Body Protectors! When do you wear them?

[spacefaer]

I have one I bought for £40 from Preloved. It's up to current standards however,.
I only wear it when it's compulsory for xc hire, clinics or a (very rare) competition.

If I felt I was likely to need it to ride a horse on the flat or on a hack, I probably wouldn't get on the horse.

 

[scruffyponies]

I don't have one. I guess I will, when I start to feel old and vulnerable. Not yet.

 

[blitznbobs]

As little as possible they do strange things to my confidence (remove all of it) and are uncomfortable in the extreme . I dont think body protectors and boobs are things that can live comfortably together

 

[ponynutz]

Think my mum would prefer I wear one the minute my foot crosses the stable entrance! But I'd probably only wear one if I went XC or was riding something I wasn't 100% confident sat on

 

[Cob Life]

I always wear one.
My 2 worst falls (both with a heavy impact to my chest, the second I would have had a lot more damage had I not been wearing one) have been freak out of nowhere off of steady Eddie types.

Now I ride a sharp, spooky cob and a fairly sharp but not so spooky TB and just feel better with one on.

 

[dorsetladette]

I dont own one and i never have even though I have been riding my entire life. Parents were stricted with us wearing hats (held on with elastic) but BPs were just never mentioned. My daughter had one for jumping etc. My current riding consists of plodding forest tracks and in hand walking babies so nothing dramatic. I will invest in one when we start backing Robin next year as I think he's been created by the devil himself.

 

[SEL]

I wear it on the Appy on the roads.

I wore it the last time I did xc 4 years ago.

I've just realised I've no idea where it is since I moved 6 months ago. It's pretty old now so probably no longer up to standard and not particularly comfortable. It doesn't make me a better or worse rider (unless it's hot when I might pass out in it!) I treat it much the same as wearing a hat which I do all the time now, but didn't when I was younger

 

[sunleychops]

as stupid as this sounds I wear mine XC and whenever I think about wearing it, if i think about it and dont wear it i feel im jinxing it

 

[J&S]

Never! Actually gave up out door trec when it became compulsory to wera one. Hate them beyond all reason. We did so much crazy stuff as children and never gave it a thought, now every one is bundled up to the hilt and hardly ever leave the school! Sorry, just a very old bird........ I do realise they can be of use in certain falls.

 

[scruffyponies]

I do think there is something about (uncomfortable) safety equipment which makes you more self-conscious and therefore more nervous. Kind of like the opposite of alcohol.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Never! Actually gave up out door trec when it became compulsory to wera one. Hate them beyond all reason. We did so much crazy stuff as children and never gave it a thought, now every one is bundled up to the hilt and hardly ever leave the school! Sorry, just a very old bird........ I do realise they can be of use in certain falls.

See, I'm old skool too but with no arena ?? nothing better than hooleying around the countryside ?
As mentioned up thread, I wear a very well fitting and comfortable Provent 3, never notice it when charging around or lobbing over fences.
Each to their own, but please don't disparage those who do wear them ?

 

[MuddyMonster]

Never! Actually gave up out door trec when it became compulsory to wera one. Hate them beyond all reason. We did so much crazy stuff as children and never gave it a thought, now every one is bundled up to the hilt and hardly ever leave the school! Sorry, just a very old bird........ I do realise they can be of use in certain falls.

I'm not sure that's entirely fair. I know lots of people that rarely or begrudgingly ride in an arena but spend hours and hours zooming about the countryside - I'm one of them!

I'm not sure why using safety equipment would mean you don't leave the arena? I wear high viz every time I hack despite having the option of no road work and safety stirrups everyone I ride - it doesn't mean I expect to get hit or have an accident that'll result in getting dragged, its just useful if I do!

I can understand people not liking a BP - but I find it a bit judgemental to assume that those that use them are incapable of leaving the school

 

[LEC]

Just out of curiosity, when do you all wear body protectors? Would you wear them in the school, hacking? Or do you wear them at all?

Never, unless told to by the rules. Worst fall I have had was in a BP and this is with years of hunting, riding breakers etc Absolutely hate them.

 

[Abesmum]

The one time I didn't wear it I came off and my back is now a problem, have to wear a back support when riding otherwise I end up very sore, no stirrups work is a no no as causes too much pain. So just wear it for everything now as can't take the risk of more damage.

 

[bouncing_ball]

I can understand people not liking a BP - but I find it a bit judgemental to assume that those that use them are incapable of leaving the school

Echo this, I take my horse to the racetrack to gallop and wearing a body protector is a requirement of hiring the racetrack.

I also hack out where race horses are exercised, and it is a requirement that all exercise riders wear a basic body protector out exercising.

 

[ponynutz]

The one time I didn't wear it I came off and my back is now a problem, have to wear a back support when riding otherwise I end up very sore, no stirrups work is a no no as causes too much pain. So just wear it for everything now as can't take the risk of more damage.

Think this is a good thing to keep in mind - they were made for a reason and that reason is horses are unpredictable and can cause real damage. This did happen to me too - and it was scary. Luckily I was young enough that I bounced to a certain extent but I have permanent, although minor, damage (I can see it getting worse though as I get older and I struggle with sit ups and lots of bending).
Probably should have done what you did Abesmum and actually started wearing it but as I say I was young and feckless at the time lol!

 

[flying_high]

Think this is a good thing to keep in mind - they were made for a reason and that reason is horses are unpredictable and can cause real damage. This did happen to me too - and it was scary. Luckily I was young enough that I bounced to a certain extent but I have permanent, although minor, damage (I can see it getting worse though as I get older and I struggle with sit ups and lots of bending).
Probably should have done what you did Abesmum and actually started wearing it but as I say I was young and feckless at the time lol!

As you say horses are unpredictable as are the general public and dogs.

I was chased by a large lurcher out hacking last weekend, came out of nowhere straight at us, my horse took fright and took off (down unsuitable terrain), I managed to turn and angle round the slope, dog owner got dog under control and we pulled up, but could have been very nasty, and totally unpredictable. My horse is generally good with loose dogs (and they are meant to be kept on a lead if near a horse, rules of area I ride across). The location I was in meant horse (not that sure footed or careful) would have possibly fallen if he had gone straight down the lips of the slope onto tarmac.

 

[Dermski]

I never ride without one after a fall a few years back which took forever to recover from. Paid dividends when I then got dumped on the road, landing flat on my back, not a twinge. I feel naked without one now!