RE Body Protectors- When Do You Wear Yours?

K

kerrylou123

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 July 2006
Messages
2,027
Location
Sunny Worcs
Visit site
Inspired by a post in CR, got me thinking about how often I wear my body protector. With my gelding, I wear mine only for XC, with my mare, I wear it for all jumping, even if its only tiny, and usually out hacking because she can be a bit of a loon!.
How often do you wear yours, and for what, and why?
 
Just XC and C schooling.
smile.gif
 
More or less all the time - it has magical protecting properties
grin.gif


I think there have been a couple of occasions when I haven't worn it in the paddock for schooling but generally, if I'm on my horse then it's on my back!
smile.gif
 
Riding a new horse for the first time
Jumping either SJ/XC
Riding a spooky/unpredictable horse.
Riding a tall horse. Further to fall
wink.gif
 
I used to wear it all the time now I wear whenever I am going to be jumping SJ/XC/hunting etc. I stopped wearing mine hacking because it would make my neck bad but I did wear for the first year of having frank, particularly as I fell off on the road once. I sometimes wear it if hacking alone or somewhere different.

I also wear it whenever riding anyone elses horses that I won't know as well as my own.

Mum wears hers all the time apart from flatschooling.
 
I wore it when Stinky was just backed until I was comfortable that he was unlikely to do anything too daft.

I now wear it when jumping and doing XC and hunting but not for schooling and hacking as whilst accidents can happen, he is a fairly dependable chap not to spook or do something to dislodge me.

I do always wear my hat and sensible boots.

My niece wears her body protector at all times apart from when in the show ring doing showing. She is on a super star of a pony, but is only 9 and still on L plates so better safe than sorry, she can make her own choice when older and more secure in the saddle.
 
I wear mine every time I get on a horse no matter what I'm doing.

I've only ever fallen off once when jumping but last year I went over my horses head and landed on my back when he put his foot in a hole and tripped when trotting on a bridleway. I landed on a rock that bruised my lower back, right on my spine, through the protector. It could have been nasty.

Yesterday he bucked me off when schooling him in the field. Again I landed on my back and suffered no damage. I've only ever known him buck 3 times in 8 years.

I wear it for obvious reasons and because I can't afford to have time off work through injury that could possibly have been avoided.
 
I wear mine all the time for hacking, jumping and schooling. I wear it hacking as don't have anyone to pick up the pieces (or pieces of me) at the moment so it's like an insurance policy to prevent too much injury and hopefully mean I can continue working through any injury! And no I'm not a total pessimist! I'm not worried about something my horse might do as he's very good but have to contend with lots of speeding traffic on local 30mph roads and idiots on scramble bikes at speed on bridleway when they're banned from riding along it now.
 
Just XC, I didn't have one for years and was fine, bought it because our YO won't let us on the XC course without one.

When I first bought it i wore it for all jumping as I thought it was tempting fate not to, but then I had a couple of falls that I think could have been avoided if I hadn't been wearing it so now I don't bother unless I have to and feel happier, more confident and have a better jumping position.
 
for xc comps, and xc schooling, an Exo.
for backing youngsters and early ridden work (until i am 99% confident that the fireworks are over) a Kan.
there are as many admissions to A&E of horse riders with torso injuries as head injures, food for thought...
 
For XC lessons, and when I have reason to believe the Spooky Pony may be sillier than usual. When I first got him, I wore it every time I got on him.
 
Every time I ride, with shoulder pads, you can come off anytime, I met a lady who had been out riding, no problem, got back to yard, horse did nothing wrong other than slip on the concrete, she came off and broke collar bone.

My body protector has never made me feel unbalanced when riding.
 
Likewise every time I ride, also with shoulder pads. I am an A&E specialist and see too many people who come off without them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top