Got thrown out of the saddle by a horse today and got mildly fucked up. I want to invest in more protective gear than just a helmet but there’s so many options. I want elbow pads and wrist guards definitely because of the bad scrapes and sprains I got. And maybe some kind of vest to protect me from any gut punches the horn of the saddle will give me if the horse tries to throw me again. My stomach has some nice big bruises from the horn.
Honestly the best thing is to learn how to fall without getting hurt. And how to bail safely if you lose control of the horse. That’s some of the first things you should have been taught when you were learning to ride.
Best thing to do when falling is tuck and roll. Keep limbs from getting stepped on, get away from the horse, and prevent a hard landing.
https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/equestrian-helmet-ratings.html
This is a good place to start for helmets. They have the same sort of ratings for different sports so if nothing in the equestrian list looks good, you should check the bicycle list. Note that it’s not necessarily current for everything but it’s a good starting point.
Fantastic resource!
Protect things you have 1 of the most. If a helmet has MIPS like cycling get it. You’re unlikely to crash like me on a bicycle totaling SUV’s, but with head/spinal injuries, ever fraction of a second is critical. I was a very close fraction from dead in my major crash 10 years ago.
I bought a roll of bubble wrap for one of my sons. He wrapped himself up in it and his brothers helped him “test” the protection.
Strong against bludgeoning, but weak against slashing and piercing damage.
I didn’t let them test any elemental damage.
I’m a wilderness hiker, climber, skydiver, and ride a motorcycle. I’d not ask another skydiver how to protect myself when climbing. They could guess. But, they’d know so little that their advice could easily be dangerous.
OP, ignore everyone who’s not riding horses. Seek specialized guidance rather than general.
