safety

[Rebellion]

Ok heres the thing. Parents are obsessed with my horses and are worried that me jumping is very unsafe. Mum just came in and gave me this massive talk that was awful so I was wondering how can I make jumping my ponies ULTRA safe.

I'm not jumping terribly high but my poles are fairly heavy and my horses sometimes bang them which makes my parents think they're gonna break their legs. I don't bandage their legs, should I? I wouldn't even be jumping three foot.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Anna

[Mehitabel]

bandages or boots will probably reassure your parents, and can't hurt. also make sure you always wear a body protector, and perhaps talk to your parents about having some lessons, which they might want to watch to see that you're doing everything right and minimising risks. they could talk to the instructor, who could talk to them about your ability and what it is and isn't safe for you to do.

[sweetbriar]

I would suggest several things. I would always make sure you jump wearing a body protector. I see a lot of worried mothers at my yard and all their kids wear body protectors for virtually everything.

I would buy your horse some boots for jumping. My pony has some Woof open fronted tendon boots for the front and and fetlock boots for the back. They would prevent any little knocks and bangs they might have during jumping.

I would also perhaps do some gridwork or pay an instructor for some gridwork lessons. It helps the horse become more flexible and 'bouncy' in their jumping.

I would continue jumping small classes as you have been doing.

Jumping isn't a safe sport but neither is riding generally.

[Lucy J]

I must admit, I watch some kids jumping and think if they were mine I wouldn't let them do it!!! Its only natural for parents to be concerned. Maybe you could persuade them to buy some plastic lightweight poles as they would be safer!!! :D

That's what I would do! I'm 23 and my mum is still worried about me horse riding, but you could just as easily get run down crossing the road as get injured horse riding.

[cvb]

This one is a tough one, but really there should be someone else around if you are going to jump.

Worst case if you have a nasty fall, you want someone to do something quite quickly, not a few hours later when you have been laying there bleeding/in pain/unconscious...

Also is there someone your parents would trust that you could get to have a chat with them ?

[sweetbriar]

Yes, I agree with that. You should never jump alone. Always make sure that there are a lot of you and you have a sensible older person to make sure things don't get out of hand.

[Toggi_Gurl]

I sympathise, my mum operates on people at hospital and the other night she came in saying how a girl had fallen off her horse while jumping and it had trod on her, (hope this doesn't put you off!)

But here are somethings that should reasure parents about both your and the horses safety, first I suggest wearing a body protector, I know they are annoying but if you get a proper fitting one, they could save you from serious damages, also bandages and boots for your horse.

When jumping if in the arena get someone to come and watch you jump incase there are any problems like your horse spooking or if on a hack take a mobile phone, wear identity tags on both you and your horse and tell someone where you are going and how long you expect to be gone.

My parents always used to be like that, worrying about how safe I would be, but as soon as you have shown them how mature and capable aswell as a safe rider you are, I am sure that they will have alot of trust in you and your safety.

[myEllie]

Well, you could tell your mom that a horse hitting its legs on wooden poles is a lot safer then using PVC poles, getting them caught in their legs and flipping over. :D

[jUmPingIsLifE]

my dad is the same way! he is 'to cool' to tell me to my face and NEVER expresess his concern in front of me but every so often he asks when i am going to stop riding and my mom is always telling me that he is scared to death i am going to fall off and get paralized! i know that there is allways that possibilty but as far as i am concerned i can get hurt doing anything else just as easy! i have broken my arm before...BIKING with my DAD! lol, i have broken my wrist...SKATING! and sprained an ankle...skating....NO serious injuries as of yet riding...exept i needed stitches in my knee...thats a long story and i wasn't jumping....you can brake bones reading...thats a long story to but don't ask....if you are going to break a bone your gonna do it weather its on a horse or not. besides I love jumping so much i could NEVER stop and i know there is always a chance that i get hurt but doens't that add to teh fun...just like any sport???

[Nickie]

Funny enough - my parents aren't the problem for me!

My boyfriend showed me this thread and I think it was a telling off for jumping Bren on my own last night! (Even though I wasn't on my own there were other people at the yard.)

I am teaching him (more like reminding him) of how to jump. He hasn't done it in about 3 years. We are only jumping things under 2 foot and we seem to have conquered the bolting thing that he was doing a while ago. He is on a fitness programme too - so by the time we start our jumping (normally the last 20 mins in the school) he is too tired to play me up.

I don't wear a body protector - firstly can't afford one - secondly - I do not believe that they protect you that much anyway - they just spread impact over a larger area (this is how they are supposed to protect you - so that the 'hard hit' is not just in one little area). If you are going to get hurt bad - it'll happen with / without one. They are not infallable!

I do think that children should wear them though as even little knocks can do damage - a friend of mine tripped over when she was a kiddie and knocked her shoulder. This in turn as she grew caused her spine to grow lopsided and she now has a metal rod down her back and spent near on a year in plaster from hip to neck.

I do agree with not riding alone - in case you do get hurt. But I do think that there are risks to everything. I fell whilst ice scating about a year ago (trying to scate round a little kiddie at short notice!) :D and bruised my coxix (sp?) :( which is the small bone at the bottom of my back and couldn't bend, lift, sit properly for about 2 or 3 months! Supervision doesn't stop things happening - they just mean that you have someone to scrape you off the floor if it does! :p

I have come off before (for some really silly things) and sat to Bren when he has REALLY played up. At least with jumping you have some idea when you could get problems! i.e Pre-takeoff and landing! :rolleyes:

Riding itself is a risk - everytime you get on a horse you are very much in harms way - you never know what will happen - but I love riding - and if I can't get someone to watch me or 'supervise' me I will not let it hold me back from trying new things.

At nearly 21 years old I think I can take responsability for myself and accept the consequences.

However I do agree that if you are younger and your parents are paying for you to have lessons or share or loan - you should do it their way - then they can't shout 'I told you so!' when/if something goes wrong.

Nicola.

[Anja]

I know a girl that came off on Xcountry and almost got killed her back protector saved her!!!!! she almost went through a shap pointed pole her mother wont let her jump with out the back protector ( I hope this doesnt scare anyone about X-c)

I also suggest jumping boots too. my girl is only walked around and I have her booted up on all four legs!!!!! ( i dont want anything 2 happen to her)
Anja

[Cochise]

Hey....
Just wondering are your parents concerned for only your safety or both you and your horse?
Yes boots are fantastic....I school my horse in boots even if we aren't jumping. Plus I agree, investing in some lessons is a great idea. ACC (Accident Compensation New Zealand) has claimed horse riding a more dangerous sport than motor bike racing and just behind rugby...in regards to sporting accident payouts per year. Makes you think....and for all of those of you out there who can show your horses in a bowler or show cap....us kiwis are no longer allowed this luxury we have to wear crash helmets even in the show ring...especially those under 17 on ponies.

But to be relevent to the question!! LOL!! Jumpin can be safe as long as you take it in steps.....Don't feel compelled to rush out and try to get over everything you can before you feel ready. ;)

[maverick927]

I'm very bad in SJ as I don't wear a back protector even though i should but i not jumping overly high and have a well behaved pony (in the ring), but XC is a deferent matter. iwon't even go up the field without my back protector on as Maverick goes mad. i have fallen off a few times XC and never had a problem. I am lucky with my pony and my mum doesn't mind me out riding as she knows that Maverick is safe.

I remeber though when i first got Maverick that I fell off over a jump and winded myself. Maverick was great and he jumped over me!! Although he can be a pain sometimes when it comes to falling off as he always stops (not a bad thing) but when I do games and vault of, he thinks I have fallen off so stops. i know its sweet, but it is irritating.

Also on Saturday i was at a show and a girl fell off. her horse went mad and ran, and ran and ran through all the other rings. the girl however was not wearing a back protector and was left with an incredible painful back after falling onto the poles. that should teach me to wear my back protector but then again i have never fallen off through a refusal. Maverick is too slow!!!

[Mark Swales]

If your parents are worried about your safety then get a good hat and body protector. Get your parents down to the yard and show them just how safe riding is. Get into the habbit of wearing your hat and body protector all of the time, not only just to show them that you are looking after yourself but it is very good practice. Manny people just wear their hats then working with horses but remember that your body is a much bigger area to get hit and just as important. For example when you are workin with their feet.

Hopefully this will show your parents that riding and working with horses can be safe.

Happy Riding