Im with Wally on this one. I hate them with a passion too. I used to wear one years ago for jumping but for some strange reason never feel the need to wear one when out hunting. I dont think I could put up with wearing one all day.
When to use body protectors?
- Thread starter fjordlady
- Start date
when i was 12/13 i use to ride at the local college and for their insurance purposes i had to wear one.... It became like second nature! My BP moulded to me and i didn't even feel it! I went from there to a Training and livery yard and they weren't frowned upon but i didn't feel comfy wearing one, so it got to the stage i never wore one unless i was going XC. Now i never wear one.. I had a fall on Monday, not bad but bad enough to be off work and Doc gave me a lecture about wearing a BP. For Xmas its on the top of my xmas list and i will definately be wearing it for road work, jumping and when i ride by myself!
I wear mine EVERY single time that I ride, even if its just a 2 min stroll up the road. They can be a bit of a pain as mine often gets caught when i dismount but i think they are worth it.
Whilst in a riding lesson several years back I got thrown off into a brick wall. I hurt for a couple of weeks but I dread to think how I would have ended up without it on.
Whilst in a riding lesson several years back I got thrown off into a brick wall. I hurt for a couple of weeks but I dread to think how I would have ended up without it on.
Never - I actually sometimes think I'm MORE likely to fall off while wearing one I find them so cumbersome and uncomfortable
i wear mine every time i ride (mainly to shut up OH and dad! lol)
i find that it keeps my back straighter when i ride. however, when i've been working for a while, i tend to have to loosen it a bit cause it restricts my breathing (i know i've probably got it on too tight to start with. ah well).
it also protected me from a pretty bad fall while doing xc. i was completely unhurt, but am convinced that had i not been wearing it it would have been much much worse.
i find that it keeps my back straighter when i ride. however, when i've been working for a while, i tend to have to loosen it a bit cause it restricts my breathing (i know i've probably got it on too tight to start with. ah well).
it also protected me from a pretty bad fall while doing xc. i was completely unhurt, but am convinced that had i not been wearing it it would have been much much worse.
could be just me but i find it gets in the way slightly when cantering, probs. because it was the first time i'd bothered to wear it in a while!
Nearly all of the time.
I wear it for hacking, jumping, XC and hunting. I'll wear it on the flat some of the time although I must admit, I don't always wear it for flatwork schooling.
My friend think's I'm slightly crazy - I've got a safe horse, which rarely does anything silly. He rides his somewhat hot-headed horse without a hat most of the time!
I must admit, my Mother has certainly said that she feel's happier if I wear one, and whilst I'm not a Mummy's-girl, if it keeps her happier, then I feel it's worth putting it on!
I wear it for hacking, jumping, XC and hunting. I'll wear it on the flat some of the time although I must admit, I don't always wear it for flatwork schooling.
My friend think's I'm slightly crazy - I've got a safe horse, which rarely does anything silly. He rides his somewhat hot-headed horse without a hat most of the time!
I must admit, my Mother has certainly said that she feel's happier if I wear one, and whilst I'm not a Mummy's-girl, if it keeps her happier, then I feel it's worth putting it on!
i don't wear one at the moment, but am not jumping or going fast a great deal at present....i would and will do in the future. (got to save up for one!!)
I wore one as a teenager and it saved my life. i suffered a very serious fall (and then being trampled on by the fore feet of a stallion intending to kill me!) and ende up only with broken ribs and two small bones in my back being broken/dislodged. without a back protector they (hospital) say my spinal chord would most likely have been severed.
so really i have all the reasons in the world why i should wear one............if only they made them comfortable, easy to balance and fit well!
I wore one as a teenager and it saved my life. i suffered a very serious fall (and then being trampled on by the fore feet of a stallion intending to kill me!) and ende up only with broken ribs and two small bones in my back being broken/dislodged. without a back protector they (hospital) say my spinal chord would most likely have been severed.
so really i have all the reasons in the world why i should wear one............if only they made them comfortable, easy to balance and fit well!
Can identify with most of the previous posts. When I came back to riding a couple of years ago I wore my BP religiously - schooling, hacking, jumping, the whole lot.
Last summer I had a fall going XC, not over a jump but at canter after being unseated, so it was the type of fall I could've had anywhere. Similarly to Wally, I fractured my coccyx - I'm a shorty and although the BP was professionally fitted, the base came just to my coccyx and I landed slap bang on it. I believe the BP did more damage than it saved. People watching said I appeared rigid as I came off and would probably have landed less painfully had my body been more supple and able to rotate.
Once I got back in the saddle I decided to leave the BP off unless going XC (possibly SJ too). I realised, to my shame, that I had got used to the BP "supporting me" and sat like a sack of spuds without.
I then had 3 falls in fairly quick succession, all without BP. On the first I got a badly bruised hip (BP wouldn't have helped), the 2nd & 3rd I genuinely felt like I was able to "roll" more which reduced the impact, and I doubt this would've been the case with a BP.
My YO is of the opinion that a BP is great if you get unseated and actually hit a jump on the way down, particularly XC with the solid fences but otherwise it's really 50/50 whether or not they will help or hinder. Have to say, after personal experience I tend to agree with her now.
But each to their own - it's a very personal decision.
Last summer I had a fall going XC, not over a jump but at canter after being unseated, so it was the type of fall I could've had anywhere. Similarly to Wally, I fractured my coccyx - I'm a shorty and although the BP was professionally fitted, the base came just to my coccyx and I landed slap bang on it. I believe the BP did more damage than it saved. People watching said I appeared rigid as I came off and would probably have landed less painfully had my body been more supple and able to rotate.
Once I got back in the saddle I decided to leave the BP off unless going XC (possibly SJ too). I realised, to my shame, that I had got used to the BP "supporting me" and sat like a sack of spuds without.
I then had 3 falls in fairly quick succession, all without BP. On the first I got a badly bruised hip (BP wouldn't have helped), the 2nd & 3rd I genuinely felt like I was able to "roll" more which reduced the impact, and I doubt this would've been the case with a BP.
My YO is of the opinion that a BP is great if you get unseated and actually hit a jump on the way down, particularly XC with the solid fences but otherwise it's really 50/50 whether or not they will help or hinder. Have to say, after personal experience I tend to agree with her now.
But each to their own - it's a very personal decision.
G
gaz deluxe
Guest
Now there are some interesting points!!! I have tried one a couple of times and I felt claustrophobic, to be honest. And hot and generally uncomfortable.
I've been learning to ride for nearly a year and have only just bought one. It's an early xmas pressie from my dad who was worried about me falling. I wore it for the first time last week and was fine with it. It did feel a bit odd as i had to put my coat over the top because it was raining but i think i will wear it every time i have a lesson now. I have only fallen off once and it wasnt a bad fall but i have seen two other people fall at the RS recently so better to be safe than sorry. I thought it might feel restrictive but i forgot i had it on during the lesson.
When I first started riding last year I never wore one, I wish I did though coz I had a bad fall where I kind of skimmed across the floor on my lower back, ouch, like skimming a pebble along a pond! I was in a lot of pain & in bed for 2 days. If I was wearing a BP, it would have protected this area, as the BP I now have is long in the back, because I have a long torso, but not too long that it hits the cantle. But the main thing I was concerned about on that day was that my riding hat slid upwards & the straps nearly tore my ears off! My neck & shoulder ached for days afterwards. I've now changed my hat coz it was a size too big, I can't believe I was fitted out with that size. I've also grazed all down my arm when out hacking & wearing a t-shirt, so I try to wear long sleeves these days, although on a hot summers day that can be difficult.
I was also bucked off a few months later & landed on the same lower part of my back not again
I now wear the BP (Rodney Powell Level 3) every time I ride, I detest wearing it because I sweat half my body weight my t-shirts get soaked I did find it difficult to take a deep breath in, I ended up breathing quite short & shallow breaths, but have now loosened it (beyond the red thread, ) so it's better, it is still quite tight so I don't think it's dangerously loose, but will seek advice soon just in case. I don't notice it as much now though that it's moulded to the body. I've seen the Racesafe BP's, they look so comfortable, they have different segments I've noticed, what are they like to wear? I'd imagine that they are easier to roll in, is this true? I'm considering purchasing one in the near future.
Are there BP's out there that cover the coccyx? They could go under & attach to the other side, but they'd have to not interfere with how you sit, especially allowing you to sit on your seat bones. But I guess they'd probably look quite strange.
I was also bucked off a few months later & landed on the same lower part of my back
not againI now wear the BP (Rodney Powell Level 3) every time I ride, I detest wearing it because I sweat half my body weight my t-shirts get soaked
I did find it difficult to take a deep breath in, I ended up breathing quite short & shallow breaths, but have now loosened it (beyond the red thread, ) so it's better, it is still quite tight so I don't think it's dangerously loose, but will seek advice soon just in case. I don't notice it as much now though that it's moulded to the body. I've seen the Racesafe BP's, they look so comfortable, they have different segments I've noticed, what are they like to wear? I'd imagine that they are easier to roll in, is this true? I'm considering purchasing one in the near future.Are there BP's out there that cover the coccyx? They could go under & attach to the other side, but they'd have to not interfere with how you sit, especially allowing you to sit on your seat bones. But I guess they'd probably look quite strange.
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I just find them very uncomfortable. I obviously always have and always will wear it for XC and sometimes when I am jumping but mine and Rosies fave disciplines have now settled down to just be mounted games and dressage neither of which I could face wearing a BP for! I know they are sensible for hacking but I am not the worlds best at wearing them!!!!
When I first started riding I never used to wear one.
But then one day, I started jumping higher than Id ever jumped before with my instructor and she suggested I borrowed one for the private lesson, thank god I did.
One of the last jumps I did, Joss through in a last minute stop, I went "flying" over his neck and landed on the wing, the cup holding the pole ripped the BP right up the back, if it wasnt for the body protector it would have been my skin that would have ripped. Obviously someone above was watching over me that day.
Needless to say I then got my own BP, but I then had a couple of years break from riding and now I dont wear one as I ride at a riding school, but I am in the process of looking at a loan horse and if everything goes ahead I will be purchasing one.
But I probably wouldnt wear it for just schooling.
Emma.x.
But then one day, I started jumping higher than Id ever jumped before with my instructor and she suggested I borrowed one for the private lesson, thank god I did.
One of the last jumps I did, Joss through in a last minute stop, I went "flying" over his neck and landed on the wing, the cup holding the pole ripped the BP right up the back, if it wasnt for the body protector it would have been my skin that would have ripped. Obviously someone above was watching over me that day.
Needless to say I then got my own BP, but I then had a couple of years break from riding and now I dont wear one as I ride at a riding school, but I am in the process of looking at a loan horse and if everything goes ahead I will be purchasing one.
But I probably wouldnt wear it for just schooling.
Emma.x.
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