Body Protectors - beware, it could get nasty!

I don't like them. I tolerated one when I did cross country. Blooming uncomfortable things and they wouldn't prevent most back injuries anyway, back supports are better for that.
 
Okay, only got to the end of page one (I'm not really here, I'm working lol).

I wear my BP - Dizz slipped on the road at a walk and the BP stopped me having a cracked rib. Wearing body armour protected me when I came off a few weeks ago, not a bruise, etc., other than a bleed on the brain.

Daughter wears an Exo cage every ride. She is relaxed and comfortable in it. She rides a range of different horses and often needs a high degree of flexibility(!).

I think, and this is my opinion only, that those who feel restricted need a different BP
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I can see where the OP is coming from WRT bemoaning the "Health and Safety" culture, and how the constant risk assessment and over-protectiveness can actually make dangerous situations more dangerous as the rider may be less able to cope when a problem arises. HOWEVER, I think that WRT to BPs in particular, she overstated the case rather dramatically.

I also intensely dislike the look of BPs over show jackets, and confess to being vain enough not to wear mine for SJ or hunting, even though it might in principle be a good idea.

I do wear it for XC, because it's a requirement at our RS, and it seems like a good idea. I don't like the way it feels initially when I put it on (very restrictive), and I don't like how sweaty I get, but I honestly don't notice it after the first few minutes. A number of people at the RS wear it for all lessons, and that doesn't bother me at all. They also don't seem to be lacking in confidence.

The first few times I rode the Spooky Pony, I wore it, because I was really unsure of what he might do. Funnily enough, now that I know that he can spin and tear off at the drop of a hat, and have me off ridiculously fast, I don't wear it anymore...
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when i had Millie i would only wear mine if XC or when i was doing pony club and made to wear it. Since i have had Twizy i would always wear it when i jumped as i came off a lot
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but now we have more of a connection together i dont wear it as much,. i normally only wear it for XC. But there is people on our yard that now always have there one, even if its just flat work, dont get me wrong if you feel safer in one then yes you should wear one, but i feel like i carnt move in mine.
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Interesting what Katt says, because I seem to remember someone in H & H was doing some research into falls at Pony Club with children in BPs. I fell off lots as a child and teenager and never got hurt, and all the other people in Pony club seemed to fall off quite often yet I never remember anyone getting carted off to hospital from a rally for instance.

Yet when my daughter started Pony Club and all the children had to wear BPs it seemed that even a simple fall would mean something broken and a trip to hospital. I saw children crammed into BPs that looked so uncomfortable and made them rigid and I wondered if it made falls more serious.

Of course, a BP can and does help enormously with some falls, where you end up with bruises which might have meant something broken without. I only use mine for XC, and don't like it for jumping. Worst fall I ever had was out hunting when I broke my ribs and I doubt if a BP would have helped with a horse landing on me.
 
Interesting post! I admit to being a bit old school and years ago when competing would wear my bp under sufference going cross country only. I wouldn't have dreamed of spending a day hunting in one, uncomfortable horrid thing that it was. However, I find myself changing my mind somewhat having broken my back 4 yrs ago (no bp) when I was ejected from my horse whilst walking round the indoor school, (not a jump in sight). So now I'm riding again and last night we had a repeat display of the Tigger impression she did a few years ago and although I sat it I'm thinking should I get one and wear it, what bothers me is it takes a huge amount of effort and balance to sit this bronking and will the back protector cause me to fall? I'd rather not fall at all but if I do it could save a serious injury. I sit both sides of the fence on this one, I guess I'll have to try one and see.
 
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I know what you mean at my last yard nearly everyone hacked out wearing their body protectors!

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Live and let live, I say! It's their body so if people want to wear a BP for hacking, it's not harming anyone else so leave them to it.

I find this post quite interesting as if someone had posted to say "who on earth wears their HAT other than for backing youngsters and XC, and god forbid anyone should bother to hack out in a hat", there would be outcry, so why is a BP any different?

FTR, I only wear my BP for things where the rules state I have to wear it, and for fun rides. Don't ride day to day in it, don't jump at home in it, don't hunt in it, don't hack in it.
 
i wear my body protector all the time, i fell of and dislocated my arm the once and my doctor said that , it would of been much worser if i did have my BP on!
 
I wear mine for jumping after I had a nasty fall and ended up in A&E. I don't wear it hacking out but pony is a sensible type though a nasty fall on a road I know would be painful and could case some damage so I probably ought to!

Interestigly I have heard there have been more accidents since the introduction of body protectors as people tend to feel they are indestructable when wearing them and perhaps take bigger risks.

A friend of mine is an ambulance woman she wears a body protector and has just bought an air jacket to wear over the top for jumping and hacking out but her job probably means she sees the accidents so is more safety conscious.
 
expect people wear them because they feel safer with one on and a bit odd without one. Maybe like driving without a seat belt?
Quite a weird thing to get upset about I think
 
Thats it Rosiefan.
I don't loose any sleep when I see someone without a BP so why should the fact that I choose to put my child in one cause someone so much upset.
Note-If it bothers you that ruddy much then don't look!!
 
I wear one because I'm in my forties, I don't bounce and if I injure myself and am off work I don't get paid so horsey won't get fed
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Could not agree more! PErsonally i think it is totally irresponsible as a parent to let a child ride without one. My daughter fell off and badly hurt her back, this was before they became so easily available and more comfortable.
Backs do not even heal as well as a limb!!! not too mention not just walking with a limp but never being able to walk or even move again. Good god how could I live with myself if I let a child ride without one>>>and something happened. If they wouldn't wear one then no riding. SIMPLE!!



I regularly wear my racesafe one and it is very comfortable. Apart from once landing on my feet and badly breaking my ankle I nearly always land flat on my back, it has save me many times over!

Now have a new young horse and will wear it nearly all the time, at least until I get to know him
 
The lady who shares one of mine always wears a BP. Good for her. Only problem is, when she did come off him she was off over his hindquarters and landed on her bum.
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My daughter will be 6 in the new year. She doesn't know what a BP is yet, she saw all her riding friends at mini camp wear one and told me its too hot to put her extra 'jacket' on. (we have been given one, but yet to go anywhere near the child). She, along with 12 others were on the lead rein doing 'mini' things. Its my prefered choice that I'd rather she didn't wear one, but if rules stated otherwise then I would have no option and daughter would suffer from the heat/irritation and bulkiness of it. Iam not irrispossible, Iam aware of the risks but I survived and i have had a quite a few 'croppers' of falls. I got frowned upon for being the ONLY parent at the camp of 30+ children under 10 whose child wasn't wearing one, and for that I think is wrong. My daughter had a brilliant time, and was the best child at doing the obstical race, simply because she was natural. Iam not going to put her off riding by wearing a bp, she never has and she started at 2!
 
and to add, my daughter had her first fall the other day (she insisted on cantering off the lead rein). Yes, my heart was in my mouth, but you know what... she cried for 1 min then said she wanted to do it again!
 
Ruthnmug - As some1 looked down on for not wearing one surely you should appericate (sp) that people who wear one dont want looked down on for wearing one. I think the idea that wearing one would put a child off riding is nonsense IMO.
 
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Ruthnmug - As some1 looked down on for not wearing one surely you should appericate (sp) that people who wear one dont want looked down on for wearing one. I think the idea that wearing one would put a child off riding is nonsense IMO.

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You've got a knack of putting it into words Ems07

OP - what Ems07 said!
 
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just watched tht vid someone posted???? is it just me or did she land on her knees??? how would a body protector help or have i missed something?

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it was me, i posted it to show that accident's happen when schooling not just jumping and cross country etc, a BP prob wouldn't have helped her it was more the fact nasty accident can happen at any time when your sitting on a horse.

P.s she landed on the side of her bum!
 
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I would NEVER wear one for backing a youngster, Ive backed quite a few flighty ones, while your leaning over them jesus christ if they shot sideways the BP gets caught on saddle you are fooked!!
A friend had a mate help her, this happened, put the shits up the arab and the person!
I think you need to be really supple and flexible when leaning over/sitting on babies. You have to be ready to jump off at anytime, and if your wearing something restricting you, well..........

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your friend's mate was wearing a body protector that didn't fit very well then
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mine fits so close to me that its as likely to catch on the saddle as my t-shirt is- and i've backed plenty of sharp youngsters in it, never been caught on the saddle, never had the BP prevent me from moving.

and as for being supple and flexible, again if the BP fits it shouldn't be an issue- i forget i'm wearing mine once it is on.
 
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and as for being supple and flexible, again if the BP fits it shouldn't be an issue- i forget i'm wearing mine once it is on.

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Exactly. 99% of the people who say its not comfy probs don't have a correctly fitted one. I never notice mine is on.
 
Sorry in advance for this, but I think it was a ridiculous post to make in the first place!!! Are you suggesting that "Fashion" should over rule a persons desire for safety? OK, maybe a BP OVER a hacking jacket is not the prettiest of things but it is a persons freedom of choice. 10 years ago I had a serious fall and broke my ribs, ankle and knee... I wasn't wearing a BP and yes, I could still have had those injuries even if I was wearing one but surely it would have lowered the odds. Unfortunately, I now have Multiple Sclerosis and my balance is not quite what it used to be. I still have five horses, I still go hunting and I still wear my BP OVER my jacket. Sorry, but if ANYONE ever looked down on me for this or made any derogatory comment without knowing the facts then they would deserve the backlash of abuse given from both myself and husband. What a stupid post to have made. I agree we are becoming a "Nanny State" but our own safety is exactly that.... OUR own safety.
 
I'm confused by this post and I can't be bothered to read 8 pages of it, so perhaps this opinion has already been expressed... but...

There is absolutely no logic to your post at all.
 
I haven't read all the replies - but I think the OP is, well, I am not sure what the word is. What does it matter to you whether someone else wears a BP or not?

I wear mine everytime I ride - never used to wear one, but as my last horse had a penchant for bucking me off, and I don't bounce very well anymore, I take the sensible option of wearing a BP. Mine is very comfy, I can't feel it is on, gets a bit hot, I can move perfectly well.

I would wear one hunting too - all I need now is some of those padded knickers and I am invincible! LOL
 
Mine was correctly fitted, by a trained and experienced fitter. The fact is that an ideally fitted one may be dead comfy and not catch etc BUT we aren't all the same shape. BPs may come in a variety of shapes, but there can't possibly be one for everyone.

They are more difficult to get an ideal fit than a hat as there are more variables and inevitably compromises have to be made. These compromises can be the things that make the BP uncomfortable.

For the ladies with big boobs mine is a charles and owen, and whilst it isn't ideal, it does the job for occasional use and is fitted to the satisfaction of a trained fitter.

What really amazes me, is the people that wear their BP all the time, and yet have quite basic and very uncomfy looking ones. Some of them look so hot and bothered and stiff and restricted. I would have thought that if you wore one all the time you would find a really good, well fitted, vented, flexible one, not just the first cheapo one you see at the nearest tack shop.

But it IS their choice, I've no problem with choice.
 
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