Body Protectors on Children?

[noumenon]

My daughter always wears hers and I always wear mine. I didn't always do so, and it felt hypocritical to be insisting that she wear hers when I didn't but we've both had a couple of falls (not serious but painful) and so neither of us now mounts up without one. But I echo all those who say it is important to get one that FITS! Mine used to be too long in the back and was so uncomfortable that I was tipping forwards all the time. Now with a well-fitting one I forget I'm wearing it. it also helps that the majority of the kids on our yard wear them - or else their parents don't let them ride - so she's hardly in a minority. We all ride with a hat, don't we, even when "just" schooling or hacking, so why the big deal over a BP? Yes, you can go 99.999% of the time without a bad fall, but its the 0.001% that can seriously injure you - and horses can throw a hissy fit whenever, not just when jumping or cantering. It's all down to personal preference at the end of the day, but if you really want your child to wear one, then stick to the "No BP - no riding" rule and see how quickly she comes round!

 

[stephanie bay]

do your kids show with bp's on?

 

[noumenon]

Haven't shown yet but will be doing WHP soon and, yes, she will be wearing a BP - but there are jumps. I must say though that a friend who shows, and whose daughter does wear a BP, commented that she seemed to be the only one - wonder if you would get marked down for it?

 

[fishiz3434]

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.

My dad said he'd shoot our ponies if we EVA rode without a helmet and he MEANT it, this isn't cos i'm old school either i'm only 19. the same rule now apply's to body vests and we dont even try to test the result if we didn't wear either

 

[stephanie bay]

Haven't shown yet but will be doing WHP soon and, yes, she will be wearing a BP - but there are jumps. I must say though that a friend who shows, and whose daughter does wear a BP, commented that she seemed to be the only one - wonder if you would get marked down for it?

most riding club rules juniors need to wear bp for jumping but showing you will be in the minority.

I only ask as my daughter used to wear her bp all the time except when showing and she used to feel "funny" without it. So now she rides mostly without it.

 

[Bertie]

My niece is 8 and wears one to ride at all times, she knows the rule of no BP then no ride. When she rides she is my responsibility (parents very non horsey) so that is a rule I've instilled in her, I wear mine when riding at all times so use that as a bargaining tool.

I have let her get away with not wearing it once, she started her lesson in it but it was over 70 degrees and the poor child looked like she was going to collapse from heat exhaustion so I let her take it off to cool down and have the 2nd half of the lesson without it.

 

[x-horsemad-x]

I spent 5 years of my life riding with no body protector, then i had a 'bad' fall in my parents eyes, not in mine i was perfectly fine jumped back on but it looked bad, so they insisted i wear one.
I didn't complain and wore it up until january this year ( 4 years later ) when i had to jump on a horse in a lesson i was helping in ( so i couldn't ride in my BP ), and we were jumping. The difference was unbelievable, my balance was perfect, striding was right, position was a lot better and its been like that ever since without my BP.

I've had falls with and without my BP, the ones without caused me far less damage, i was very badly winded and had sore ribs when i fell with it, i then fell the exact same way with out it and only had a tiny bruice on my back.

I do wear it if I'm doing XC ( as its insisted upon but i would even if it wasn't a rule ), going on a fast hack or riding a unfamiliar horse.

 

[CER1389]

I used to wear a body protector. From the age of about 10-13. Wearing it meant after a few falls I was winded, not broken anything.

However I also made the descion not to wear it any more. I don't even own one know (almost 18). I found that through wearing it my upper body was too stiff and rigid. I wasn't absorbing the horses movement which meant I was being thrown about a lot. It also meant that when I fell off, I feel straight and tense, whereas previously I had landed curled up and more relaxed.

Unless small children are jumping I HATE seeing them on them. I know when I'm a parent I'll probably feel differently. However when I had my body protector it made me feel much more scared. It was like rather than getting ready going "I can't wait to ride tonight " I was getting ready going "Better put my body protector on incase I fall off" It made me much more pessimistic and more aware of that fact that I could fall off.

I just think until they're jumping high or solid fences, it's not worth it. They'll learn to be much more relaxed, enjoy themselves and consider the fun of horse riding not the worries.

 

[Natasha.O'C12]

I'm 12 and have been riding for 5 years. I ride quite excitable horses but I have never worn a body protector. All I'd say is don't make people wear them unless you know for sure that they'll need it. I don't wear a hat when I'm just sat bareback in a stable bc I don't think I'll need it

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

I'm 12 and have been riding for 5 years. I ride quite excitable horses but I have never worn a body protector. All I'd say is don't make people wear them unless you know for sure that they'll need it. I don't wear a hat when I'm just sat bareback in a stable bc I don't think I'll need it

This is a very old thread and most of the member are know longer in here but as to your comment clearly at 12 year old you know best.

How is to say whom needs to wear one. They are animals not machines one of mine spooked in his stable today when a brush slid down the wall anyone on board bareback would of popped off.

Your head your choice

 

[chev]

This is a very old thread and most of the member are know longer in here but as to your comment clearly at 12 year old you know best.

How is to say whom needs to wear one. They are animals not machines one of mine spooked in his stable today when a brush slid down the wall anyone on board bareback would of popped off.

Your head your choice

Getting on in a stable with full tack and a hat is bad enough; to do it bareback with no hat is plain stupid. And that I know from experience - when I was about twelve I did exactly that on a friend's pony. She spooked, I came off and smacked my head on the door on the way down. I got concussion. It could have been worse.

And at your age it's not all down to choice - the DVLA states that all children aged fourteen or under must wear a hat out hacking on roads.

I know you say you're twelve but all that tells me is that you have a lot to learn. My OH's eldest son was killed after being dragged by a pony. He sustained massive head injuries. A hat might have saved his life.

Wandered a bit off topic there.....

I wear a body protector and to be honest the one I have now is not restrictive at all really. Both my girls wore BPs til they grew out of ponies. A friend of ours has a daughter who rides without. And she came off and got kicked in the stomach which caused an internal bleed. For a while it was touch and go.

I came off a horse wearing mine and ended up with bruised ribs. Without it those ribs would have been broken. Yes it comes down to personal choice but I'd choose to wear mine over internal injuries every time now.

 

[Wally]

Good for her, I hate them too. In fact the only time I wore one I broke my coccyx

 

[tikkitti]

My kids learnt to ride with a BP therefore dont know any different. My cousin who was a super rider competed in junior eventing was killed aged 13 by his connie, this was in the early 80s and BP weren't standard place, he was jumping and the pony managed to land on top of him. He died before he reached hospital. Also my mums cousin was paralysed doing point to point years ago too, I don't remember what happened but he's been in a wheelchair ever since. However I don't ride with bp yet own one and a airvest but my BP is only used for XC. I do use my airvest at times but tbh not as much as I should but find airvests a lot less restrictive. As for hats both me and my children always wear our hats, I've had some nasty accidents over the years and some that could of been a lot worse without a hat. I'm actually going to get my elder daughter a airvest at some point and my younger one when she stops growing so quickly. x

 

[Wally]

My kids learnt to ride with a BP therefore dont know any different. My cousin who was a super rider competed in junior eventing was killed aged 13 by his connie, this was in the early 80s and BP weren't standard place, he was jumping and the pony managed to land on top of him. He died before he reached hospital. Also my mums cousin was paralysed doing point to point years ago too, I don't remember what happened but he's been in a wheelchair ever since. However I don't ride with bp yet own one and a airvest but my BP is only used for XC. I do use my airvest at times but tbh not as much as I should but find airvests a lot less restrictive. As for hats both me and my children always wear our hats, I've had some nasty accidents over the years and some that could of been a lot worse without a hat. I'm actually going to get my elder daughter a airvest at some point and my younger one when she stops growing so quickly. x

No body protector will protect you from a pony landing on you it was a horrible freak accident, that does not bear thinking about. If you read the blurb on the box they come in there is a disclaimer that they don;'t really protect you from anything other than a glancing blow. All the injuries you'd get from a high impact sport with horses, are not covered.

 

[tikkitti]

No body protector will protect you from a pony landing on you it was a horrible freak accident, that does not bear thinking about. If you read the blurb on the box they come in there is a disclaimer that they don;'t really protect you from anything other than a glancing blow. All the injuries you'd get from a high impact sport with horses, are not covered.

I know but things like that happening make you realise what a high risk sport it is, and makes me try to protect my own kids as much as possible whilst enjoying ponies x

 

[tikkitti]

My daughters just looked over my shoulder and said you don't want to protect me you just want me to look fat in a stupid body protector, lol, I love kids logic. x

 

[Wally]

I know but things like that happening make you realise what a high risk sport it is, and makes me try to protect my own kids as much as possible whilst enjoying ponies x

I know, it's horrible, but statistically, rugby players wearing body armour have more injuries due to the transfer of fores through the body onto the unyielding padding. I am convinced the BP I wore when I was injured made me fall awkwardly.

 

[tikkitti]

It quite possibly did, I must admit it's far harder to roll/move when you've fallen in a BP. I'd prefer my kids to ride in airvest but they grow so quickly!! x

 

[Gimp]

I'm 12 and have been riding for 5 years. I ride quite excitable horses but I have never worn a body protector. All I'd say is don't make people wear them unless you know for sure that they'll need it. I don't wear a hat when I'm just sat bareback in a stable bc I don't think I'll need it

not wearing a hat when your on board a horse is irresponsible. Being confined in a stable has its own safety issues attached if the horse were to panic. If you were my daughter and I caught you doing this you would be dragged by the ear home !

 

[Wally]

Not wearing a hat is plain daft.