Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> Getting a breastcollar hung up on a car mirror?!  That isn't an
> indictment of the piece of tack, but rather that some rider is
> clueless as to how to fit it and adjust it (and yes, a helmet must
> fit and be adjusted properly too if its to do its job and not cause
> cervical injury during a fall).
Lynn, it was an experienced rider who consistently rode with a properly
fitted breast collar.

I would likewise say that a slipping saddle is an "indictment" of poor
conformation and/or poor saddle fit.

Suffice it to say that a breast collar is an appropriate crutch for the
horse with poor conformation.  Beyond that, every piece of tack has its pros
and cons, and to me, the pros and cons of a breast collar are prit-near
even.  Sure not enough to cause me to want to use one, at least not on a
horse whose back is well-conformed, whose saddle fits well, and whose saddle
does not slip going up or down steep hills even with my heavyweight butt in
it.  (And for what it's worth, my current guy has spooked twice and dumped
me, once because I was lollygagging, and once because a deer jumped
literally up under his nose, whereupon he departed up a steep bank, which
promptly gave way--and in both instances I was left hanging off one side,
which was what REALLY caused him to depart--and in neither instance did my
saddle slip or turn or so much as budge.  Only time I can remember in 35
years of riding and a pretty fair number of AERC miles that a breast collar
might have "saved" me was way back when when I was dumb enough to try out
one of those egg crate pads at a ride without trying it at home first,
without realizing how much it mashes down after the rider gets on.  Yep,
THAT time I had a saddle slip...  But after I bailed off and had pads strewn
all over the hillside, I saddled back up without the dang thing and
proceeded on just fine, like I had for years before...  Dumb, dumb, dumb!)

As I said once before, I don't berate people for using breast collars--but I
do resent having people get all righteous and suggest that those who don't
are flirting with disaster.  Nope, many of us have done our homework just
fine, thank you kindly, and have good reason not to use them.  They are not
a safety feature, unless something else in the outfit isn't up to snuff.

Heidi


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

http://www.endurance.net/ads/seabiscuit.html

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=