Penalised for wearing a body protector

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Gembo

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i was showing the other day at manor farm at a BSPA show. i had never been to an affiliated show like this before so didnt know what to expect. went into the first class and was pulled up at the end of the line ( after a lame horse and several which in my opinion shouldnt have even been at a show in the state they were in ) so we did our show and got moved up a little. while waiting for our next class we were talking to the person who had won that class and she said how wearing a body protector will get you marked down ( i mean marking a child down for wearing a body protector) anyway the next class we removed the body protector and we won the class and we were then reserve champion of the show . Surely we should be encouraging our youngsters to wear safety equipment not discouraging?? i think this is disgraceful.
 
just seems ridiculous that you come bottom in one class because of a body protector and then win another when you dont wear it.same judge as well PATHETIC
 
exactly what i thought we should be encourage the use of safty equipment especially body protectors as they ca nsave lives. just becasue they dont look as nice as someone without it shouldn't impede how well you do in a competition its just not fair and anyway it should be judged on the horse not what safety equipment isnt being used
 
P stardust - Manor farm is weird.

Sorry to say they have their own rules on everything and it dosent surprise me. Some of the stuff that has happened there is just unbelievable. It's a shame as it was a really nice venue.
 
it was a month or so ago now so probably a bit late but if anything like that happened to me again i would definatly complain :(
 
It may have just been the show you were at, i took my daughter to a big show when she was 5 in a lead rein show. And the judge actually commented and send how pleased she was i didnt care and still put a body protector on on my child!! And i got 3rd out of about 35.
 
Just to point out, you never asked the judge.

The chances of something like a body protector affecting your placing in an affiliated show are actually incredibly slim. There are probably perfectly reasonable explanations for your placings which, had you asked, the judge would have said. I'm guessing the body protector was just a coincidence.

Part of the reason you don't see body protectors in showing classes is that they shouldn't be necessary. Manners are so important to showing - you shouldn't need to be concerned about falling off. Obviously horses are horses and it's a personal choice; a showing society would be foolish in this age of lawsuits to promote not wearing a body protector. Even in side saddle classes, which are the strictest on turnout, the judges are instructed not to penalise safety equipment.
 
pathetic though as another person refused to remove her body protector and and the same results and after removing it for their 3rd class they came 3rd
 
One thing I will comment about body protectors is they make you very stiff as a rider and so the overall picture is not going to be as good. I was at PC instructors training the other day and they said the body protector was one of the worst things for rider position but due to safety implications they had to remain in place.
 
Did you ask the judge - the person who dictates the placings? Or you've drawn all conclusions from someone else standing in the line?

Perhaps your pony was not of the right type for the first class, however it was the second.

Please please, if anyone has any worries, or is unsure of anything, ASK the judge (politely!) - most will be more than happy to share their decision making.
 
LEC said:
One thing I will comment about body protectors is they make you very stiff as a rider and so the overall picture is not going to be as good. I was at PC instructors training the other day and they said the body protector was one of the worst things for rider position but due to safety implications they had to remain in place.
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Too right! I don't show so am not commenting on that, but my position is shot to pieces every time I ride in my BP. I have little movement in my shoulders and arms and my back becomes quite rigid. I ride so much better without it.
 
MissSBird said:
Just to point out, you never asked the judge.

The chances of something like a body protector affecting your placing in an affiliated show are actually incredibly slim. There are probably perfectly reasonable explanations for your placings which, had you asked, the judge would have said. I'm guessing the body protector was just a coincidence.

Part of the reason you don't see body protectors in showing classes is that they shouldn't be necessary. Manners are so important to showing - you shouldn't need to be concerned about falling off. Obviously horses are horses and it's a personal choice; a showing society would be foolish in this age of lawsuits to promote not wearing a body protector. Even in side saddle classes, which are the strictest on turnout, the judges are instructed not to penalise safety equipment.
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Beautifully said. I echo this entirely. Without asking the judge you can not say this. You're being rather unfair I think making such assumptions.
 
I have to agree with the other posts about position. I almost always wear a body protector as my children won't let me ride unless I do:o. But, it does make me look like the hunchback of Nortre Dame. I took it off when I was having a private lesson with a BHS Fellow (didn't want to look too much like a happy hacker). My position certainly improved and as a result, the horse went better.
 
but still surely safety is the most important thing ? riding is a very dangerous sport so anything that can reduse the chances of serious injury is a blessing not something to be ingnored
 
Gembo you have totally ignored everyone who said it is almost impossible for you to say it was that, which got you placed down. Where is your proof for this accusation?
 
BSPS state:
"Body protectors may be worn and are strongly recommended whilst competing in WHP and WH classes."

I know it wasn't a BSPS show, but still. However, if I was judging a ridden pony class and one of the riders was wearing a body protector in a ridden class I'd have to wonder why.
 
the fact that two people that wore body protectors were unplaced then when both competitors removed there body protects one won there second class and the other came 2nd i think thats proof i think this is a bad example to set for children and lets be honest you never see children wearing body protectors in showing classes and i now know why
 
Gembo said:
the fact that two people that wore body protectors were unplaced then when both competitors removed there body protects one won there second class and the other came 2nd i think thats proof i think this is a bad example to set for children and lets be honest you never see children wearing body protectors in showing classes and i now know why
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I'm sorry but I don't see how you can call that proof. I presume their second class was a different class judged on something totally different. Perhaps the horses weren't correct examples of the first class but were of the second?

You're right, you don't normally see children riding body protectors in flat showing classes because, like someone has already said, manners plays a very important role (especially in lead rein/first ridden classes).
 
Gembo said:
the fact that two people that wore body protectors were unplaced then when both competitors removed there body protects one won there second class and the other came 2nd i think thats proof i think this is a bad example to set for children and lets be honest you never see children wearing body protectors in showing classes and i now know why
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This isn't proof at all


I used to have show ponies. Reasonable ones. At one BSPS show I rode my pony ( a lovely Rendene pony for those interested ) who was slightly between two classes in both one day.

The first class was a 138cm show pony class. We were bottom of the line. Despite the fact that I would have said the mare was of show pony type.

I changed jacked and went in the 142cm SHP class and was second ( God knows how as she was the smallest thing in there by a long shot and had not a jot of bone) Nothing changed. The judges that day just thought she was a better example of a SHP than a SP.

That's showing for you I'm afraid.
 
I would also wonder why someone was wearing a body protector in a flat class. If you think you may come off then your horse or pony clearly isn't ready to go into the ring. Again type comes into it. Say you had a 13hh fell pony and put it in the 138cm riding pony section theb you would rightfully come last no matter how good the pony or performance as the pony isn't the right type for the class. If you then put that same pony into a M&M class then you will do much better.

You quite simply can not say the judge doesn't like body protectors when you never asked a reason for being placed down the line then up it.
 
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