Does wearing a body protector, make you feel more confident or less confident?

newforest

newforest

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2008
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q in title, i know some people don't like them and some people do.

So if you are a wearer does it make you feel confident to attempt things maybe you wouldn't, or just peace of mind.

if you are a non wearer as don't like them, if you had to use one would it hinder your riding and make your more worried.
 
i've never worn one, and dont think i will, unless i have to (for XC)

it would make me feel restricted, less supple or balanced and just plain odd :)
 
never worn one whilst riding and never really want to, they would make me feel incredibly un-confident and you can probably guess why, the reason i always feel un-confident :p :eek:
 
In a way I prefer to wear my BP, it makes me feel safe and I feel kind of unsteady without it. The people I ride with don't wear theirs, but I always make sure I do. I won't jump without my BP :).
 
I've given up wearing mine as it made me less confident. Although, if I were to grow b@lls and start doing something like xc then yes, I'd be digging in out from the depths of the tack room and wearing it again.
 
Beck said:
In a way I prefer to wear my BP, it makes me feel safe and I feel kind of unsteady without it. The people I ride with don't wear theirs, but I always make sure I do. I won't jump without my BP :).
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Ditto :)
If i feel im going to be faced with a pony or situation that may have me off, i'll wear it.
 
For competiting xc you need one as you do for training sessions.

But i don't even know i'm wearing mine, so i thought it was due to it being a great fit, bit like a bra you don't know your wearing one. They should not feel restrictive and if they do they are not the right one for you.

I sometimes wear it, mainly for jumping and if i do any xc.
 
I feel I do lose some flexibility with it so don't wear it day to day certainly doesn't make me feel less or more confident. However when I was bringing my young tb back into work after 6 months box rest and no turnout I did wear it for a couple of weeks.
I'll wear it for cross country.
Mines a racesafe so relatively flexible compared to others i have tried.
On the plus side I don't need a sports bra with it on.
 
When I had no confidence I always wore it as I knew it wouldn't hurt when I fell off - I was always convinced i would fall off, and when I did (not as often as I thought) it didn't hurt.

Then my confidence came back and shedding the bp was an important part of that for me, to be able to ride without it was a big step.

Backing my youngster I've been wearing it again just to keep myself safe. Glad I did as when I did come off her I would have hurt more of my back than my cocyx and that hurt enough.
 
I will admit that it's almost my safety net sometimes :eek:. I used to wear it just because I was terrified of falling, then it was a case of 'the day I take it off will be the day a horse chucks me into a post and rail fence' :eek: - really thinking S*d's Law. In the end I decided that the physical presence of the BP in terms of making me feel more confident actually wasn't doing anything - it was the paranoia of taking it off and how much I'd be kicking myself if I fell off the first time I took it off :p. Now I only ride with it if I actually plan to jump or if Toby's feeling very jittery and spooky - more out of common sense and probability rather than fear. It did used to be my little kind of security device, like a comforter :p. Some people will call me bananas for actively weaning myself off a safety device, but personally for me it was an important step in regaining (and recognising the gain in) my confidence :).
 
It doesn't make me feel any more or less confident. I am realtively self aware so I am happy with my ability and the body protector doesn't change that. Therefore I only wear the body protector if I know that the risk of my harming myself has been increased (i.e. riding an unfamiliar horse or jumping) or if the risk of injury if I do fall off is higher (e.g onto fences). I know there is always a risk but although it doesn't get in the way things are usually slightly easier without it. :)
 
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I used to feel more confident, but I'd always forget I had it on so I don't know how that works! How can you have a placebo effect if you don't know you've got a placebo in the first place? :p

I'm a very nervous rider these days, and if I thought a body protector would settle my nerves I'd buy another, but as mine no longer fits it's an expensive theory to test out.
 
I've worn one a few times to try to get used to wearing one and tried to persuade myself that there are some situations where I should be wearing one but I still hate them and still don't wear one when I probably should. Wearing a bp restricts my movement and makes me feel less secure as well as just being plain irritating to wear.
 
can i pose another question-

do those who wear one regularily, worry that they become too dependant on them?

i dont see them the same as a hat before that argument appears...
 
xloopylozzax said:
do those who wear one regularily, worry that they become too dependant on them?
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Maybe, but I don't think I am. I don't wear one when hacking or doing flatwork. I basically only wear it for jumping and hunting. Although have jumped a fair few times without it I prefer to jump with it just in case. And also it saves me from having to invest in a sports bra :eek:
 
Having a BP that fits perfectly makes all the difference in the world.

I wear a Charles Owen and I feel more confident wearing it.:D

I use a BP because I had a major accident 2 1/2 years ago, having gone 35+ years riding without a major wreck. I had only started wearing a helmet the year before and I will tell you, without that helmet I won't be here writting to the forum now. Helmet did its job.
Have done research and have even written an article for a Mag on the BP's and I seriously feel the Beta 3/ASTM rated vests can save a person going through what I did. Hospital, nursing home and still not fully healed. These kinds of accidents ruin a person's life... and after 35+ years of riding, I thought an accident could never happen to me...oh was I so very wrong.

I don't depend on the BP any more than I do my helmet but I feel they do offer some protection. And will continue to ride wearing them, each and every ride.
 
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makes me feel safer to although since piling on the pounds need to get a new one that fits :eek:
 
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