Book excerpt

Eventing Explained

By Liza Randall Published in association with British Eventing Published by Trafalgar Square books at www.horseandriderbooks.com

Body Protectors Designed to absorb a fall or a kick from a horse, body protectors are compulsory for the cross country phase of eventing. Make sure you buy a British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) Approved Standard body protector and have it fitted by a qualified fitter as, importantly for eventing, it shouldn’t impair your flexibility or balance.

The BETA Standard sets criteria for shock-absorption, controls the area of the body that must be covered and ensures that there are minimal gaps between the protective foam panels. It encompasses three levels, each designed for different activities and denoted by a colour-coded label on the garment.

You must have a Level 3 body protector for eventing, with the current mandatory year Standard on the level, which is located clearly on the outside for ease of inspection when at an event. Check the BE

Brain Neurotrauma: Molecular, Neuropsychological, and Rehabilitation Aspects. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2015. Chapter 5. 4. Che, H. et al. Neuroprotective effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-enriched phosphatidylserine against oxidative damage in PC12 cells. Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (2017) Jul 8. doi: 10.1007/ s10571-017-0516-y. 5. Kumar, P. R., Essa, M. M., Al-Adawi, S., Dradekh, G., Memon, M. A., Akbar, M., & Manivasagam, T. Omega-3 fatty acids could alleviate the risks of traumatic brain injury—A mini review. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine (2014) 4(2), 89–92. http://doi.org/10.4103/2225-4110.130374 6. Ying, Z., Feng, C., Agrawal, R., Zhuang, Y., and Gomez-Pinilla, F. Dietary omega-3 deficiency from gestation increases spinal cord vulnerability to traumatic brain injury-induced damage. PLoS One (2012) Dec 28. 7(12):e52998. doi: 10.1371/journal. pone.0052998. 7. Lewis, M., Ghassemi, P., Hibbeln, J. Therapeutic use of omega-3 fatty acids in severe head trauma. American Journal of Emergency Medicine (2013) Jan. 31(1): 273.e5-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2012.05.014. Members’ Handbook for the current Level and Standard required. For the most up to date product information and advice, visit the safety pages on www. beta-uk.org.

Most body protectors are made from heat-sensitive foam, so they’ll feel increasingly comfortable as they soften and mold to your body. Store your protector in a warm (but not artificially hot) place to ensure that it’s nice and flexible for your cross country round.

If you choose to wear an air jacket, you must wear it over the top of your BETAapproved body protector. If you fall on course and your air jacket inflates but you want to continue, you must remove your air jacket. If it is a combined jacket, you can continue once you have removed the cannister, which deflates the air jacket. Following a fall Generally, think about replacing your body protector every three to five years as the impact absorption properties of the foam may decline.

After a fall, check your body protector for dents. The foam will expand back to its original shape within thirty minutes, but if

8. Grimm, M.O. et al. Oxidized docosahexaenoic acid species and lipid peroxidation products increase amyloidogenic amyloid precursor protein processing. Neurodegenerative Diseases (2016). 16(1-2):44- 54. doi: 10.1159/000440839

About the Author: Anne-Marie Chalmers, MD, is the co-founder and president ofWellpride LLLP and Omega3 Innovations. Born and raised in the United States, Dr. Chalmers graduated from Brown University and completed her medical training at the University of Oslo in Norway. In Norway, Dr. Chalmers practiced emergency, family, and preventive medicine for many years. Her research and development work has included nutraceuticals (especially omega-3) and medical delivery device systems to facilitate ingestion of multiple medication combinations. a dent is evident, then it’s likely that this part of the protector has lost its impact absorption properties and should be replaced. Some manufacturers sell replacement panels, so if your body protector is fairly new it may be worth making a call to ask.

Shoulder protectors Research into eventing falls has shown that wearing BETA Level 3 shoulders can reduce the risk of breaking a collarbone by up to 80 per cent. Once fitted to your body protector, you don’t have to re-fit them every time you ride, but they can easily be replaced if damaged as they are usually fitted with Velcro.

Top Tips

Getting the right fit

• Wear the body protector for about five minutes in the warmth to let the heat of your body soften the foam and allow it to mold to the contours of your body. • It should fit securely and reasonably tightly to avoid movement during activity and to stay in place in the event of an accident. • Practice your forward and jumping seat, also leaning back during a drop, and your sitting deep position for comfort and fit while on a saddle horse. • The top of the body protector should just reach the top of your breastbone at the front and the prominent bone at the base of the back of your neck. • The front of the body protector should be not less than 25 mm below the ribcage. • The body protector must fit all the way round your torso. • The body protector and shoulder protector should cover the whole collarbone between them. • The bottom of the back of the body protector should not touch the saddle when mounted, so try the protector sitting on the saddle horse in the shop. (Some manufacturers offer a short version or a shortening service.)