Body protectors

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Seahorse

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Following on from the hat post, just wondering how many people on here wear a body protector for schooling and hacking?

There's some people at my yard that wear them all the time even for just riding in the school!
And I know loads of people that wear them out hacking.
 
I've just ordered one after I fell off going over a 1ft jump in the school recently and landed on my back on the jump wing. When it arrives I'll be wearing it every time I do some jumping, and probably every time I go for a hack because I'm a worrier, but I don't think I'll wear it for schooling.
 
I wear one when out hacking....
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I don't wear mine as I find it is too long in the body (can't find one that isn't) and I feel that it makes me unsafe in the saddle as I cannot sit deeply enough. I do have a body guard jacket which I wear in winter, just as you would any jacket.
 
I don't jump so my comments apply to flatwork.

I used to wear one all the time when I started out riding (been at it 5 years now). I no longer wear one. I think there is a cost/benefit analysis to be done. They will afford some protection to back and ribs, but not to the areas most likely to be injured (head, limbs, pelvis) and they tend to stiffen the torsoe a bit, so making me a less flexible rider!
 
I always thought that body protectors are used for XC incase your horse falls on you.

A friend of mine fell off while wearing one and she ended up bruising her stomach muscles as the BP dug in her as she fell. if she hadn't have been wearing one she would have been fine!

I personally hate them and would only wear one if it was compulsory. The last times I have fallen off I broke my arm, my leg and hit my head, so a BP wouldn't have done me any good anyway
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I wear mine out hacking simply because I dont fancy going splat on tarmac ! But I dont wear it when schooling.
I also struggled to find one that was short enough in the body as most of them seemed to catch the back of the saddle - I eventually bought a Racesafe in the Large Junior size, which is shorter in the body and very comfortable.
 
I wear mine always after falling, breaking my back (whilst not wearing one). I don't know how much protection it will offer me but I feel that not wearing (in my situation) is like laughing in the face of what happened to me.
 
I wear my all the time, had an accident when I broke ribs in my back not wearing one, Doc said one would have left me with only bruising. Seahorse, your friend may have ended up bruised but without one your friend may have had broken ribs or worse. I know you can still break arms, legs etc. but they protect your major organs or more likely the end of a broken rib ending up where it shouldn't. But hey I'm a paranoid worrier and they are hot and sweaty to wear!
 
Wear mine most of the time, but I'm old with brittle bones. I also don't fancy hitting tarmac without one. That said, I've had several broken bones in the last few years, all but one when wearing back protector, so I can't say they helped much! As regards them being too long - yes they usually are for short arses like me. I shortened one myself - very easy - but I've just changed to a Robinsons one made for shorter bodies and it's fine. Don't like them, still wear them....? Think I'm going daft in my old age.
 
I have to wear one for work and they provided me with one of the racesafe one is a standard 3. TBH I don't wear it all the time out of work but I feel weird without it on, like not wearing my hat or a seat belt in the car. In the winter I will be wearing it all the time as Mr T won't be ridden so much so will be fresh and to keep warm!
 
I use a body protector whenever I ride clients horses, young horses, unpredictable horses or anything that I do not own - doing everything, schooling hacking whatever.
On rocks I only wear it going XC.
 
Here in the States not many people wear them unless riding cross country. I don't foxhunt so I don't know abou those folks. Most dressage riders don't even wear a helmet. They are only compulsory on x-c.
 
I never used to wear one as only had a Rodney Powell one and i couldn't move in it - so couldnt ride the youngsters in it as needed all ranges of movement.
Then I came off a bolter and chipped my pelvis - that was a wake up call.
So I sold my RP one and bought a racesafe 2000, havn't looked back since, wear it every day.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I never used to wear one as only had a Rodney Powell one and i couldn't move in it - so couldnt ride the youngsters in it as needed all ranges of movement.
Then I came off a bolter and chipped my pelvis - that was a wake up call.
So I sold my RP one and bought a racesafe 2000, havn't looked back since, wear it every day.

[/ QUOTE ] But surely it doesn't protect your pelvis
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Always wear mine due to a serious fall I had when jumping. Injured my back really badly and still have trouble with it!

The horses I ride are quite un-predictable.

I ahve a racesafe one and on the rare occasion where I over heat in it I just undo the zip at the front but leave a bit of it at the front closed to keep it together.
 
If I'm riding at the yard I have to wear my bp for jumping but not on the flat or hacking (under 18s do however).

Riding elsewhere with a friend etc I don't wear it at all
 
I wear mine whenever i am onboard, feel odd without one now and the day i go out without it will be the day i have a nasty accident, and it does keep my boobs from bouncing around and keep me warm at the same time!
 
Haha I use mine aswell to prevent boobj-jiggle LOL!
I wear mine all the time, I went through a period of having lots of falls and near misses on hacks and flatwork lessons, and the times I didn't have a BP on I sorely regretted it.
My BP also gives me a bit of confidence. Strangely I've only ever fallen off twice whilst jumping, accidents always seem to happen to me during flat work so I'd like to be carefull.
 
I never used to wear mine, only wore it twice infact before moving yards. when we moved yards I wore it as he was being a tit and now it has become a habit.

There are so many inviting jumps etc about that i figure I may as well wear it.

It is a racesafe RS2000 so is really flexible and TBH I dont really notice i have it on.
 
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