Does my body protector actually fit?!

[Durhamchance]

A couple of weeks ago I had a fall in a flat work lesson, I landed flat on my back, laughed it off and got back on. Once I got back to my car I realised it hurt, and the next day I was counting the bruises in the shower.

So within the week and before my next lesson we visited a well known Equestrian Country store and got me professionally fitted for an airowear outlyne. The fitter also got someone else to check the fit and I sat in a saddle while they made adjustments.

I wore it around the house for a few hours, then had a lesson the following day. The lesson itself was a little disappointing as it was a group lesson for thirty minutes and we spent most of the time 'turn taking' resulting it a fair amount of time just stood still. I hardly noticed I was wearing it.

Last night I had a thirty minute private lesson. Again I didn't notice I was wearing it and actually had a very rewarding lesson, with lots of cantering and transitions.

This morning I woke up and immediately felt pain in my left shoulder, and found a nasty red mark there




As the day has gone on it has turned into quite a bruise




I've since had a look at the protector and the left shoulder strap was about 1cm tighter than the right, so I've adjusted it. Hopefully this will fix the problem. I have another lesson on Sunday for an hour, so I could be black and blue by the end of it. Has anyone else experienced this? Should I be heading back to the shop?

 

[shirl62]

Oh...that look sore and appears its too tight pressing on your clavicle. I would go back to shop and ask for their advice.

Shirl

 

[Durhamchance]

Thank you, I think you're right. The bruise is even worse this morning, I'm dreading putting a bra on.

 

[holeymoley]

No harm in going back t the shop but I'm surprised you don't feel it when it's on. Could it have definetly been the body protector ?

 

[Shay]

Worth going back to the shop - but it might not be a pure fitting issues which caused this.

What did you have on underneath? If you have a vest type top the edges of the BP can really rub the skin - always worth having a longer sleeved top under. You can get really cheap technical type tops from countryside / sportswear places. Alternatively if you had something more bulky underneath night the fabric have bunched up under the BP and caused the pressure?

The other possibility is that you might sit slightly crooked in the saddle. (No offense - just stating a possibility!) I've seen PC Kids get marked like this by their BP because they don't sit square and straight when moving. It doesn't show up on fitting because the saddle in the shop doesn't move.

Equally it could have been that the assistant who fitted you was looking too much at the back length and not enough at where the shoulders sit. That happens too.

It is OK to adjust the BP yourself so it is comfortable - just as long as the red tape on the Velcro straps does not show.

 

[Shay]

Worth going back to the shop - but it might not be a pure fitting issues which caused this.

What did you have on underneath? If you have a vest type top the edges of the BP can really rub the skin - always worth having a longer sleeved top under. You can get really cheap technical type tops from countryside / sportswear places. Alternatively if you had something more bulky underneath night the fabric have bunched up under the BP and caused the pressure?

The other possibility is that you might sit slightly crooked in the saddle. (No offense - just stating a possibility!) I've seen PC Kids get marked like this by their BP because they don't sit square and straight when moving. It doesn't show up on fitting because the saddle in the shop doesn't move.

Equally it could have been that the assistant who fitted you was looking too much at the back length and not enough at where the shoulders sit. That happens too.

It is OK to adjust the BP yourself so it is comfortable - just as long as the red tape on the Velcro straps does not show.

OK... don't know why that posted twice. Sorry!

 

[Durhamchance]

Thank you for the replies, I was wearing a long sleeved base layer underneath as it was quite cool (evening lesson) and I have considered that I might not be sitting straight. My instructor hasn't mentioned it but while I'm not a novice I've not had many lessons since returning to riding.

I have adjusted that strap, so will wear it on Sunday as I can't get back to the shop until Monday at the earliest anyway. If I bruise fresh on Sunday I will investigate it further. If I'm going to bruise every time I wear it, I'll end up leaving it at home and then it's pointless having it.

 

[Skib]

I wear an airowear Outline too -and it doesnt really fit well. Because my shoulders are too narrow in proportion to the width of my rib cage.
Over the years I have learned that the fit of a bp round one's neck and shoulders is very important.Yours could be rubbing because it is too loose round the shoulder and under the arm pit. Fitters tend to check on at your bust and waist size and ignore the rest - I have myself gone home from Olympia wrongly fitted with a comfortable bp but one that was a size too big round the neck and shoulders. I took it back next day unworn -
To be honest, I would not try yours again. Or not until you have had someone qualified look seriously at the fit round the shoulders. If that shoulder piece is moving sufficiently to mark your shoulder that way, it suggests that in a fall it could move and injure your neck.
If it is fitting properly a bp shouldnt rub your collar bone. But because I need mine narrow at the shoulders, I do have to let it out to allow for my wider rib cage. With a fraction of the red velcro showing. There is so much velcro that it proves absolutely fine in a fall but it wouldnt pass muster in a competition. Very few brands of bp allow for narrow shouldered, non-busty women, I have not yet found one to fit - so you may need to stay with the airowear but go down a size.
If you were not fitted by one of their trained fitters, that might be worth taking it up with them. Because a well fitted bp especially Airowear shouldnt mark you at all. Even when falling off, mine has only marked me once where the edge hit the tarmac.