shadowboy
Well-Known Member
I do now since a stupid driver spooked my youngster in October and I hit the tarmac. Not worth it to not wear one.
who wears a body protector out hacking
- Thread starter RULEMI
- Start date
Puddock
Well-Known Member
Another Kan fan here. Mine's really comfy and certainly helps to keep me warm. Don't hack without it.
OldNag
Wasting my time successfully....
Always. Even for off-road hacking.
MrsMozart
Just passing through...
Me!
Had two silly falls in two years. One bleed on the brain and one broken back.
Stupid things happen.
Had two silly falls in two years. One bleed on the brain and one broken back.
Stupid things happen.
longdog
Well-Known Member
Both my daughters do - one is an adult novice rider, the other has ridden all her life since weeny, but since "Bikegate" - resulted in broken shoulder blade, she wears hers everytime now. Riding is just too unpredictable!
indie999
Well-Known Member
I do now although I come from the days where hats were never woren etc and looking back what madness!
I had a nasty fall on hard ground and ended up in hospital. Even though it was a few years ago my back still twinges etc and I know its from the accident. Since this time I have woren one but I hate the restrictiveness of it and on a hot day its an awful thing to wear. In winter i have to wear an extra big coat over the top.
I do feel like the michelin man but I think it would probably stop a few bruises in the ribs not sure about anywhere else though!!?!I sometimes wish I had padded pants on instead or lower back in particular.
I never got the shoulder bits and mine is just the vest type zip at front.
But yes I do wear mine, although I am not entirely convinced its going to save me completely most of the falls I have had I have ended up sitting on my backside!
I had a nasty fall on hard ground and ended up in hospital. Even though it was a few years ago my back still twinges etc and I know its from the accident. Since this time I have woren one but I hate the restrictiveness of it and on a hot day its an awful thing to wear. In winter i have to wear an extra big coat over the top.
I do feel like the michelin man but I think it would probably stop a few bruises in the ribs not sure about anywhere else though!!?!I sometimes wish I had padded pants on instead or lower back in particular.
I never got the shoulder bits and mine is just the vest type zip at front.
But yes I do wear mine, although I am not entirely convinced its going to save me completely most of the falls I have had I have ended up sitting on my backside!
PeterNatt
Well-Known Member
"Without my body protector, I'd have spinal injuries.
"A hack with her daughter Molly (6) turned into a nightmare for Cornish retailer Vicky Thorne when her mount was hit by a car.
As she lay shocked and badly bruised in the road Vicky - who owns Cornish Saddlery in Helston Cornwall - could only watch as Molly's pony galloped for home, the child still in the saddle.
Amazingly everyone survived in one piece. Molly and her pony arriving intact back at their yard.
Vicky's pony also got home safely but she ended up in A & E at the local hospital "The doctors said that if I wasn't wearing the safety equipment I was, they would'nt be treating me at all" she said.
"I'm still very sore. My hip is black [with bruising], my elbow is cut to pieces and my neck has whiplash. But without my Body protector, I would almost certainly have had spinal injuries and brocken ribs".
Vick and the medics credit her survival to her Airowear Outlyne body protector. The female friendly garment meets EN13158:2009 and the BETA 2009 staqndard Level 3.
Vicky was also wearing a Champion Ventair hat and 'Polite' high visibility jacket.
"The accident has proved just how essential these safety items are when you need them" said vicky. "I've always been keen on making sure hats and body protectors fit correctly and now when I speak to customers I probably emphasise it even more".
Vicky told ETN that the accident happened when a car towing a boat trailer approached the group of riders coming in the opposite direction on the wrong side of the road, but failed to stop.
"I was on a very safe 13.1hh pony to be at a similar height to Molly on her pony".
I raised my arm to ask the car to stop, but it carried on, hit the pony's hindquarters and scooped me up on the bonnet".
"As I lay in the road I was relly only concerned for my daughter whose pony galloped off with her still on board".
An experienced rider who competes up to advanced level in dressage, Vicky is also a British Horse Society (BHS) riding and road safety examiner.
Equestrian Trade News Page 6 January 2012.
"A hack with her daughter Molly (6) turned into a nightmare for Cornish retailer Vicky Thorne when her mount was hit by a car.
As she lay shocked and badly bruised in the road Vicky - who owns Cornish Saddlery in Helston Cornwall - could only watch as Molly's pony galloped for home, the child still in the saddle.
Amazingly everyone survived in one piece. Molly and her pony arriving intact back at their yard.
Vicky's pony also got home safely but she ended up in A & E at the local hospital "The doctors said that if I wasn't wearing the safety equipment I was, they would'nt be treating me at all" she said.
"I'm still very sore. My hip is black [with bruising], my elbow is cut to pieces and my neck has whiplash. But without my Body protector, I would almost certainly have had spinal injuries and brocken ribs".
Vick and the medics credit her survival to her Airowear Outlyne body protector. The female friendly garment meets EN13158:2009 and the BETA 2009 staqndard Level 3.
Vicky was also wearing a Champion Ventair hat and 'Polite' high visibility jacket.
"The accident has proved just how essential these safety items are when you need them" said vicky. "I've always been keen on making sure hats and body protectors fit correctly and now when I speak to customers I probably emphasise it even more".
Vicky told ETN that the accident happened when a car towing a boat trailer approached the group of riders coming in the opposite direction on the wrong side of the road, but failed to stop.
"I was on a very safe 13.1hh pony to be at a similar height to Molly on her pony".
I raised my arm to ask the car to stop, but it carried on, hit the pony's hindquarters and scooped me up on the bonnet".
"As I lay in the road I was relly only concerned for my daughter whose pony galloped off with her still on board".
An experienced rider who competes up to advanced level in dressage, Vicky is also a British Horse Society (BHS) riding and road safety examiner.
Equestrian Trade News Page 6 January 2012.
Brontie
Well-Known Member
I don't own one, and don't particularly have any interest in getting one soon. I find them more restricting and so im more likely to come off from being so rigid, in 4 years of riding I haven't hit the deck, im of the age where I should still bounce. So maybe once I do hit the deck, and hurt myself ill wear one, but unfortunately, I may sound silly but I have no desire to wear one soon.
fallenangel123
Well-Known Member
If I could find one that fit comfortably I'd probably wear one. I have a short back, big shoulders and high waist, (never fit a saddle if I were a horse!) I've tried all sorts of makes and they all feel awful leaving me stiff and unable to move properly.
monkeybum13
Well-Known Member
I would never hack out without one. I've had some accidents out hacking that would be a lot worse if I hadn't been wearing a BP. For me its second nature that hat, BP and hi viz go on for hacking.
I trust my horse on the roads but it only takes one careless driver and a fall onto tarmac can be pretty damaging! (Ironically my most serious accident was in private fields with no roadwork but I still put my BP on)
I trust my horse on the roads but it only takes one careless driver and a fall onto tarmac can be pretty damaging! (Ironically my most serious accident was in private fields with no roadwork but I still put my BP on)
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LaurenM
Well-Known Member
I wear mine - doesn't matter what the temperament of the horse is like as accidents can so easily happen. I fell off last April & broke my back. Luckily I was wearing it at the time.
springer1021
Well-Known Member
I always where one, even on my old mare who at 23 years old no one has ever fallen off her!
My body protector is comfortable though, I feel naked without it - a bit like driving without a seat belt.
My body protector is comfortable though, I feel naked without it - a bit like driving without a seat belt.
Jackson
Well-Known Member
I wear mine for all riding activities, I'm young enough to bounce, but all bouncing means is that I hit the ground twice 
Moobucket
Well-Known Member
I always wear one, just like I always wear a seat belt in a car. I don't distrust my horse or my car its just that accidents happen. I don't want to be paralysed from a broken back wishing I'd had one on. I think you'd be as daft not to wear one as to not wear a hat really. A horse is a heavy creature and the human body is soft. I'm also fairly little so would probably snap like a twig
Booboos
Well-Known Member
I wear one almost all the time, the only time I take it off is when it gets very hot here in the summer as I overheat easily. I definitely wear a BP out hacking, for me hacking is potentially very dangerous and all my falls in the last 10 years have been out hacking rather than schooling!
noblesteed
Well-Known Member
Yep me! However I have been injured BY a BP in the past so I am careful to have a small-fitting one... I got winded because I landed with my elbow in my side and the BP was forced into the side of my abdomen. I passed out for a bit, luckily I was in a lesson so I had someone to help me, if I'd have been alone on a hack I'd be in trouble.
The only time I haven't is when I was riding while pregnant and the small fitting BP wouldn't fit over my, ahem, ample bosom any more.
The only time I haven't is when I was riding while pregnant and the small fitting BP wouldn't fit over my, ahem, ample bosom any more.