who wears a body protector out hacking

[RULEMI]

Hi all

I went out for a hack today my mare shyed at something in the hedge then slipped on some mud and fell down. I got flipped right over her headand landed hard on my back on the road. Thank goodness my hat took most of the fall and not sure how i got up unharmed. It really made me think now I am approaching my 40s and have a little boy at home I should be wearing a body protector out hacking.

I still cannot believe how lucky I was to get up unharmed

M

 

[ladyt25]

I don't wear one and I have to say in over 25 years of riding (the majority of that hacking) I reckon I could count on one hand the amount of times I have come off hacking.

 

[Cobi]

i hope your okay! I always wear one after a nasty fall i had which made me think. Lots of people i know dont, i guess its just how you feel x

 

[Cheiro1]

I always wear a back protector bar if im schooling my own mare. On any other horses I wear one in the school too!

I think its personal choice, I dislike the fact I get looked down on by some people for wearing one, I dont care if they don't want to, but its my choice to wear one surely?!

 

[quirky]

I wore one all the time on my last unpredictable horse.
I did start off wearing one with my present horse as she was just backed but I don't any longer.

 

[Vodkagirly]

I wear a protector jacket when ever riding now, my horse spooks and while I can normally sit them, there is always a chance I won't.

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

I always do after watching a friend have an horrendous fall on the road.

 

[midi]

At the end of the day it is the individuals choice, but personally after experiancing my first bad fall and utterly randomly I would like to have a body protector. I realized how hard the ground hurts when you land awkwardly, don't even want to imagine concrete and even the most safest/bombproof horse can be unpredictable.

I didn't break anything just bad internal brusing in my back but left me unable to do anything for about a week. IDK how most riders break everything and continue on like its nothing!

I'd rather be safe than sorry considering you do have others to think about and relying on you.

I don't think any differently if people do or don't, it is really on how you feel.
I'm just a wimp and would like to avoid as much damage n' pain as possible if something does happen haha..

 

[PingPongPony]

I hope you're ok regarding wearing a BP, it depends on the individual tbh. the people that don't wear one and have never come off etc, i guess they're lucky i had a nasty fall 2 years ago, we were having a nice calm quiet canter on a verdge which we knew very well that had no holes, the horse just put its front foot wrong and both of us went flying, i came over her head and landed on my back while she did pretty much the same but landed on her back on top of me then rolled right across me and fell into a ditch, i was wearing a good hat and my BP which my parents got me a month or two before hand for no particular reason, now im glad they did and it was perfect timing if i didn't wear it i would be in hospital for sure with broken ribs or worse, i got up unharmed too, just in shock. It wasn't my fault, it wasn't the horses fault, we were just calmly cantering, not being silly or anything, it was just a freak accident which can happen at any time to anyone really. Since, i don't hack out without it, i don't jump without it either, i sometimes dont wear it for flatwork but only sometimes. Its up to you if you wear one or not but accidents happen and some people are lucky and some are not

 

[Holly Hocks]

I used to wear one when hacking my mare out as she became unpredictable with dangerous rearing episodes. It was so comfortable that I didn't even notice it in the end and it became a bit like wearing a seatbelt - if I got on her without wearing it it felt wrong. I don't a a rule wear one on horses which I know are ok out hacking, although in winter they do offer a bit of extra warmth.
I certainly wouldn't look down on someone for wearing one as someone said above - in fact I have more respect for them for looking after themselves.

 

[Cocorules]

I have worn one for all riding for the last 5 years. Went many years before getting one but now I have one use it all the time. Had a lot of falls and knocked myself more times than I can remember always with a hat but makes me keen to take what precautions I can when it comes to riding.

 

[ivandenisovich10]

I never get on a horse without one anymore, after a few high speed racehorse falls, I'd never be without one

 

[Copperpot]

I wore one for a whole after horse reared and landed on me. But I don't any longer.

 

[Cupcakes and Horses]

I only wear mine for xc. I did have a very bad fall years ago and actually cracked my hat but it was my neck that was injured and a BP wouldn't of helped. Tbh I feel more at risk of falling wearing it than I do not, even though my new one is more comfortable I feel restricted and I find it really hard to get on from the floor so if I had to get off for a gate it would really p me off! I make the kids ride with there's all the time, they have asked how come but its a case of do as I say not as I do! Wouldn't dream of going hat less though.

 

[Umbongo]

I always wear one out hacking now. I never used to, but decided to start wearing mine a couple of years ago when I had a green 5 year old on loan, and was starting to hack out someones slightly unbalanced youngster (she never knew where her feet were!).

A couple of years ago I was wearing mine on a hack on a mare who I trusted (only wore it as I had planned to jump a little log in the field). We were having a slightly fast canter in a field we knew well. I don't know if there was a small hole or she put her foot down wrong but she fell from underneath me and I was sent flying. She rolled and when she got up she put her hooves on my chest (sort of used my body to push herself back up but didn't put all her weight on me, hard to explain...it all happened so quickly!!). I had quite a bit of bruising, broken fingers, broken nose etc. But no broken ribs etc and luckily the mare was absolutely fine. But made me realise that freak accidents can happen, even on a horse you trust more than anything and doing something you do everyday.

Have also had one or two very fast falls from working on a racing yard....not fun!

 

[kerilli]

i wear my Kan on a horse i don't know at all for the first time or two, one that's come to me to have a problem ironed out, or on a youngster if it's been a bit antsy lately.
iirc statistically there are as many serious torso injuries as head injuries among riders...

 

[kiritiger]

Yes, I do as most of the time I will jump logs and things when I'm out and better to be safe than sorry.

 

[1Lucie]

ME!!

Last summer i took my friends 20yr old bombproof(as bombproof as they come) cob out on hack. We had lovely stroll in the sunshine. For absolutly no reason he tripped, which i sat fine but as he recovered he tripped again. So badly he went down. I went flying over his head, i landed on my head and onto my back very hard. Luckily i was wearing a body protector but i am still suffering (8months later) from a bad neck.

I am sure i would of had far worse injury to my back without it! I will never hack without it again, no matter what horse i'm riding.

I was particularly embarrassed and girls at yard found it very funny i had actually fallen off him (no one falls off him lol). Just proved to me that accidents can happen riding ANY horse.

 

[Syrah]

I always wear one.

 

[jinglejoys]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one I wear one all the time for Malaga...but never for old Picasso

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Glad to hear you are ok. And in answer to your question, I always wear a body protector out hacking, even for quick pootles round the block, not that I am riding much atm due to losing my mare in October, but I have worn one for years and always will.
Just to add, my mare was fab, and I had never fallen from her in all our 19yrs years together (i have had falls on other horses btw) but that still did not stop me wearing a BP on her, as attuned as we were and confident i generally felt on her.
My BP is comfortable and frankly I feel naked without!

 

[starryeyed]

How scary, hope you're feeling ok and aren't too shaken?
It depends on who I'm riding as to whether I wear mine or not. I don't tend to wear it on my lad when hacking as he moves in a very bus-like fashion and in the 7 years of owning him have never lost my balance when he's spooked, I know accidents happen but unless we're going somewhere new or going somewhere fast (i'll always wear one for fun rides etc), I don't tend to wear it. When he spooks nowadays he tends to plant himself or go backwards so don't have any of the nasty 360 spins anymore (don't think he can be bothered!), but its only in the last year or so i've started riding without it as i feel i know him inside out now.

I did however have a very nasty riding accident around this time last year when I was riding someone elses insane TB and always think how lucky I was to have been wearing that body protector because I'm sure I wouldn't have come away from the accident well if it wasn't on me - I still have the bruises a year later!!
I always wear them on horses that aren't mine as I think it takes a long time to 'know' what will make a horse spook or react, and don't like to take any chances with horses i don't really know. Depending on the horse i'll wear my BP schooling if i feel i'm likely to end up on the floor.

 

[Tilda]

I wear my point 2 since I had an awful accident on my old horse when we'd just gone for a quiet walk down and it all went wrong and I ended up airlifted to hospital. The only time I haven't worn it was on my YMs totally bombproof, doesn't know how to be naughty dales and that was only because he was being ridden in a treeless at the time and the strap wouldn't stretch far enough for the stirrup bars. Even then I wore my BP.

 

[unbalanced]

I never wear one, and I don't know anyone who does. I am surprised reading this thread to find that they are so popular! To be honest the only time I ever see body protectors is at events where you have to wear one to take part.
Glad that you are ok after your fall. Horses for courses though and if it makes you feel more confident you should definitely wear it. After all we ride for enjoyment and if you are worried about being no good to those at home then you won't have so much fun.

 

[mirage]

My girls aren't allowed anywhere near knobberpony without a hat and bp.Purely because a shod pony kicking a small child in the chest can kill,and it only takes something to frighten knobberpony and her to jump or lash out and it could be nasty.They always wear bps when riding too,although the only time the youngest has fallen off so far,is at a standstill when knobberpony put her head down to graze.Even then she did a somersault right over knobberpony's head and landed flat on her back.When we checked her ove later,she hadn't even got a bruise thanks to the bp.

 

[welshcob*]

Glad to hear you're ok! Must admit tho I don't wear one myself. The only time I have is when I rode a friends fruit loop for her. Must admit I felt rather trussed up but wouldn't have ridden him without it! Have to say he behaved very well (for him!) So decided to go for the gallop too!! I do wonder sometimes if perhaps I should tho as my mare is very forward going & sharp & can shy & swerve wide on a sixpence with the best of them! Also I don't bounce as well as I used to!!! LOL

 

[Mince Pie]

I wear one on my mare atm as she is still a bit funny about hacking on her own, I don't on cobby though as he is fine to hack.

 

[Spotsrock]

I wear mine on anything other than b. If I may be jumping out I wear it on her too! Also more likely to wear it in winter which is bad of me!

 

[Natz88]

I wear one when I am riding my yougnster & when competing, but don't wear one if I ride my haffie or on my mums cob.

 

[Serephin]

I wear mine every time I ride, don't bounce like I used to!