Body Protectors on Children?

[Travis's Mum]

My daughter refuses to wear one She is 7years old and has had a fall already but nothing broken, She has started riding properly since Feb (I lost my confidence last year so pony did nothing she just pottered about on him now and again)I bought her one after her fall (probably more for my piece of mind) but she hated it and said she couldn't ride in it and wouldn't ride until it came off. So she's riding without it. Does anyone else's children ride without them? I find myself chewing my nails when shes riding thinking what if? But as a child I never rode in one but was luckily enough to always land on my feet

 

[Gruntfuttock]

Interesting. If my daughter said she wouldn't ride without one, I'd say, "fine, don't ride, then". Simple as. That's just part of the general unfairness of being seven years old and having to do as your parents tell you

If you really don't want to put your foot down with her (why not?) you could always compromise and let her ride on the flat without it, but insist she wear it for jumping. My 5 year old daughter is still on the leadrein, so I don't insist she wears a BP, but when she begins to ride on her own, she will have no choice but to wear one. Its a bit like her hat. No hat, no ride.

 

[rhsw]

As a mom, I would get my child one, thats if I had one that does horse riding, I would want the child to have one mainly for jumping, hacking out. I have been learing to ride for 16 months now, and I have a love for jumping, having had 2 bad falls from jumps, I now have a body protection. I dont always wear it when having lessons, but will wear it for jumping and hacking out. They do take getting use to, the more you wear one, the more you get use to it. Make sure the fit is correct, otherwise it would be very uncomforable and not safe to wear.

 

[icegirl]

I used to insist on it too. When she got to 12, we had an agreement that she had to wear it when jumping. It was helped by our YO at the time insisting they wore them for jumping so it got to be the norm.

 

[Esther.D]

When Beth is big enough for one she will wear one or not ride, at the moment she is too small (she is only 2 1/2 and always has a second person walking beside her anyway) but she knows the hat rule - no hat = no riding and I intend to do the same about the BP once she is old enough and riding slightly more independently.

Does her BP fit her well? Is it worth trying different makes to see whether she is more comfortable in something else as I know they vary a lot.

 

[Travis's Mum]

Shes on Leadrein at the moment just doing flat work but we do hack out on leadrein so may look into getting one fitted to her. Thing is I never ride with mine (she doesn't see me ride so doesn't know I dontuse one) I do schooling, trek and jump 2ft 8 but find it extremely hard to ride in it so I don't which is where Im probably not being as hard on her as I probably should.

 

[Esther.D]

I am the same - I don't wear one either as I find them restricting so I know where she (and you) are coming from but I think I will still be insisting Beth wears one for peace of mind for me as much as anything else (I know they are not fail safe but they are the best on offer at the moment to reduce injuries).

 

[kusha]

Both my daughters who started riding in March wear one. They are 9 & 10 and were quite keen to get one - they saw it as part of 'the kit'. Neither of them have complained as they have worn them from the start.

I think they are helped by the fact that the majority of kids in the RS they go to wear them. I know one of their friends (who goes to a different RS) doesn't wear one - her mum's attitude is 'ach kids bounce'. To an extent I agree with her although it is my personal preference that mine wear them all the time.

I agree with Gruntfuttock that I would put my foot down or at least reach a compromise. I know it's not always easy with kids - one of mine would call your bluff and say 'okay won't ride then' but kids can only hold out so long no matter how strong willed they are!!

Hope you get it sorted so that you are both happy.

 

[Travis's Mum]

Thanks Guys, think Ill order her another one, different make this time and see how we go, think Ill just need to be strict on this one and just about to pop on the web site Esther D. I Could bribe her with a new Rainbow Bridle!!!!!!!!

 

[Esther.D]

Well the rainbow ones do seem very attractive to small people! Thats the ones that aren't magnetically drawn to pink of course (like my daughter ). Going to be a new website up soon with photos.

 

[Smurfie]

Out of Interest my 6yr old nephew has been riding on leadrien and thefreelance Instructor I have has said that he doesnt need a body protector, he too has had a fall(well slipped off) hes on an 11.2(hiw own pony) should his mother ignore her and get one, or ignore her and get another RI!! He has also had 6 lessons and she has taken him off the lead rein albeit to trot afew yards towards his mum. The mum not very sure whether after 6 lessons he's ready but then she worried she been over cautious. I dont live near so cant comment on his riding but I thought it was a bit soon. He has been round horses all his life and done a little riding bareback on leadrien just pottering about!!!!!!!!!! Sorry to hijack the thread but Im glad it was brought up.

 

[miggy]

Again I dont wear one but kids do, as others say same as wearing a hat-no hat and BP no riding.
Has been slightly harder lately as son has been doing PC games and they dont wear BPs for that, so we have had more whinging and moaning than normal when he does have to wear it. I will let him walk and trot in the school w/o otherwise its on.
Just one of many battles to come

 

[highamreb]

my daughter is nearly 12 and has to have an adult bp but it fits width wise but is too long on the back so very uncomfortable to wear so i must admit i let her ride without which i probably shouldn't, but then she goes to pony club and no1 wears 1 so would struggle to make her!!! she ahs come off a few times and not been badly hurt, kids bounce don't they??

 

[learningcurve]

My daughter is 13 and we have had loads of rows about back protectors,she hates them.
RI adviced that at her age it was about whether she felt more comfortable with or without,should add she has been riding about 6 years.
She does wear one out of choice if riding unfamiliar horse or taking her own pony anywhere different,wore one to first sponsered ride,but not to subsequent ones.

 

[xloopylozzax]

i have never worn a body protector (im 16 and have rode all my life cos my family have always had horses) and dont plan on doing so.

isnt it better that she rides comfortably and fells more secure and balanced without one, than her worrying that she is uncomy, wobbly and feels more perched and in turn riding worse and mroe likely to fall because of it?

i can understand for x-country and jumping over 2'6 (generalisation not hard fast rule) but you learn to ride by falling off simple as- you just gotta bounce and get back on its all part of the fun!

as long as the pony is safe and you trust it (you and daughter) then your not too likely to fall when on the leadrein anyway IMO.

just let her be a kid and be happy, if she has all these rules and cotton wool she will get sick and wont ride as she gets older just to 'rebel'

 

[Siogfinsceal]

Interesting. If my daughter said she wouldn't ride without one, I'd say, "fine, don't ride, then". Simple as. That's just part of the general unfairness of being seven years old and having to do as your parents tell you

me too. Maybe agree that she has to wear it for jumping?
To be honest its more of a parenting question -
If you want her to wear one why not simply tell she is not riding unless she does?

in a lot of places it required for kids to wear one

 

[coyote]

Interesting. If my daughter said she wouldn't ride without one, I'd say, "fine, don't ride, then". Simple as. That's just part of the general unfairness of being seven years old and having to do as your parents tell you

If you really don't want to put your foot down with her (why not?)

Totally agree!!
My 4 children dont ride unless they wear one full stop!!
Most of them have ridden since birth as we have had a pony at each time.

Just to let you know , those who say well ive not worn one and ive got away with it,
so did i ,until i was 31yo (i had been riding for 30yrs),then i was nearly killed by my OWN horse,just after i mounted in my OWN paddock,my B/P saved my life (2 consultants said this) so as you might still be getting away with it,just remember it could happen to you too!!

 

[rhsw]

You do need to try a few on, and get the feel for the right one, I did, took me ages to get one that I felt comfortable in, but I am so glad I took the plunge to wear one. They do save your life. You could have a fall, and spook the horse and the horse could end up stepping on you, image that on a child. Likewise it could happen after a jump too. And it could just happen out of the blue on a hack too. Get her fitted out right, if she doesnt like it, try a few more on, till she finds one she feels comfortable in. Mine is very light.

 

[Nimbus65]

Colour me irresponsible, but neither of mine (12 and 10) have ever ridden in a body protector unless they were jumping. They've had multiple falls on the flat and, other than being winded or having a sore bottom, are never the worse for wear. The worst injury any of the girls who ride with them has sustained was a broken forearm - which a body protector did nothing to stop.

When they are hooning around over cross country fences or jumping anything higher than a cross pole then they know they MUST wear a body protector or they cannot ride. On the flat, it's up to them . . . and they both choose not to.

Incidentally, I don't ride in a body protector unless I'm jumping either. Having fallen off both with and without a body protector on, I can honestly say that I felt like the body protector impeded my ability to fall "properly." Plus, I don't jump any more . . .

N

 

[happy haffys]

I'm quite lucky with Rhianne, cos she has felt the benefit of one.

She was only 7 when she got thrown off by a pony & then the pony threw herself on top of her. She literally got up with a bruise on her leg & arm & a graze to her face, i was in shock.

Before then i never used to insist on it unless she was jumping or on an unfamiliar pony, but now i never have to remind her.