Two weeks ago I fell off a horse (for the first time in 30 some years.) I was wearing a certified safety vest, even so I cracked two ribs. The doctor said it was a good thing I was wearing my vest!
He also sounded worried about me breaking a hip since I have osteoporosis.
Does anyone know of any effective protective pads or systems for hips? I ride on the flat, at a walk or trot.
I just want something that will increase my odds of NOT breaking my hip in case of a fall.
I don’t know the answer to your question, but just wanted to tell you I’m so sorry you are dealing with cracked ribs. They are no fun at all. You already had enough going on, right?
Rebecca
The worst thing was the doctor telling me not to ride for 6 weeks. Then, after groaning, I told him about the 32 year old mare I’m riding, she freezes instead of bolting (so far) and he said 4 weeks if I just ride her at a walk.
I used to be able to bounce, but no more.
I don’t think any of us who are older bounce, and when you add in disabilities, we really don’t bounce.
Rebecca
A while ago, someone here posted about a barn mate (I think) who was wearing these:
I bookmarked the page thinking I might order a pair, but have never gotten around to it.
Maybe look into hip armor for motor cycle racers? https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Pants-Replacement-Knee-Armor/dp/B06Y4VF43G
So sorry to hear of this and hoping for a speedy recovery for you
You know all those medical knights in shinning armor ? I’m rethinking the amor thing, maybe it wasn’t for battles just “unplanned dismounts” on the way to the battles:lol:
Motorcycle armor is really nice, it is made of a thermoplastic that feels hard initially, but molds to your body, and upon impact, hardens with the shock providing protection. Check out Revzilla.com for cheapest prices and return policy. In moto gear, they are usually inserted into a pocket, but I have also seen them velcroed into place.
Thank you all!
When I researched hip pads on the web I ran into a rather discouraging study claiming that the hip protections do not help reduce hip fractures in nursing homes. Then I read deeper and the people they studied were in their 80’s and had a hip protection pad on one side and no pad on the other side, which to me seems to offer the possibility that these people were off-balance.
I ordered the GeriHip w/ PPI-RAP Protective foam brief and pads. I talked with someone at their office and he told me that this product does not interfere with sitting down after I told him my tale.
I am thinking about getting some ThinLine shims and lining the hip protector and maybe my protective vest with some of these shims. I hope this might (I have no proof) reduce the bruising. I have BIG bruises along the edge of my vest, it transferred a lot of the shock out to the edges of the vest. I do not have bruises where I hurt the most, but my body was telling me that the hardness of the foam when shocked still transferred some of the shock when I hit to my rib-cage and two ribs cracked.
With help from Traumeel (liquid and salve), 6 aspirin a day, and my BOT stuff, I am healing and I hurt a lot less than I did two weeks ago. My bruises are also fading.
This fall has lead me to coming up with new plans for my riding future. I HAD been hoping to get back jumping low fences, but now I see that my MS has messed up my nervous system so much that I have absolutely no hope of being able to safely ride a jump again. After riding for over 45 years, and over 10 years of lessons with the best riding teacher in my life, I SHOULD have been able to ride the horse’s shenanigans, and many decades ago I would have been able to stay on, hey he protested from a walk.
I get so bored just walking and trotting around the ring, but at least I am still riding horses. My riding teachers seem to think that I get the horses going in a positive direction and they like how the horses improve under me. I had bigger ambitions even with the MS, but now I see that I better settle for what I can do in reasonable safety.
Now my riding goal is to go on riding until the day I die.
I share that goal with you and hope we just keep going. Hang in there.
When I read your post I wondered if your vest didn’t cause the rib fractures. There is an Orthopedic Sport Center at Duke with specialist from many fields, they may be able to help you discover what to wear . I know air vest can cause fractures, air is very hard, harder than hitting dirt in a ring.
Also you can break a hip just standing up or getting out of a car much less in a fall.
I guess what I’m trying to say is what we Think makes sense may be completely wrong, read the science.
Hi Walkers60, thank your for your comment.
I was wondering the same thing when I got up off the ground (deep sand) and my ribs hurt. Around 45 years ago, not wearing any type of vest, I probably cracked a rib when I fell off, but the ground in that ring was a LOT harder than deep sand. In all my other falls my ribs were fine (LOTS of falls in the ring, the pasture, and on the trail.)
I have not gotten an air vest, with all I read I was not too sure about them, and you are supposed to use them with a regular vest anyway. Besides none are certified like the regular vests are.
Right now I am thinking about “lining” my protective vest and my coming hip protectors with some of my thicker ThinLine shims. Maybe I should go back to my original idea of using a few of layers of bubble wrap for extra cushioning too (the Thinline on the inside, the bubble wrap on the outside possibly.)
I am worried about the costs of the Orthopedic Sports Center. Maybe I can get my MD to refer me so maybe my insurance or Medicare would cover some of the costs. It does sound interesting!
I have osteoporosis, so I was just looking for some protection. When my riding teacher asked me to ride this OTTB it was odd, I KNEW I would fall off of him ( AND he is 6+ inches taller than the other horses I ride regularly). I got myself the MIPS helmet and the protective vest. Fortunately my head is fine!
Instead of Thinline for shims, I might get some Poron XRD saddle pad inserts and cut them. They seem to absorb more impact than even the Thinline.
They even make 13mm ones…but I don’t know how stiff they are…
You could try some mountain biking compression shorts (without the chamois) from companies like Leatt, POC or 661.
I have the 661 compression shorts for mtb and it has foam in various places and D30 inserts over the hips. They are snug but very comfortable and designed to protect when hitting hard, rocky, rooty ground. Don’t see why you couldn’t ride in them and they have specific hip protection.
Could you do some cantering on a long lunge line, just for a little variety? Or what about your trainer ponying you perhaps through some fields or on trails if those are available to you? If you have some nice countryside, I find even just walking and trotting can be fun in open fields or on trails.
Hi BAC, I used to canter years ago, but as my exhaustion increased it got so I could only handle around 6 strides, and the last three strides were not pretty. Even in two-point the canter is exhausting, and sitting the canter it takes just three strides before I’m utterly exhausted.
My riding teacher Debbie does take me out on the trail occasionally (a little trail through around 1-2 acres of woods) and I also find it super exhausting because I HAVE TO remain alert for that inevitable shy that even the most placid horse can give when a dog explodes out of the bushes or a hidden cow in the next pasture moves suddenly.
I am SO GLAD that I did lots and lots of trail riding, pasture riding, galloping and jumping when I was younger, at least I have the good memories! I also “bounced” a lot better back then when I fell off, my first horse REALLY did not like it when I relaxed too much in the saddle on the trails and after a while he would just disappear from under me. He was kind, he would stop, look at me and kind of snicker as I got up and dusted myself off and he always let me catch him after I fell off. He was a good horse, and he taught me how to ride better.
Right now I am walking fast around my house for a few minutes every day, and I have started my exercises off horse with the Equicube. Next week (the 19th) I can start riding at a walk again on the 32 yr. old Arab mare and I am looking forward to it. This mare tends to stop and freeze instead of bolting when she gets startled. I’ve ridden her over a decade so she knows me and my handicaps well. So long it is not too terribly cold and the wind is not too strong I should be fine.
With this fall I’ve also learned that, at least with the calf-skin covered saddle that does not “absorb” the saddle soap well, that my practice of soaping my saddle thoroughly once a week leads to a super, super slippery saddle when it is raining on us. I got all the built up saddle soap off the saddle and I am going back to larding the saddle when it feels like it needs some conditioning but otherwise just generally neglecting it except for cleaning the sweat flaps when I ride without a bit pad. Hopefully this will let me grip better when I need to.
I MISS THE HORSES!!!
And thank you everyone for your suggestions. I am looking into several of the suggestions.
If your slippery saddle is causing problems, why not try just wiping down with a damp cloth (or you could use water/ammonia combo to clean) and then use a glycerin soap to condition? The glycerin leaves a bit of a tacky residue on the leather which would help to eliminate slipperiness.
Thank you tollertwins for telling me about these. They look like, and I hope, that they may correct my problems that come with my weakness in the saddle from my MS.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
