Anne
13th Mar 1999, 12:58 AM
Hello again :-)
Forgot to mention in previous emails that I have fallen off (quite a lot ... tsk!)and three times since I recently started jumping, the first time when my horse rushed the embarrassingly tiny cross-pole at the end of a line of trotting poles ... I hurt my neck and was carted off to the X-Ray department of my local hospital .... no damage however, except to my ego, and the second time my little steed (last week at Porlock Vale)refused a fence and I fell off, landing miraculously I have to say, on my feet! Unfortunately he refused again and this time I crashed down onto the pole and bruised a rib! It still hurts when I cough!!!! <g>.... ouch! .... or laugh ...!!!!
The point I wanted to make about this is that the first time I fell off, I was not wearing a body protector, but since Porlock Vale now very sensibly insists that riders wear these when jumping, even indoors, I very probably would have cracked, rather than bruised a rib had I not been wearing mine.
Since I'm only a novice myself yet, it may seem arrogant to give advice, but if any of you new riders are considering learning to jump, PLEASE wear a body protector .... I wouldn't wear one last year when I was at Porlock,as they can feel very restrictive until you get used to them. Falling off is a sometimes painful but useful lesson to learn, and I'm very glad they insisted on the body protector rule this time around.
Sorry this is a bit long, but thought it an important point to raise, especially for new riders. Mike, Helen, anyone else have an opinion on this?
Best Wishes
Anne
Forgot to mention in previous emails that I have fallen off (quite a lot ... tsk!)and three times since I recently started jumping, the first time when my horse rushed the embarrassingly tiny cross-pole at the end of a line of trotting poles ... I hurt my neck and was carted off to the X-Ray department of my local hospital .... no damage however, except to my ego, and the second time my little steed (last week at Porlock Vale)refused a fence and I fell off, landing miraculously I have to say, on my feet! Unfortunately he refused again and this time I crashed down onto the pole and bruised a rib! It still hurts when I cough!!!! <g>.... ouch! .... or laugh ...!!!!
The point I wanted to make about this is that the first time I fell off, I was not wearing a body protector, but since Porlock Vale now very sensibly insists that riders wear these when jumping, even indoors, I very probably would have cracked, rather than bruised a rib had I not been wearing mine.
Since I'm only a novice myself yet, it may seem arrogant to give advice, but if any of you new riders are considering learning to jump, PLEASE wear a body protector .... I wouldn't wear one last year when I was at Porlock,as they can feel very restrictive until you get used to them. Falling off is a sometimes painful but useful lesson to learn, and I'm very glad they insisted on the body protector rule this time around.
Sorry this is a bit long, but thought it an important point to raise, especially for new riders. Mike, Helen, anyone else have an opinion on this?
Best Wishes
Anne