Am I & my friend the only one, or do others think that Body Protectors...

I've Arrived_

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Aug 31, 2009
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The Worst Town In Scotland
Do more harm than good?
I'm not terribly keen on them personally, although I own an upto standard one, as does my friend.

I feel it restricts your movement, especially when jumping, so more likey to fall off then? :confused:
And my friend had a not so bad fall which she would have been alright & not have gotten whiplash at a show if she didn't have it on as it shot up and hit her neck.

What's other people's views?
 
I don't wear them unless absolutely neccessary because I find they restrict me too much. I do however insist on children wearing them as I do think they help.

I think my problem is I have been riding without one for thirty years or so and I just can't get used to them.
 
I only wear one for XC, and after having a Racesafe I could never have anything else!
I don't wear one for anything else, even hunting - far too hot!
 
I have allways worn one since i could horse ride



I've Arrived_ i see it says the worst town in scotland as location may I ask were?
 
personally when jumping i always wear one, i know they don't protect a great deal, if anything they'd just stop me getting winded if i fell. For me its more of the fact that i feel more secure and confident when i wear one than without, i have been wearing one for so long now, i feel vunerable and bare without one when jumping.

I think its just personal preference though really, some people cannot ride in them at all and just tip forwards all the time, for others it helps them sit tall though.
 
I only ever wear one for XC, and that is the airowear black&yellow one, got it as an early birthday present :)
 
Well I've just had to order one to wear for jump cross and xc and my instructor has said she'll need to give me a couple of lesson's while wearing it cos it's bound to '**** up all you've learnt'!! So can't say I'm keen to get it on to be honest!!!:rolleyes:
 
If they fit then I think they are good - but a badly fitting one can cause more damage. Very few people get them fitted at all - or checked when they change shape.

I love my racesafe - so comfy and not at all restrictive. I can't stand any of the other ones though!
 
personally i dont like them at all, i feel that they restict me too much. although im being made to wear one at college and its awfull.
 
After my riding accident, I now wear one. Think it depends on many things wither someone wears one or not.

Have a feeling if I had one on, when I had that bad riding accident I would not of broken my back, at least not as nearly as badly.

I have a Charles Owen body protection Vest which I wear each and every ride. Is a bit bulky at first but if you wear it, in time it really does mold to your body and I don't find movement restricted in it any more.

I make sure to hang it up and adjust it just like I would be wearing it, when not in use. Makes a big difference.

Am middle aged, with a previous broken back that has never fully healed, I have mild Osto(brittle bones), Scoliosis and I feel if I want to keep riding a little extra protect won't hurt.

This old body doesn't bounce like it used to, so I will keep wearing my Body protector.
 
I only wear a BP if I am competing XC.
The college I did my BHS exams at insists you wear one for H&S when jumping, which I think is totally un-neccessary! I find myself so restricted in one & only wear one if I absolutely have to.
 
I love my bp! It was properly fitted by somebody trained in bp fitting and I have to say that apart from on the hotest days of the year, I don't find it uncomfy or restrictive. For me personally, it has given me confidence - I initially bought it to hack out in on the roads (I know its not going to save me from getting squished by a car) but it boosted my confidence no end. I have had several quite painful falls not wearing one, and the last fall I had - I wish I'd been wearing it!!!! (Quite typically I wasn't as I'd got my mojo back again and thought I was just having a pootle!).
Each to their own I guess - and I certainly wouldn't be without it for jumping! There was a very good article on the new bp's in Your Horse magazine this month - I think they have come down in price since I bought mine.
 
I've always maintained that i cannot get a nice position for jumping with one. I just feel so stiff and rigid in one that i think my balance is worse than without.

If i did xc i would definately wear one though
 
My daughter wears a racesafe, and she swears by it.

But then, she fell off and the hoof print where he trod on her as he departed didn't disappear from her upper arm for weeks. They said at A & E had that been on her unprotected chest she'd have stove in every rib she had....

We bought the body protector the next day.
 
I only wear one when jumping and hunting as it makes me lean forwards. I never bother wearing it when hacking or doing flat unless he's behaving like a loon.
If it's fitted properly then it shouldn't rise up.
 
I had a Rodney Powell one which I found absolutely horrible to ride it, did nothing for my position and made me so hot that I couldn't concentrate (or indeed, breathe!). So, I didn't wear it. The only thing it DID do was improve my sitting trot !

Now i have a Racesafe, which fits me properly, and i can truthfully say that I don't notice when i am wearing it. It doesn't ride up, it doesn't bang on the back of the saddle, i can fold to jump in it.

A BP that doesn't fit properly is a complete waste of money, and could well do more harm than good. A BP that DOES fit properly could make the difference between getting up and walking away from a fall, or spending weeks in hospital.
 
her bp doesn't fit if it's riding up.
I would only ride in one for xc, possibly hunting babies too, as they do give extra protection.
 
I have twice been saved by mine in incedents that would have been many times worse had I not been wearing it. First was a fall down a hill side on stony ground, but the second was on to a fence from a horse going from canter to halt and me landing on the top of the fence (not a jump). This would have broken my ribs I think.
 
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