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This - and with me being short and fat I have never been able to find one that fits properly or is comfortable, they tend to put me in a stiff, rigid pose making me more likely to fall off.
Do you wear a body protector when out hacking?
- Thread starter chestnuttyy
- Start date
This - and with me being short and fat I have never been able to find one that fits properly or is comfortable, they tend to put me in a stiff, rigid pose making me more likely to fall off.
Vero
New User
Mike, you comments made me laugh out loud! You know what, I don't care if you think my riding skills have failed - probably true to an extend, as we all cannot be as great riders as you are - but at least I took the precaution to protect myself. We all have seen the most excperienced riders having freak accidents. And in a way I agree with you: of course we have to put a lot of effort into "staying on", as this is the essence of riding (*chuckle*). BTW, are you wearing a helmet when riding? I assume you don't need one?
Parker79
Well-Known Member
Mike007 - It is lovely to hear that you are so confident in your abilities....if every horse you ride 'bloodywell knows you are there' then you clearly have less chance of falling off....
OldNag
Wasting my time successfully....
I wear a body protector every time. I don't want to fall off. I certainly don't think "I'm wearing a BP so I can fall off and it will be OK".
I do everythign I can to avoid falling off, believe me. I wear the BP so that if and when I do fall off, I hope it will lessen any injury. I have a husband and two kids to think of. And I'm self employed. So I like to minimise risks if I can!
I know it might not save me from a broken back but I'd rather wear it than not.
I also make my kids wear BPs.
MerrySherryRider
Well-Known Member
According to the article on childhood horse related injuries, a third of accidents occur when the child is not riding.
Those of you who always wear a BP for riding, do you do wear it all the time you are around horses and if so, why not ?
monkeybum13
Well-Known Member
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA What a load of old rubbish.
OldNag
Wasting my time successfully....
I sometimes do and sometimes don't. But my kids aren't allowed to lead, groom etc without hat and BP.
Littlelegs
Well-Known Member
Fair enough booboos I thought it was meant to be an article on bps reducing risk.
With regards to studies on them preventing your ability to roll, or learning too, I haven't even looked for any. And with modern ones, on an experienced rider who already knows how to roll & fall, I'm not convinced they would have a negative effect, I've not seen any research indicating that, had personal experience or witnessed enough to think that. But I do think for children it can hinder their ability to learn to roll & fall safely, just from experience, for two reasons. Firstly because they are physically limited. And secondly because most kids think they are invincible anyway, telling them a bp will reduce injury can give them the false impression it will prevent all injury & can be solely relied on rather than making an effort themselves. And yes, that is something I've experienced.
Regarding my daughter, (age 7) I have spent many hours, teaching her both how to prevent a fall, & if the worst happens how to reduce injury herself. Of course there are times when I think its also good for her to have the added protection of a bp. But equally there are times when I think it best to let her practice herself how to get out of trouble. A few weeks ago she rode a friends shetland, bareback in their paddock. We all know he canters & does a dead stop to eat sometimes. I doubt with a bp on she would have been either as able, or inclined to roll herself to safety. And second time, she figured out how to balance through it. There's no argument that in some cases a bp reduces injury. But I think its worth remembering learning how to fall is more important.
Some parents may have taught their children differently, for whatever reason, & other children or situations I have also chosen to get them in a bp straight off, so its in no way a criticism of anyone else. Just what I think is safest for my child.
With regards to studies on them preventing your ability to roll, or learning too, I haven't even looked for any. And with modern ones, on an experienced rider who already knows how to roll & fall, I'm not convinced they would have a negative effect, I've not seen any research indicating that, had personal experience or witnessed enough to think that. But I do think for children it can hinder their ability to learn to roll & fall safely, just from experience, for two reasons. Firstly because they are physically limited. And secondly because most kids think they are invincible anyway, telling them a bp will reduce injury can give them the false impression it will prevent all injury & can be solely relied on rather than making an effort themselves. And yes, that is something I've experienced.
Regarding my daughter, (age 7) I have spent many hours, teaching her both how to prevent a fall, & if the worst happens how to reduce injury herself. Of course there are times when I think its also good for her to have the added protection of a bp. But equally there are times when I think it best to let her practice herself how to get out of trouble. A few weeks ago she rode a friends shetland, bareback in their paddock. We all know he canters & does a dead stop to eat sometimes. I doubt with a bp on she would have been either as able, or inclined to roll herself to safety. And second time, she figured out how to balance through it. There's no argument that in some cases a bp reduces injury. But I think its worth remembering learning how to fall is more important.
Some parents may have taught their children differently, for whatever reason, & other children or situations I have also chosen to get them in a bp straight off, so its in no way a criticism of anyone else. Just what I think is safest for my child.
MileAMinute
Well-Known Member
Mike007 - Are you competing in the Olympics this year? Seeing as you're such a good rider.
I bet you put all the other top riders to shame as they clearly think they're inadequate enough to wear BPs/air jackets!
'Riding skills failed...' What a ridiculous statement.
I bet you put all the other top riders to shame as they clearly think they're inadequate enough to wear BPs/air jackets!
'Riding skills failed...' What a ridiculous statement.
marmalade76
Well-Known Member
Funny that 'cause I've been riding all my life, done lots of what most would consider to be high risk horse sports (hunting, team chasing, exercising racehorses) for which I either didn't have a BP on or was wearing a 1980s Racesafe (I have a new Racesafe but have not yet used it) yet the only time I've bothered the NHS was when I had my babies!
I agree with Mike, if I was to start falling off on a regular basis I would consider it time for me to pack up! I understand there are situations that are out or our control, ie being hit by a car, but I cannot see how a BP would make much difference in such a situation. Would you all wear a BP if ou were riding a bike out on the road? I think not.
OldNag
Wasting my time successfully....
My bike is unlikely to be spooked by passing traffic or a monster in the hedgerow. I'm also much lower down (and slower) on a bike. I don't think they are comparable situations. I do wear a bike helmet, though.
I don't fall off on a regular basis, and I don't intend to either, but I would rather hit the tarmac with a BP than without, if it came to it!
Mike007
Well-Known Member
Thought most of you would miss the point. Of course I fall off as much as anyone else,(possibly more)But I dont kid myself that a body protector will achieve much . If anything ,they give people a false sense of security. Rather like when they started fitting ABS to cars, surely better anti skid braking must make driving safer. Well NO! people just took greater risks. There was absolutely no improvement .And Cobrastyle ,if I fall off I know damn well that I have faild to do somthing correctly. So yes it is a failure of riding skills. What do you do? Just land in a heap in your BP and wonder how that happend?
Littlelegs
Well-Known Member
Mike, I just thought I'd give you a bit of moral support & say I see exactly the point you're trying to make. My bp, on the rare occasions I wear one may or may not have saved me a bit of bruising. However the ability to get myself out of trouble, has undoubtedly saved me from two potentially very serious, if not fatal accidents, & reduced or prevented injuries from more minor falls.
dorito
Well-Known Member
To answer the question first: yes, I do - nowadays - in my early 50s. I owned and rode a spooky arab for 12 years in my 30s/early 40s without ever seriously considering owning a BP though. And have the bad lower back to show for it, having fallen off on the road.
Each to their own, but to me it's about minimising risk - yes, riding is a risk sport but does it not make sense to stack the odds in your own favour? especially as most of us are not perfect riders all the time, any more than we're perfect drivers all the time. That's why most of us would be careful what sort of horse we chose to ride in the first place, what sort of traffic situations we'd go out in, etc etc.
And I'll be hacking out, and sweating it out, this afternoon in a long-sleeve t-shirt and gloves AND A BP!
Each to their own, but to me it's about minimising risk - yes, riding is a risk sport but does it not make sense to stack the odds in your own favour? especially as most of us are not perfect riders all the time, any more than we're perfect drivers all the time. That's why most of us would be careful what sort of horse we chose to ride in the first place, what sort of traffic situations we'd go out in, etc etc.
And I'll be hacking out, and sweating it out, this afternoon in a long-sleeve t-shirt and gloves AND A BP!
marmalade76
Well-Known Member
I don't know about you, but I'm rarely traveling at more than a walk on tarmac and the cyclists that I see a generally traveling fairly fast. As a kid I did have nastier falls off bikes than ponies!
Shantara
Well-Known Member
Thinking about it, I don't really wear my BP to save my life, I wear it to stop myself getting hurt. I don't want bruises and I don't want broken ribs. I might have got broken (or atleast very painful) ribs last time I fell off Ned as I think I hit the jump block on the way down, that would have been more painful, had I not had it on.
And I don't think you always fall off due to failure, sure, it's a failure to stay in the saddle, but it's a little unfair to say you're a failure as a rider if you fall off. I had no warning that Ned was going to stop at that jump. We'd jumped it 3 times perfectly, then all of a sudden BAM! I was on the floor and he would no longer jump over it. I didn't let him win, if you're wondering. I did finally get him over.
And I don't think you always fall off due to failure, sure, it's a failure to stay in the saddle, but it's a little unfair to say you're a failure as a rider if you fall off. I had no warning that Ned was going to stop at that jump. We'd jumped it 3 times perfectly, then all of a sudden BAM! I was on the floor and he would no longer jump over it. I didn't let him win, if you're wondering. I did finally get him over.
JFTDWS
+++ Out of Cheese Error +++
I love it when Mike007 strolls into these threads 
He is the ultimate cat among the H&S pigeons...
Since I recall a fabulous photo of him performing a rather spectacular unscheduled dismount, I'm inclined to agree with him - I don't think a bp would have helped at all given the nature of that particular incident
He is the ultimate cat among the H&S pigeons...Since I recall a fabulous photo of him performing a rather spectacular unscheduled dismount, I'm inclined to agree with him - I don't think a bp would have helped at all given the nature of that particular incident
LowenKi
Well-Known Member
Having broken my collar bone in a fall at speed on a hack... I ALWAYS wear my body protector out hacking. There was nothing more painful than having to get back on and trundle our very sorry selves back to the yard with a broken collar bone! Had I been wearing my body protector, it probably would have prevented this sort of injury.
Edited to add: I don't regularly fall off (couple of times that year, all XC training falls bar this one), my mare was a safe hack, and I don't wear it because I think that my riding skills have failed me. I wear it because when you ride a horse, you never know what might happen - it's not you that you need to worry about, it's the rest of the world! I missed three BE's because of my broken collar bone, it was expensive and inconvenient. I'm the sort of rider who does everything themselves, so I rely on staying on my feet all year round. I simply want to avoid being inconvenienced like that again.
Edited to add: I don't regularly fall off (couple of times that year, all XC training falls bar this one), my mare was a safe hack, and I don't wear it because I think that my riding skills have failed me. I wear it because when you ride a horse, you never know what might happen - it's not you that you need to worry about, it's the rest of the world! I missed three BE's because of my broken collar bone, it was expensive and inconvenient. I'm the sort of rider who does everything themselves, so I rely on staying on my feet all year round. I simply want to avoid being inconvenienced like that again.
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Mike007
Well-Known Member
Falling off certainly doesnt make you a failure as a rider ,which was why I said "failure of riding skills"I am in my 50s and I am well aware that I cannot physicaly react as fast and with the agility I had in my 20s so yes ,my riding skills have deteriorated in some respects.Wearing a BP for jumping is a different matter.This is the kind of situation they were designed for.
TTK
Well-Known Member
I love it when Mike007 strolls into these threads
Since I recall a fabulous photo of him performing a rather spectacular unscheduled dismount, I'm inclined to agree with him - I don't think a bp would have helped at all given the nature of that particular incident
Oooooo, Mike 007, can we see that picture again, please. You are my hero!
Mike007
Well-Known Member
Doubt it. BP or no BP a fall at speed is still likely to break your collar bone. That is why it is such a common racing injury,(and the jockeys all have their nice racesafe BPs)
DDont do it again cos next time you will have the added problem of getting back on with a broken collar bone AND a body protector)LowenKi
Well-Known Member
So based on this wonderful theory Mike, I assume that you only wear a seatbelt when you drive on fast or busy roads.
Mike007
Well-Known Member
But I would wear a six point harness and Nomex suit if I was Motor racing.
JFTDWS
+++ Out of Cheese Error +++
I may have just pulled it up in another tab
That isn't what he said, tbf - seatbelts were designed to minimise injury during even low speed impacts or collisions with other things than cars - the amount of traffic on the road is largely irrelevant. bps were designed with xc, racing and high speed collisions in mind.
That said, rhino's comments about cars driving into you are (imo) valid concerns...
sarahann1
Well-Known Member
Wear mine probably 90% of the time I ride, don't even notice I'm wearing it now, feels odd without it. I'm blessed with being slight in frame but it makes for much less inbuilt padding and I have a stupidly low pain threshold (I'm a wimp!!) so anything which lessens the pain is a godsend in my book
Couldn't give a rats bottom what anyone thinks about me when I'm wearing it either.
Couldn't give a rats bottom what anyone thinks about me when I'm wearing it either.
chestnuttyy
Well-Known Member
I think an important point to make is that it's not about how many times you fall off. A lot of people have said sonething along the lines of 'if I thought I needed a BP for hacking I'd have given up riding' but you can't control how a horse will react to something when you're riding, and that's the risk that a body protector may mitigate against.
You can be on the safest horse in the world and still come off. It just depends how badly that fall is... But it only takes one to be seriously hurt.
I've never worn a BP for hacking but am considering doing so from now on
You can be on the safest horse in the world and still come off. It just depends how badly that fall is... But it only takes one to be seriously hurt.
I've never worn a BP for hacking but am considering doing so from now on
fidleyspromise
Well-Known Member
I only wear it if I go XC (so have worn a BP 3 times in 12 years). I wore it a couple of times to get used to it and then once when XC.
(going back to read the rest of the thread now).
(going back to read the rest of the thread now).
xxMozlarxx
Well-Known Member
After last nights fall I will be wearing one from now on for everything. What's the harm?
marmalade76
Well-Known Member
I've owned and ridden some very sharp horses, perhaps that's why I don't fall off very often.
Booboos
Well-Known Member
The ability to roll is crucial to falling off more safely. I remember we used to do falling off lessons in my RC when I was a kid and there is certainly a skill to tumbling to dissipate the force of a fall that people who do martial arts, gymnasts, acrobats, stuntpeople, etc. have.
I believe there is a poster who has offered lessons in falling in response to similar threads and there was also a video of research of people falling off the mechanical horse and improving the way they fall following instruction.
For me I wouldn't tell my daughter anything about reduced injuries etc. I would say that if she wanted to be around horses she would have to wear a hat and if she wanted to ride she would have to wear and hat and BP just like me. She would also have the choice not to bother with horses in which case she could do away with both hat and BP!