look silly just for trying to protect themself.... it's no one's else's business really.... most of us don't think twice when we put a hat.....
 
i find my BP very comfortable but even so i only wear it for XC. its never even occured to me to wear it at any other time- even when i was breaking my youngster and i hit the deck a fair few times
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Personally i feel that i can sit a buck better without a BP on- but its personal choice. but i wouldn't criticise someone for wearing theirs if it makes them feel safer
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Surely it's personal choice?

I've never worn a BP - it is my personal choice not to. However, I know people who always wear one, and are no less confident riders for it. Some people feel that they owe it not just to themsevles, but to their families to ensure they are safe. And those with young children would be remiss, I think, if they didn't consider this every time they got on a horse.
 
Quadro - I have exactly the same problem - size 12 top, but 34F boobs. Can't get one that even nearly fits. Have had to give up my aim to do HT's as XC courses insist you wear one, as it would endanger my safety too much IMHO, so am going to stick with going Hunting instead when my boy is fit enough, with no BP.
 
Oh crap, I wear a body protector for HACKING on a HORSE, I must be a complete muppet. Sorry if I offend anyones eyes, it's just that my worst falls have been on the roads and I actually went and bought a well fitting, comfortable body protector.
 
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Haven’t read the reply's... it's each to their own, having had my mum fall off out hacking a couple of weeks ago and breaking her back, we feel if she had worn a BP she may not have come of so bad. Also please see the below video, this lady broke her back and all she was doing was schooling her horse, I’m sure she might have something to say about wearing a BP now..... I can't believe someone could be so naive about such a thing it is each person's own choice, and if they want to look silly fair do's it's nothing to do with you..

Maybe it's a good job you’re not in fashion, let's go all the way and say leave you hat in the tack room next time you go riding as 99% of rider's wear them and we don't want you becoming a fashion victim now do we.

http://www.youtube.com/user/kerryanneford#p/f/90/4ZpUyEAeXMY

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having watched it, i think it's impossible to say whether a bp would have helped or not... she didn't seem to hit her back against anything, perhaps it was a compression injury, which i don't think any bp can guard against.
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i echo those who are saying that it is personal choice whether to wear 1 or not for hacking, at home, etc, and no-one else's business! i certainly don't look down on anyone choosing to wear one for any discipline...

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That's just how my mum fell, which is why we say it may or may not have helped, but surely anything that may help.

Also to add, i was out on a simple ride on a simple road with no cars or hazzards and my horse went over and landed on top of me, i had a bp on and i know it saved my bacon..... i was sure grateful for it that day and i think so were the doctors!.
 
Many moons ago people used to ride without riding hats...and some still do, I think its a case of moving with the times, riding hats/safety stirrups/BP's/High Viz, its all about increasing our safety and reducing the risks serious injuries, I wouldnt call it wrapping yourself in cotten wool, any child that takes a bad fall, BP or not, there still going to hurt themselves some way or another, and if a parent wants to protect their child a little more, then good for them, if anything there setting an example, you have to wear them when competing XC, and children are flying about/jumping etc at PC are just as likey do themself a mischeif.

Does anyone really care what they look like over or under the jackets?
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