Body Protectors for Kids

[idontlikealdi]

DTs are learning to ride, and are now working a bit n canter which quite frankly is terrifying to watch so god help when they progress...

Do your kids wear BPs? I have held off buying them until it was clear they were going to stick at it. Tehy have their own hats / jods / boots already.

I never wore one, and tried one on in Decathlon the other day and it was SO heavy. Are they all like that? Any lightweight ones you would recommend for kids? They are skinny tall ten year olds. I don't think they would get on well with the ones with 'tail' bit, they are having enough issues keeping their bums down in the saddle anyway.

TIA

No, never. Only ever used one when going cross-country jumping, same with me. I loathe them! The worse falls for both of us - a BP would have made absolutely no difference. DD and horse both somersaulted through a show-jump (poles broke fortunately and pony absolutely fine - she never lets me forget that my first concern was for the pony!!) and she ended up with concussion. BP wouldn't have helped. She also got a lovely hoofprint on her bum somehow - again BP wouldn't have prevented this.

I came off backwards on a deep arena surface from my youngster who spooked badly and I ended up with horrendous soft tissue damage to my shoulder, arm and neck plus concussion due to landing on the back of my head/neck. BP would have made no difference.

However, if you feel they need BPs then try to get the Racesafe type rather than the rigid ones. They are very lightweight and flexible. DD has one - refuses to wear the rigid ones!

That's the way I'm thinking too tbh, do you make your dad wear it for everything?

Dd only wears one when she’s doing XC - she says they interfere too much with her position and make her more likely to fall off. She’s just about to step up to novice level eventing and I will upgrade her body protector to one of the racesafe ones then.

Your twins WILL fall off whether they’re wearing a body protector or not so you’ll need to develop nerves of steel

I rode from the age of like 6? and I never wore those. My first class I was wearing bl--dy tracksuits....... hate the stuff.....

I’ve done a bit of teaching and I don’t like them on very novice riders I think they can make people sit a bit perched unless this fit is perfect!
If you do buy one tho, race safe are the best by a mile

My son wears a body protector at all times. Having known a few people who have broken their spines falling off I’d rather not take the chance. In fact we have recently upgraded to an air jacket

@Pleasedontdothat

Dd only wears one when she’s doing XC - she says they interfere too much with her position and make her more likely to fall off. She’s just about to step up to novice level eventing and I will upgrade her body protector to one of the racesafe ones then.

Your twins WILL fall off whether they’re wearing a body protector or not so you’ll need to develop nerves of steel

😳 my mum just used to leave me to get on with it 😂😂

I always used to insist DD wore one for XC and Pony Club certainly did - most XC competitions and course hire places also insist riders wear a BP.

Racesafe are the only make I would use as well.