Friday 5 June 2015

I have now been saved twice by this...

 If you haven't the time to see it, it's a kind of horse airbag. It's a thin gilet type jacket which inflates in a tenth of a second as you...er...leave the saddle. It's brilliant. This morning, I landed from a considerable height (the horse had leapt in the air) onto a hard gravel drive, and was protected like Michelin man. Okay, so it hurt, and I'm sore, but otherwise I'm fine. I wouldn't be without this.




    
And the horse? We're not speaking at the moment, so I wouldn't know.

29 comments:

  1. That's a really amazing piece of equipment, Frances - thank goodness you own one! Hope you haven't too many bruises xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very sore coccyx and a couple of bruises...not too bad, thank you, Teresa!

      Delete
  2. Like a life jacket for ex riders. I love that video. What a buffoon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PS. It may be worth looking at motorcycle road racers protection. They have air bags and body armour. Now I've stopped laughing at the totally inept stunt man. I wish you a speedy recovery.

      Delete
    2. What I really needed, Adrian, was inflatable knickers. I have a very painful a**e).

      Delete
  3. I'm so glad it worked Frances, but I would still be worried about my arms and legs. I think Michelin man is a bit better protected, but guess an all over outfit would impede your riding. You are very brave. Stay safe.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Replies
    1. I thought you'd understand, ER. Have you got one? They're miraculous.

      Delete
    2. Frances, we hack out once or twice a year. The rest is arena work and the footing is a mixture of sand and chopped up rubber. I am also "blessed" with significant personal padding:)

      Delete
  5. What an excellent idea. I'm glad you're all right, Frances. x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lady M fell some time back, and (we think) probably cracked a couple of ribs. She didn't bother with doctors. It took about two months to recover, and I think has called an end to her riding days. I quit years ago.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can't treat ribs, sadly. Or sore bottoms....

      Delete
  7. We are all, at any time, so close to life changing circumstances, that it is very smart of you to wear such a vest...glad it helped.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very true, Libby. (I deleted your other commentes as they we all three the same. Hope you don't mind?)

      Delete
  8. Crikey...no idea what happened there....technology defeats me sometimes!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I loved the sales pitch "The x weighs less than two pounds and the y only weighs 34 ounces". A classic case of trying to confound. It is obviously a wonderful product though. The idea of inflatable knockers had me spluttering into my coffee with mirth. Similar underpants for me would have to be very carefully designed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did you mean to say inflatable knockers? Not a bad idea, actually.

      Delete
    2. Absolutely not Frances. It wasn't even a Freudian slip. I and O an adjacent and I'm just a bad typist and an even worse checker. It does have its funny side though.

      Delete
    3. And 'me' was supposed to read 'men'. Oh dear.

      Delete
  10. PS Sorry about your sore bum but so glad you haven't broken yet something else or one of the same things again.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Seems like a very good idea. Sorry you needed it but glad you had it when you did.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Not being a "horse person" I have to ask, is this horse just extremely nervous and/or untrained? I know from your blog you are a capable horsewoman and have been riding for years, but I wonder if this is the horse for you??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So do I, Jill. He's not a bad horse but does these violent and sudden spooks. And it's a long way to fall as he's huge.

      Delete
  13. I save myself from equestrian harm by not getting on the horse in the first place.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have thought of that, Wendy, but riding is an addiction. Better than smoking...,

      Delete
    2. In your case Frances I'm not convinced that it's better than smoking. Have you thought about a Shetland Pony?

      Delete