# Broken...but not too broken thanks to my Kan!



## CaleruxShearer (22 February 2011)

It was all going so well until friday night...the Belgian beast is back in work after his fracture, walk and trot, straight lines only, about 10 mins into our session he thought walking in straight lines was actually not for him and tonight, 'it felt GOOD to be alive!' as so without warning he set off across the diagonal at a smart gallop, doing his very best devils horsemen impression, cue lots of surprised 'goooood boy...steeeadddyyyyy...wwooooo...goooooood man' from me (it had zero effect) Rather disgruntled at having reached the gate so abruptly and having his rider thrust up his neck due to sudden decrease in velocity he thought 'ah well, what harm can another quick bolt up the centre line do?' It was at this point I struck up an intimate relationship with the fence. 

Next thing I knew I was on the ground with a headache like no other and many people around me telling me it would be fine, I had fallen off (you don't say) and I wasn't to worry as the ambulance was on its way...worry? I hadn't been worrying! It was at this point I began to worry as during my customary check that all limbs were still attached and movable I discovered that although I could move my legs my arms and head appeared not to be responding to my commands. One in the ambulance and trussed up to a spinal board, in a lovely comfortable neck collar and my head in blocks (how I love them, being claustrophobic) I did start to have a bit of a panic once I heard that I had had a fit when I hit the ground (explained why my tongue was bleeding and why I'd wet myself. Nice.) At the hospital once they had done the whole 'This is L...she is a 17yo Female, usually fit and well who was riding her horse when..' business, they unzipped my jacket and were faced with the might of my Kanteq! I informed them that they could cut off anything but if they cut off the Kan (or dubarrys) there would be trouble! I then had to spend quite a while explaining to them how it worked and how they could remove it without cutting it off! 

After much discussion, many x rays and a couple of ultrasounds and a CT for luck,  and once I was in a slightly better state (niiiiiceeeee painkillers ) in my lovely paper gown in my hospital bed I was informed that my Kan was most likely the only reason I wasn't going to be spending my weekend in spinal unit with a seriously broken back and internal bleeding, as it was it was now the top of my neck they were worried about, fortunately just badly bruised. The paramedics had also said to my mum that the kan was without doubt the best body protector they have seen and they wish something like that could be designed for cyclists. So a happy ending to what could have been a serious 'up the creek without a paddle' moment all thanks to the absolutely wonderful kanteq!


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## Vetwrap (22 February 2011)

Good grief!  You really know how to do it properly!

Excellent news that you are ok - though slightly battered and bruised.  What a great recommendation for Kan though!

Take all the nice painkillers they give you and I hope you feel better soon!


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## OneInAMillion (22 February 2011)

so glad you're ok L  x


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## Leg_end (22 February 2011)

Ouch! I can empathise with how uncomfortable those back boards are and that moment of panic when you think you've done something serious! Glad you are ok.. Kan is next on my shopping list methinks


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## Llanali (22 February 2011)

Wow! It sounds as though you've been very lucky- though still very sore I imagine! I hope you soon feel back to strength- adn thank god for your Kan!


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## jules89 (22 February 2011)

nice to know the full story now, but how scary. These kans sound really good


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## kerilli (22 February 2011)

i can't believe you just admitted that you wet yourself, you poor love! i guess you were unconscious for a bit so we'll let you off...    
(sorry, trying not to laugh here, and failing.)
thank GOD you had your Kan on for what was supposed to be a gentle walk around the school. sounds as if you'd still be strapped to a backboard, or in a wheelchair, if you hadn't. 
take it easy kiddo, let that sore neck mend slowly. xxx


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## Kelpie (22 February 2011)

yikes - glad you are ok (or that at least you will be)!!!


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## Chloe_GHE (22 February 2011)

MY GOD! You poor thing that sounds horrific, and how weird and worrying to come round to be told you have had a fit and wet yourself and bit your tongue, scary stuff.

All hail Kan for the protection, thank god you had it on. Have you passed this 'review' on to Wendy she will love to hear it and also be so relieved you are ok

Get well soon


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## _Rach_ (22 February 2011)

what an awful thing to happen, thank god your fine 
Get well soon
xx


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## kirstyhen (22 February 2011)

Feel even more chuffed with my shiny new Kan! 

Glad to hear you got away relatively unscathed and don't worry about wetting yourself, at least you had the excuse of a fit, some people I went to uni with only had alcohol to blame


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## CaleruxShearer (22 February 2011)

Yes, it is now out there for everyone to read, I did in fact wet myself whilst I was having a fit, I was absolutely mortified when I realised, so so embarrassed and upset, just kept apologising  to the paramedics and doctors! Shows just what sort of person I am...once I have a bump on the head everything else in my body packs up whilst my brain focuses on 'Ow it HURTS!', You'll just have to speak even more s l o w l y and clearly than normal   

On a more serious note though, I honestly cannot recommend the Kanteq enough, without a doubt worth the money you will spend on it and the best customer service you could hope to find. Its the only thing I would put on out of choice to walk round the school for 20 minutes. Ironically I was telling someone at the yard how brilliant it was as I was tacking up on friday night. 

Chole_GHE - have passed on to Wendy


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## mil1212 (22 February 2011)

gosh, hope you aren't too sore, and feel better soon. very good advert for the Kan, and I am pleased I have one, however, you are now making me think I should actually wear it all the time, not just when I have too (oh, and to make sure I always have good pants on  )


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## Holidays_are_coming (22 February 2011)

Hope u mend quickly! I got a kan for Christmas and once I realised how comfy it is I wear it to do all my hacking and jumping in as I forget I'm wearing it!


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## CaleruxShearer (22 February 2011)

mil1212 - I would never have worn it all the time before Billy was one box rest after he was kicked and fractured his leg, however I put it on the first time I rode him on last Wednesday after he came off box rest but after friday night's incident I really do think I should wear it as much as I can - those fence posts don't move when you hit them!


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## mil1212 (22 February 2011)

yes, you just never really know what's going to happen, and they (kan's) are so comfy there is no really excuse to not wear them. thank god you were wearing yours.
also you are lucky there were people about and they saw what happened.
I have 2 rising 5 year olds which i ride at home alone, so really should wear it!


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## kerilli (22 February 2011)

mil1212 said:



			yes, you just never really know what's going to happen, and they (kan's) are so comfy there is no really excuse to not wear them. thank god you were wearing yours.
also you are lucky there were people about and they saw what happened.
I have 2 rising 5 year olds which i ride at home alone, so really should wear it!
		
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ditto, I wear mine as much as possible too, esp on young or likely-to-be-silly ones. When I dislocated my knee, I nearly got 2 gold stars at A&E for being able to say "Yes" to question 1: "Were you wearing a hat?" and question 2: "were you wearing a body protector?", and for the first time ever I didn't get treated like a total idiot who deserved all they got because they were trying to stay on a horse at the time...   i nearly saw a glimmer of approval in the very hot medic's eye...   
iirc in the last horse fall statistics I saw, significant injuries to torso were about the same ratio as head injuries...


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## Rosiefan (22 February 2011)

Thank goodness you're alright. x


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## countrychick (22 February 2011)

So please you are ok. The Kan is truely a revolution in safety thank god you had it on.


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## Eventer96 (22 February 2011)

Blimey what an ordeal for you to go through. I can empathise with how uncomfortable those spinal boards are... and being in a neck brace is not fun either (I spent 2 weeks in one- lovely things!). 

Glad to hear you are going to be ok, couldn't imagine what situation you'd be in if you weren't sensible enough to wear your Kan. Hope you heal quickly. Take things easy!  x


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## Booboos (22 February 2011)

Goodness, how scary!!! I am so glad you weren't more seriously hurt, it doesn't bear thinking about and so lucky you had the Kanteq on!!!! Loads of Sedalin methinks for the beastie before he continues with his 'sedate walking'!

Very good point about the arena fence as well. We're putting in an arena at the moment and I have been trying to explain to the OH why he should not concrete in the posts, as I want them to break nice and easy if I ever fall on them.


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## alwaysbroke (22 February 2011)

So pleased that you are relatively ok, full marks for the Kan, one daughter has one, the other daughter will now be getting one, really wish there was one that would fit my son, he had a liver transplant as a baby and I really think they offer the best protection.

Hope the bruising heals quickly.


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## brushingboots (22 February 2011)

You never do things by halves


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## SamuelWhiskers (22 February 2011)

woweee, really hope you get better soon! 

The Kan is AMAZING! It is so lovely to hear a review like this and i am sure Wendy would love to hear from you (as GHE said) she puts her life into this product and has done really well with it.

Hope you heal up very quickly and thank goodness it wasn't much worse, really glad i've invested in one and I the saddo that wears it ALL the time and quite often looks like a kid, but on a 17hh horse, i'm not bothered!


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## MrsMozart (22 February 2011)

Ouch.

Hugs!

So glad you not broken broken. Very gentle hugs and get well soon thoughts.



So very pleased you were wearing your Kan hun.


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## only_me (22 February 2011)

Ouch! Sounds painful, and a fit is not nice, must have been some blow to your head!!

Hope you feel better soon, and if it makes you feel any better, wetting yourself is a common effect of having a fit!

Hugs, and take it easy!!


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## countrychick (22 February 2011)

The more I think of your accident it reminds me of my cardio thoracic intensive care nursing days. So many trauma cases came in, some of them riding and also motorcycle accidents. Some of the trauma injuries were horrific, from old body protectors causing extensive internal injuries to the poor unfortunates that did not make due to ruptured spleen or cardiac tampanade... the list could go on and on, I saw so many lives cut short in their prime or life debilitating injuries that could have been avoided. We all compete/ride in a high risk sport so why should we do it with taking more risk than necessary, the KAN  fits the bill in so many ways with the motorbike technology etc its by far the best on the market. It really concerns me the other gimicky products with big marketing appearing to be wowing every one maybe they should be hearing your story. It concerns me greatly that these new airbag things are a bit of a loose cannon so to speak, there is always the possibility that the air thing won't go off, what then? multiple trauma caused by the cannister, ruptured spleen, punctured lung, perforated kidney???
All food for thought...


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## CaleruxShearer (22 February 2011)

countrychick said:



			It really concerns me the other gimicky products with big marketing appearing to be wowing every one maybe they should be hearing your story. It concerns me greatly that these new airbag things are a bit of a loose cannon so to speak, there is always the possibility that the air thing won't go off, what then? multiple trauma caused by the cannister, ruptured spleen, punctured lung, perforated kidney???
All food for thought...
		
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Countrychick - I think you make a very good point here, although they say they [the cannisters] never fail essentially they are machines to a point and so I suppose there can be no 100% guarantee that every cannister will work every time, falling onto one would be horrendous (having suffered a kidney infection I hate to imagine what a perforated one would feel like!) However one thing that I did think about during my long, codeine fuelled night in A&E  is what would have happened if I had fractured my neck, it was my cervical vertebrae at the top of my neck (think they called it my peg?) that they were worried about, if it had been fractured, and it would have been fractured when I hit the fence, not the eurotrack school surface, surely the P2 going off could have destabilised the fracture, potentially making it worse? 
Now I am more than happy to be corrected if I am wrong, and it is absolutely not my intent to set off on a crusade against P2 I am purely wondering! Thoughts appreciated


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## kerilli (22 February 2011)

having suffered a torn spleen in my teens (from my own elbow, when another rider hit me shoulder-to-shoulder) I'm right with you on that, countrychick. i was very lucky to survive.
i see the Kan vs airjacket thing as like the VHS vs Betamax one, but with lives at stake, not just money. there are a lot of things i'd like to say about the airjackets but i'm not allowed to on here, unfortunately.


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## dougalhorse (22 February 2011)

OMG so glad to hear you are ok.  I am also a KAN fan and don't think twice about wearing mine even if just hacking.

Hope you make a speedy recovery


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## countrychick (22 February 2011)

indeed curious myself from a medical point of view, cervical neck injuries are horrific and it would be very interesting to see what orthopaedic medics opinion of that was. I do hope your recovery is speedy and you get back out having fun again x


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## Charlotte125 (22 February 2011)

i have a point 2 that i currently wear over an old body protector but i think i may be investing in a kan....
glad to hear your ok!


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## CaleruxShearer (22 February 2011)

countrychick said:



			indeed curious myself from a medical point of view, cervical neck injuries are horrific and it would be very interesting to see what orthopaedic medics opinion of that was. I do hoipe your recovery is speedy and you get back out having fun again x
		
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Have just had a quick google and I think it was my odontoid peg that the orthopaedic guys were worried about, from what I have read there are 3 types on odontoid fracture, Type III being the worst, surely if you had a basic C spine fracture which then underwent the force of an airbag going off you could conceivably destabilise the fracture or develop it further? I agree would be interesting to know a proper orthpaedic medics POV on this as I could well be talking out of my backside! 
I also wonder if it would be possible to put some sort of a protective collar on body protectors, almost as if your wearing a polo shirt and flick the collar up, I don't know the ins and outs of doing something like this though and if it would be practical or even work?


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## Ginn (22 February 2011)

CaleruxShearer said:



			Countrychick - I think you make a very good point here, although they say they [the cannisters] never fail essentially they are machines to a point and so I suppose there can be no 100% guarantee that every cannister will work every time, falling onto one would be horrendous (having suffered a kidney infection I hate to imagine what a perforated one would feel like!) However one thing that I did think about during my long, codeine fuelled night in A&E  is what would have happened if I had fractured my neck, it was my cervical vertebrae at the top of my neck (think they called it my peg?) that they were worried about, if it had been fractured, and it would have been fractured when I hit the fence, not the eurotrack school surface, surely the P2 going off could have destabilised the fracture, potentially making it worse? 
Now I am more than happy to be corrected if I am wrong, and it is absolutely not my intent to set off on a crusade against P2 I am purely wondering! Thoughts appreciated 

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Precisely the reason why I would never wear one, nor would my parents (Dr and nurse) allow me to!!! Alonside potential spinal fracture displacement it is also possible that the sudden generation and transfer of kinectic energy from the airbag inflating it could also result in potentially fatal pelvic fracture displacements which could easily severe the femoral artery and the fact that the P2 deflation would quickly destablise any fracture obtained during a fall... *steps away from soapbox*

CaleruxShearer very pleased to read you are OK  Hope you don't feel too sore for too long.


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## mystiandsunny (23 February 2011)

Ouch!  Get well soon!


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## NeverSayNever (23 February 2011)

oh my goodness! you poor thing,I so pleased to hear you are ok! Thank goodness!


i also am curious and this thread has raised a few questions for me...

i have currently replaced my racesafe 2000 with the new 2010 and am very happy with it, i plan to wear a P2 for XC with it. I however am very impressed with the foam technology kan uses and so am not discounting one in the future.

I understand from treehouse that BE are recommending the racesafe &P2 combination thought for eventing?

also..surely the pitfalls of the P2 potentially making a fracture worse would only happen if it went off AFTER impact, eg in those cases of a very close rotational fall where the jacket doesnt have time to inflate? Surely in most cases when you fall it will have gone off before impact and any inuries would happen once it is already inflated,so how could it de-stablise a fracture?

furthermore, isnt (takinginto account the above) the P2 is going to provide more stability/support to your neck than any BP can?

and one final thought....    what about the rodney powel neck supports?
http://www.saddler.co.uk/shop.html?pr=5125&cr=10013


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## RomanyMayday (23 February 2011)

NeverSayNever said:



			I understand from treehouse that BE are recommending the racesafe &P2 combination thought for eventing?
		
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That would be because treehouse are selling both


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## soulfull (23 February 2011)

From a medical point of view your doomed if you do and doomed if you don't

a P2 will possibly stop some spinal fractures occurring in the first place,as they are inflated by the time you hit the ground,  and in other cases, it may destabilize them as they deflate.
On top of that you have the other worries about what if it doesn't work or as someone said the canister goes off at the wrong time/place.  I do not have a medical opinion on the other things mentioned.
I am not saying I would never wear one or telling others not too wear anything, just how nothing is perfect for all eventualities and it never can be.

I have possible problems with 'the peg' due to Rhuematoid arthritis and have looked at practical ways of protecting it....results   there isn't anyway that is practical,  the Mark Todd thing would not be enough, anything else would be too restricting and make me too hot.  God knows I get hot enough when riding as it is, which is why I don't wear my BP everyday.  However this post has like others similar yet again given me food for thought that I should wear it more.  My son is also a paramedic and I dare not tell him I don't wear it, he would rightly go nuts 

As for BE recommending certain products,  we all know how politics affects views and the fact by the time BE have done all their 'looking into things' it is very possible newer better things are on the market which they haven't considered.

I emailed BE 2 months ago about using a product,  still no answer! not even acknowledged my email


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## Ginn (23 February 2011)

NeverSayNever said:



			also..surely the pitfalls of the P2 potentially making a fracture worse would only happen if it went off AFTER impact, eg in those cases of a very close rotational fall where the jacket doesnt have time to inflate? Surely in most cases when you fall it will have gone off before impact and any inuries would happen once it is already inflated,so how could it de-stablise a fracture?
		
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BUT rotationals are not the only falls where this can happen.... I know plenty of people who have sustained injuries (myself included) where the rider would not have been far enough away from the horse to initiate the airbag inflation until AFTER the impact has been sustained. Furthermore, injuries to neck and torso are particularly common in such incidences so it begs the question of what safety kit is most effective in "worst case scenarios" rather than the more common, less damaging falls where typically people will walk away with no much more than a minor injury as imo these aren't the ones we should be most concerned with protecting ourselves from. I would be interested to know whether anyone witnessed the OP's fall as if I have read correctly she collided with the fencing and this *may* have been one example of when such an event whereby there would have been insufficient time/distance to have triggered a p2?? I may however be completely mistaken. 

I'm not trying to lecture people on whether they should or shouldn't wear a p2 in much the same way that I wouldn't lecture someone on wearing a hat but I do believe that people should have the opportunity to make informed decisions which means that both pro's and cons should be considered and for me that means carefully considering how a piece of kit could infact leave the wearer worse off than if they hadn't been wearing it. For me the P2 carries too much risk in such circumstances but I can understand why others may not share my judgement and that is fine so long as it is an informed and educated decision, not simply the results of good marketing!


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## kerilli (23 February 2011)

Hear hear. The thing is, if anything is marketed as 'safety equipment' we all naturally believe that it must be safer in all eventualities... we all trust that extensive testing has been carried out to prove that, too...


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## Tiny Fluffy Coblet (23 February 2011)

Wow, having looked at the Kan and read your story I may rethink body protectors. As a fairly large busted and very short backed individual I find most body protectors unbelievably uncomfortable, even the race-safe ones feel horribly restricting and considering I have to fight not to hold my breath when I am nervous anyway (once leading to me passing out half way round a longer than usual jumping course) anything that restricts my breathing really doesn't help. The Kan is the first BP I have looked at that looks like it would be comfortable and the sizing options are excellent. Before I have always pointed out that though a BP might protect me when I fall off it also increases significantly the likelihood of me falling off because I am ridgid and fighting it all the time.


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## kerilli (23 February 2011)

Tiny Fluffy Coblet said:



			Wow, having looked at the Kan and read your story I may rethink body protectors. As a fairly large busted and very short backed individual I find most body protectors unbelievably uncomfortable, even the race-safe ones feel horribly restricting and considering I have to fight not to hold my breath when I am nervous anyway (once leading to me passing out half way round a longer than usual jumping course) anything that restricts my breathing really doesn't help. The Kan is the first BP I have looked at that looks like it would be comfortable and the sizing options are excellent. Before I have always pointed out that though a BP might protect me when I fall off it also increases significantly the likelihood of me falling off because I am ridgid and fighting it all the time.
		
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Chloe_GHE on here has one, and I think she said she gets claustrophobic, but the Kan doesn't set her off... the side pieces of foam slide over each other inside the cover as your ribcage expands, so you can take a really deep breath without restriction. they're easy to shorten to fit, either before being sent to you, or in my case i altered it a bit more myself with a stanley knife. (i use mine for backing/riding youngsters so am sitting upright in the saddle a lot, so it needs to be shorter than i'd have it for xc, so it doesn't bump the saddle.)
have a look at kirstyhen's post about hers, she has the Madonna version (for those blessed with a chest!)  
btw, singing under your breath as you go round a course will prevent you from holding your breath. general consensus on here seems to be that "Nelly the Elephant" has the perfect tempo for a good sj canter!


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## brighthair (23 February 2011)

I've just had a look at the Kan - I don't think it will fit though :-(
Is there any BP out there that will fit v large boobs?!


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## millitiger (23 February 2011)

kerilli said:



			Hear hear. The thing is, if anything is marketed as 'safety equipment' we all naturally believe that it must be safer in all eventualities... we all trust that extensive testing has been carried out to prove that, too...
		
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you could say that about seatbelts and airbags in cars as well though... they don't protect in all instances and in some cases cause injuries themselves.

I was very against the P2 when it first came out and then the more I looked and read and researched the more I realised I was actually following the scaremongering that goes on (mainly on internet boards).

to the OP, very glad you are ok and seems your body protector did it's job very well.
Brings home how risky horse riding is when even a walk around an arena can end in a trip to A&E!


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## quizzie (23 February 2011)

[QUOTE=kerilli;9440160 (i use mine for backing/riding youngsters so am sitting upright in the saddle a lot, so it needs to be shorter than i'd have it for xc, so it doesn't bump the saddle.)


Interested to read this as I used my Kan for the 1st time when xc schooling last week.....when I 1st got on,I thought that it was a little too long at the back, but then never noticed it again.


Brighthair, I am not small up top(!), and no other BPs fitted,so I assumed I would need the seriously curvy version of the Kan, but no!!.So try one if you can, i suspect you will find it more "roomy" than you expect!!!.


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## brighthair (23 February 2011)

quizzie said:





			
				kerilli;9440160 (i use mine for backing/riding youngsters so am sitting upright in the saddle a lot said:
			
		


			yeah - it's cos on the website when I clicked on the sizes, the biggest is a E and I am *counts*er 7 sizes bigger than that 

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## kerilli (23 February 2011)

brighthair said:





quizzie said:



			yeah - it's cos on the website when I clicked on the sizes, the biggest is a E and I am *counts*er 7 sizes bigger than that 

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Well, if you give Wendy a call, with your measurements, I'm sure she'll tell you whether 1 will fit or not. fwiw I've seen someone with a proper bust (no idea what size she is, but not tiny at all!) and she has the flatter version not the busty version...
		
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## brighthair (23 February 2011)

kerilli said:





brighthair said:



			Well, if you give Wendy a call, with your measurements, I'm sure she'll tell you whether 1 will fit or not. fwiw I've seen someone with a proper bust (no idea what size she is, but not tiny at all!) and she has the flatter version not the busty version...
		
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why didn't I think of that?! *blonde moment" I'll give them a ring 

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## OneInAMillion (23 February 2011)

soulfull said:



			I emailed BE 2 months ago about using a product,  still no answer! not even acknowledged my email 

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Post on the forum. Replies are very regular


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## NeverSayNever (23 February 2011)

RomanyMayday said:



			That would be because treehouse are selling both 

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But its BE that said it? And treehouse sell kan as well, or did do.


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## countrychick (23 February 2011)

Treehouse do not sell Kans as far as I know.


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## Foxymumma (23 February 2011)

Well what can I say other than OUCH!! 

Im loving how much the kan protected you, Ive had one since they were first released on the market and would never trade it in for anything, its incredibly comfortable, dont squash me boobs (unlike every other one ive worn!) and gives me much more movement than any other BP ive ever worn or tried! Much to my dissapointment when I was at college my claims as to how good they are were met with guffaws and people winging about how heavy it is!! yet im the only one who hasnt been rushed into hospital after a bad fall <trys to not look smug> . I have even been kicked in the chest by a 17hh heavyweight monster of a horse with not even a bruise to show for it, just slightly winded!! 

Anyway, hope you are feeling back to yourself as soon as poss!


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## CaleruxShearer (23 February 2011)

Ginn said:



			I would be interested to know whether anyone witnessed the OP's fall as if I have read correctly she collided with the fencing and this *may* have been one example of when such an event whereby there would have been insufficient time/distance to have triggered a p2?? I may however be completely mistaken.
		
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Ginn - You make a good point here and one that had occurred to me, however I wasn't keen to post anything about it until I had spoken to someone who had seen the fall and got the facts straight considering I don't remember the fall happening! Apparently I was quite close to the fence and hit the top of the fence as I came off as opposed to the bottom, if that makes sense. I also kept hold off the reins as I fell, only letting go (I assume) when I was knocked unconscious. Therefore if I had hold of the reins as I was falling and hit the top of the fence I would have thought that I would have been 'pulling' the horse toward me as it were through my contact on the reins and so he would have remained quite close to me. I hope this makes sense and you can understand what I'm waffling about! 
It is in this circumstance that I wonder whether an air jacket would have inflated?


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## Booboos (23 February 2011)

Do you mind if I ask if the fence broke under the impact? And were the rails nailed to the inside or the outside of the fence?

Your post has really prompted me to think about exactly how we fence in our arena and I am trying to figure out what would be the safest option.


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## bigboyrocky (23 February 2011)

Booboos said:



			Do you mind if I ask if the fence broke under the impact? And were the rails nailed to the inside or the outside of the fence?

Your post has really prompted me to think about exactly how we fence in our arena and I am trying to figure out what would be the safest option.
		
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Thats a v good point actually, because all arenas i can think of, the rails are on the inside of the posts, when surely it would be safer in most situations for them to be nailed to the outside? 

Glad you ok btw L


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## mil1212 (23 February 2011)

bigboyrocky said:



			Thats a v good point actually, because all arenas i can think of, the rails are on the inside of the posts, when surely it would be safer in most situations for them to be nailed to the outside?
		
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that's an interesting thought, which I have never considered, and although only the 2 short sides of my arena are fenced, the rails are nailed to the top of the posts - which I assume is where op came to grief (on the short end of the arena I mean)


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## kerilli (23 February 2011)

bigboyrocky said:



			Thats a v good point actually, because all arenas i can think of, the rails are on the inside of the posts, when surely it would be safer in most situations for them to be nailed to the outside? 

Glad you ok btw L 

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the rails need to be on the inside, because otherwise you'll risk smashing your knees on the posts. any gates and gateposts should be absolutely flush with the rails (often they aren't.)

fwiw i don't have a fence around my arena, i have railway sleepers to keep the surface in, and then about 4' away down the bank i have posts and fieldguard electric tape. i had the same thing at my last place, never had a problem with it there either.


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## brushingboots (23 February 2011)

BE probably recommend Treehouse as they sponsor the junior team


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## kerilli (23 February 2011)

brushingboots said:



			BE probably recommend Treehouse as they sponsor the junior team
		
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A BE official told me that they have a policy not to recommend one make over another.


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## bigboyrocky (23 February 2011)

kerilli said:



			the rails need to be on the inside, because otherwise you'll risk smashing your knees on the posts.
		
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duh


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## kirstyhen (23 February 2011)

Tiny Fluffy Coblet said:



			Wow, having looked at the Kan and read your story I may rethink body protectors. As a fairly large busted and very short backed individual I find most body protectors unbelievably uncomfortable, even the race-safe ones feel horribly restricting and considering I have to fight not to hold my breath when I am nervous anyway (once leading to me passing out half way round a longer than usual jumping course) anything that restricts my breathing really doesn't help. The Kan is the first BP I have looked at that looks like it would be comfortable and the sizing options are excellent. Before I have always pointed out that though a BP might protect me when I fall off it also increases significantly the likelihood of me falling off because I am ridgid and fighting it all the time.
		
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Like Kerilli says, I am big chested and I adore my Kan, although having to get over the embarassment of having a huge pointy chest - I ride amid howls of laughter  More than worth it IMO!
I am also claustrophobic and get set off by silly things, like the duvet cover being to tight on me  After the first few times of wearing it, you completely forget it's there. I tack up in it, muck out in it, I actually enjoy having fully supported boobs!  In a normal BP I would really have to concentrate on keeping my breathing regular, in my Kan I breath normally without thinking about it  
All the raving about them isn't people going overboard, honestly they are amazing!


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## NeverSayNever (23 February 2011)

If you have an ample chest and have restricted in a BP before I would say the Kan would be more comfy for you  Ive heard the airowear outline has room for lady-curves as well.




millitiger said:



			you could say that about seatbelts and airbags in cars as well though... they don't protect in all instances and in some cases cause injuries themselves.

I was very against the P2 when it first came out and then the more I looked and read and researched the more I realised I was actually following the scaremongering that goes on (mainly on internet boards).
		
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i agree 100% with this.




countrychick said:



			Treehouse do not sell Kans as far as I know.
		
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they definitely did....


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## CaleruxShearer (23 February 2011)

Booboos said:



			Do you mind if I ask if the fence broke under the impact? And were the rails nailed to the inside or the outside of the fence?

Your post has really prompted me to think about exactly how we fence in our arena and I am trying to figure out what would be the safest option.
		
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B - The fence didn't break under the impact, the fence in question is pretty sturdy, I'm about 5ft 8ish and they are easily my shoulder height if not a little taller, the posts are pretty thick as well. I'm pretty much 100% certain the rails are nailed to the outside of the fence.  
With regards to fencing arenas I was thinking about this the other day and although the 'fenceless' arena does appeal to me (with railways sleepers to keep surface in) I have a friend who has an arena like this, and the problem came when she landed on her back on the sleepers! Ouch!


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## CaleruxShearer (23 February 2011)

kirstyhen said:



			I am also claustrophobic and get set off by silly things, like the duvet cover being to tight on me  After the first few times of wearing it, you completely forget it's there. I tack up in it, muck out in it, I actually enjoy having fully supported boobs!  In a normal BP I would really have to concentrate on keeping my breathing regular, in my Kan I breath normally without thinking about it  
All the raving about them isn't people going overboard, honestly they are amazing!
		
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Although sadly not blessed with a wonderful chest (!) I find mine very comfy, I am also quite claustrophobic, like kirstyhen having the duvet too tight on me and having too sleep in the 'mummy' style sleeping bags causes panic! I have found the Kan absolutely fine though, as others have said I think this is because its so easy to move in and doesn't restrict how I breathe at all.


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## kerilli (23 February 2011)

millitiger said:



			you could say that about seatbelts and airbags in cars as well though... they don't protect in all instances and in some cases cause injuries themselves.

I was very against the P2 when it first came out and then the more I looked and read and researched the more I realised I was actually following the scaremongering that goes on (mainly on internet boards).

to the OP, very glad you are ok and seems your body protector did it's job very well.
Brings home how risky horse riding is when even a walk around an arena can end in a trip to A&E!
		
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Hmm, it's a little-known fact that early airbags actually killed a lot of drivers, because the scientists hadn't got the deflation speed right (the deflation of the bag saves you, not the inflation), so in accidents drivers were hitting a hard bag of air. now we hit a soft, already-deflating bag of air, which decelerates our bodies. amazing stuff... now.

It's not scaremongering if it's based on science and physics... I welcome ANYTHING that makes riders safer. I'm not involved in the industry in any way, it makes no difference to me which product succeeds. I can explain the concerns I have been made aware of (by people far better qualified than me) in detail privately, but not on here unfortunately.


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## Ginn (23 February 2011)

CaleruxShearer said:



			Ginn - You make a good point here and one that had occurred to me, however I wasn't keen to post anything about it until I had spoken to someone who had seen the fall and got the facts straight considering I don't remember the fall happening! Apparently I was quite close to the fence and hit the top of the fence as I came off as opposed to the bottom, if that makes sense. I also kept hold off the reins as I fell, only letting go (I assume) when I was knocked unconscious. Therefore if I had hold of the reins as I was falling and hit the top of the fence I would have thought that I would have been 'pulling' the horse toward me as it were through my contact on the reins and so he would have remained quite close to me. I hope this makes sense and you can understand what I'm waffling about! 
It is in this circumstance that I wonder whether an air jacket would have inflated?
		
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Thanks for replying, very interesting and as I expected. I know people will argue with the seatbelt/airbag analogy but the two systems are imo not compareable and for the moment I shall remain satisfied that I have made the right choice, for me, not to use a product which I don't have sufficient trust in not to do potentially more harm than good. 

I do believe that over the next few years we will however see significant advances in BP design and for me the ideal would be a combination of the EXO and the Kan. However, neither are a substitute for training, more training, experience and a super instructor!


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## Ginn (23 February 2011)

Booboos said:



			Do you mind if I ask if the fence broke under the impact? And were the rails nailed to the inside or the outside of the fence?

Your post has really prompted me to think about exactly how we fence in our arena and I am trying to figure out what would be the safest option.
		
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Another 2 considerations for you...

In our field (no surface sadly) we have our schooling paddock fenced with plastic fence posts and onto these the "boundary" is created by 3in wide electric tape (disconnected when schooling!) - if we hit it hard the clips ping off the fence posts and if you hit the posts themselves invariably they bend over as they are *only* staked into the ground and the mud isn't concrete.

In neighbours school she has the wooden stop-boards and then a 1m gap before the P&R fencing (horizontal rails to outside) BUT I wouldn't want to land on the stop-board! She originally had it banked so if you came off on the stop-board it wouldn't have been so bad but with the ground settling there is now a small ditch inbetween....

Personally would go for the electric fence approach as it does provide a boundary but one which the horses respect so don't sit on either!


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## millitiger (23 February 2011)

kerilli said:



			Hmm, it's a little-known fact that early airbags actually killed a lot of drivers, because the scientists hadn't got the deflation speed right (the deflation of the bag saves you, not the inflation), so in accidents drivers were hitting a hard bag of air. now we hit a soft, already-deflating bag of air, which decelerates our bodies. amazing stuff... now.

It's not scaremongering if it's based on science and physics... I welcome ANYTHING that makes riders safer. I'm not involved in the industry in any way, it makes no difference to me which product succeeds. I can explain the concerns I have been made aware of (by people far better qualified than me) in detail privately, but not on here unfortunately.
		
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Actually people are STILL injured by air bags going off in cars- my sister had nasty facial injuries when she crashed her car last year and it isn't that uncommon, even in new cars.

And imo it is scaremongering with the made up scenarios, what could happen in this situation or that one when actually the negatives aren't backed up with fact either.
People now presuming the P2 would have been useless in the OPs accident as she hit the top of the fence when actually NO-ONE can say one way or the other, whether they saw the accident or not.

Its the same when people warm others that the Racesafe is not as safe as other BPs due to the gaps in the foam- imo verging on libel when the product has the same safety ratings as other BPs and is worn by 1000's of riders. Again not backed by any facts or statistics, just 'a friend of a friend had a bad fall and serious injuries when wearing one' which actually doesn't mean anything as for all we know the BP saved her from even worse injuries.


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## louisesb (23 February 2011)

Don't want to get into the debate of which BP is best etc as I don't know enough about them all - however, just wanted to say to the OP - what a horrible fall and so glad you're ok (albeit a little sore no doubt!). Having fractured my neck at the end of November, I feel for anyone who has to experience the dreaded head/neck/back stabiliser, brace thinging - absolutely horrific. Hope you feel better soon!! xx


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## WendyKan (23 February 2011)

Hi Everyone, Im new! Of course I do follow the forums but have never felt that it was my place to post, however as this is really quite an overwhelming thread of support for the KAN, I really wanted to say thank you to everyone for posting about their valuable experiences with our body protector.

Firstly I am so glad that CaleruxShearer is relatively unscathed from such an extreme fall and naturally I am delighted beyond words that her KAN did its job. Best wishes L for a speedy recovery and I hope you will be back in your saddle very soon. 

Others have commented so well on the smart foam technology from Knox and I am certainly not going to create a product essay for you now  so please dont worry about that! I just want to say that I am totally committed to this project of mine - promoting a safety product is a very serious thing and I am cheered by the increasing number of KAN wearers who benefit from its protection.

I understand why so many people at the beginning just wouldnt entertain trying one; I too was pretty devastated when the final samples of foam panels were sent to me back in 2006, but I had to proceed as I had invested so much in the R&D of the garment which would house the foams. Yet once I had my first test drive on my horse, all faith was restored! The single toughest challenge for this product is what people perceive  in reality it is just the opposite and I now would NOT TRADE THE WEIGHT OF THE KAN FOR ANYTHING. That is the factor that delivers the absorption of energy when falling from a horse, onto all sorts of different surfaces and with huge varieties of blow, specific and broad - stones, tree roots, flaying hooves, studs, fences, road surface, jumps etc.

I am a really squeamish person and the irony is that I am now exposed to hundreds of gruesome stories everywhere I go! I have never known a paramedic before  now I have about 37 on my FB page! Ha only kidding, dont know the number but you get my point I hope. 

Anyway enough from me, Im sure this is too long.

Thanks for reading

W


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## countrychick (23 February 2011)

Well done you for dedicating so much of your life 'on your own' to an amazing product, you had the faith and persevered where so many would have chucked the towel in, keep the focus you have a great following and an a even greater product, the rest of the equestrian world will see the light soon enough. You should be very proud of what you have achieved.


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## CaleruxShearer (23 February 2011)

Ginn said:



			I do believe that over the next few years we will however see significant advances in BP design and for me the ideal would be a combination of the EXO and the Kan. However, neither are a substitute for training, more training, experience and a super instructor!
		
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I quite agree Ginn, we must also prepare ourselves for those days when spring is in the air and it feels wonderful to be alive and free, very similar to the feelings I suspect Belgian beast was feeling on friday night


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## OneInAMillion (23 February 2011)

WendyKan said:



			Hi Everyone, Im new! Of course I do follow the forums but have never felt that it was my place to post, however as this is really quite an overwhelming thread of support for the KAN, I really wanted to say thank you to everyone for posting about their valuable experiences with our body protector.

Firstly I am so glad that CaleruxShearer is relatively unscathed from such an extreme fall and naturally I am delighted beyond words that her KAN did its job. Best wishes L for a speedy recovery and I hope you will be back in your saddle very soon. 

Others have commented so well on the smart foam technology from Knox and I am certainly not going to create a product essay for you now  so please dont worry about that! I just want to say that I am totally committed to this project of mine - promoting a safety product is a very serious thing and I am cheered by the increasing number of KAN wearers who benefit from its protection.

I understand why so many people at the beginning just wouldnt entertain trying one; I too was pretty devastated when the final samples of foam panels were sent to me back in 2006, but I had to proceed as I had invested so much in the R&D of the garment which would house the foams. Yet once I had my first test drive on my horse, all faith was restored! The single toughest challenge for this product is what people perceive  in reality it is just the opposite and I now would NOT TRADE THE WEIGHT OF THE KAN FOR ANYTHING. That is the factor that delivers the absorption of energy when falling from a horse, onto all sorts of different surfaces and with huge varieties of blow, specific and broad - stones, tree roots, flaying hooves, studs, fences, road surface, jumps etc.

I am a really squeamish person and the irony is that I am now exposed to hundreds of gruesome stories everywhere I go! I have never known a paramedic before  now I have about 37 on my FB page! Ha only kidding, dont know the number but you get my point I hope. 

Anyway enough from me, Im sure this is too long.

Thanks for reading

W
		
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Glad to hear from you Wendy


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## kirstyhen (23 February 2011)

WendyKan said:



			I understand why so many people at the beginning just wouldnt entertain trying one; I too was pretty devastated when the final samples of foam panels were sent to me back in 2006, but I had to proceed as I had invested so much in the R&D of the garment which would house the foams. Yet once I had my first test drive on my horse, all faith was restored! The single toughest challenge for this product is what people perceive  in reality it is just the opposite and I now would NOT TRADE THE WEIGHT OF THE KAN FOR ANYTHING. That is the factor that delivers the absorption of energy when falling from a horse, onto all sorts of different surfaces and with huge varieties of blow, specific and broad - stones, tree roots, flaying hooves, studs, fences, road surface, jumps etc.
		
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After reading various things about the Kan, I expected it to be far heavier than it was! My OH's stab vest weighs much more and he has to wear that for 10 hours at a time, it's not even designed to protect his spine, so I think I'll forgive the Kan for being a little weightier than normal BPs! 
Once it's on you hardly notice it, I find it more like wearing a Gilet than a BP.  I've only had it a week and already worn it more than my old BP!

Thank you for desinging such an amazing product, I really makes my feel safe and secure without being restricted in anyway.


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## Booboos (23 February 2011)

CaleruxShearer said:



			B - The fence didn't break under the impact, the fence in question is pretty sturdy, I'm about 5ft 8ish and they are easily my shoulder height if not a little taller, the posts are pretty thick as well. I'm pretty much 100% certain the rails are nailed to the outside of the fence.  
With regards to fencing arenas I was thinking about this the other day and although the 'fenceless' arena does appeal to me (with railways sleepers to keep surface in) I have a friend who has an arena like this, and the problem came when she landed on her back on the sleepers! Ouch!
		
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Many thanks for getting back to me!

I used to have a fenceless arena before and there is still a worry over landing on the retaining boards, although I don't know how that would compare with landing on the fence. The main reason for wanting the fence is to have a bit more security with young horses and also the possibility of a child riding in the arena which I imagine is safer with a fence. 

Thanks to the people who suggested the electric tape. Unfortunately my lot are quite weary of electric and I think I would have a tough time convinving them to ride round the track with the tape next to them (they are fenced in with electric tape so probably not best to desensitise them to it!). 

We are going with rather thin posts and thin rails so hopefully that might help and I see the point about banging knees on posts so it will have to be rails on the inside!


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## kerilli (23 February 2011)

millitiger said:



			And imo it is scaremongering with the made up scenarios, what could happen in this situation or that one when actually the negatives aren't backed up with fact either.
People now presuming the P2 would have been useless in the OPs accident as she hit the top of the fence when actually NO-ONE can say one way or the other, whether they saw the accident or not.

Its the same when people warm others that the Racesafe is not as safe as other BPs due to the gaps in the foam- imo verging on libel when the product has the same safety ratings as other BPs and is worn by 1000's of riders. Again not backed by any facts or statistics, just 'a friend of a friend had a bad fall and serious injuries when wearing one' which actually doesn't mean anything as for all we know the BP saved her from even worse injuries.
		
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It's not scaremongering, it's Worst-Case-Scenario thinking, simply Risk Assessment, based on physiology and physics...   

Hi Wendy, welcome to the forum, good to see you on here. Thankyou for making such a great product, I'm one of those who has had a couple of unscheduled dismounts in my Kan and been very grateful for the really impressive protection it gives.
I still think one of your advertising slogans should be "Worth the Weight"...


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## Booboos (23 February 2011)

Out of interest how much does a Kanteq weigh? (OK clearly some will be larger than others, but as a ball park figure).


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## CaleruxShearer (23 February 2011)

Booboos said:



			Out of interest how much does a Kanteq weigh? (OK clearly some will be larger than others, but as a ball park figure).
		
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Have just put mine on the bathroom scales (don't laugh!) it wouldn't fit on the digital kitchen scales! And it came in at between 3 and 4 kgs, sorry I can't be more accurate the scales are old fashioned ones with stone at the top and kgs at the bottom and a line on the piece of plastic. My Kan is dress size 8, B cup, 5ft 7ins. Not sure what size that makes it sorry, just going by the measurements I gave when I ordered it.


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## diggerbez (23 February 2011)

oh my god.... so glad to hear that you are relatively unbroken. thank god for your BP. i need a new one, think you might have now persuaded me which type to get....


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## kerilli (23 February 2011)

Booboos, I thought they were about 6 lbs ish, so that's not too far off what CS says hers weighs. I think my Exo weighs more. a regular foam bp + airjacket weighs about the same as a Kan, I think.


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## WendyKan (23 February 2011)

It weighs around 2.3 kg at the post office with packaging. Really this is not a big jump from any other brand but it depends...

My rule of thumb is that if the wearer of the KAN is at all aware of the body protector, they have been fitted with the wrong size. We prefer to take an individuals measurements and build one up each time, incorporating any customisation required. incidentally we do not charge for this - it is just built into the ordering process. At least when we do it ourselves, or through our team of trained fitters (now very carefully selected) we can really control the products that are dispatched.


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## Shrimp (23 February 2011)

I'll be looking in the next year or so to get a new body protector and I will definitely want to try a Kan after hearing so many great reviews. I think its fantastic how much you have put into this product Wendy, shows how dedicated you are 
I just have a question about what sort of shoulder protection it may offer? I found it difficult to tell from pictures. Having fractured the very top of my arm when on the rare occassion I wasn't wearing my shoulder pads when they most likely would have prevented it, i'm now paranoid about it happening again (especially as it still hurts occasionally) and never not worn the shoulder pads when i've worn my bp since.
I know protecting my torso is obviously more important than my arms but I do feel more secure if there is some sort of protection there.


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## CarlM (23 February 2011)

I keep hearing great things about the Kan body protector but unfortunately being male I am part of the 50% of the population unable to benefitfrom them


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## Holidays_are_coming (24 February 2011)

kirstyhen said:



			After reading various things about the Kan, I expected it to be far heavier than it was! My OH's stab vest weighs much more and he has to wear that for 10 hours at a time, it's not even designed to protect his spine, so I think I'll forgive the Kan for being a little weightier than normal BPs! 
Once it's on you hardly notice it, I find it more like wearing a Gilet than a BP.  I've only had it a week and already worn it more than my old BP!

Thank you for desinging such an amazing product, I really makes my feel safe and secure without being restricted in anyway. 

Click to expand...

Like  And totally agree


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## WendyKan (24 February 2011)

Thank you Shrimp for asking about the shoulders, it is one of the FAQs. These are straight out of the world of motorcycle protective gear (thank you Knox) and are actually brilliantly designed to offer maximum protection to the point of shoulder and collarbone.There are two things to point out: -

1.	the shoulder like the rest of the KAN is moulded and so has extra thick areas running to tapered edges. The thickest part of the whole bp is in the shoulder pad, just where it would cover the point of the shoulder. Due to the fact that it is a moulded piece, it does not require the riders arm to become part of its fastening, so is not restrictive  I can lift my arms fully to put a bridle over my horses ears and he is 16.2, one might find that the sleeves of a jacket could limit movement more

2.	if you examine the shoulder pads you will see that there is a Left and Right with a neck edge, an outer edge and a sort of hinge or joint which provides some articulation within the pad, about 2/3 of the way along. It is supposed to sit slightly forward and the convex shape allows the shoulder pad to rest on the fragile collarbone area (have a look at the photo galleries on our site you can see how it completely caps the upper body). So in a fall scenario, if the rider is ploughing forward head and shoulders first, the pad will hit the ground and because the upper arm is following on, the pad opens up cupping more of the upper arm, point of shoulder and collarbone. You can see this clearly when you press down on the shoulder pad (obviously you will have to be wearing the KAN first and looking into a mirror!!!). I must add (and most of us already know) that if you put your arm out to break your fall, it will not matter what you wear  you will pop your bow shaped collar bone anyway.  

Obviously people fall in all sorts of ways and no safety product could possibly guarantee that the rider will not sustain injury in an accident; however we strive to minimise the risk through better design and consideration. I have several testimonials on the subject of shoulder escapes, but I dont think it is appropriate for me to introduce those here  it is for others to say.


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## Booboos (24 February 2011)

Many thanks everyone for weighing your BPs for me! Just weighed by Aerowear (which is also very comfy for what it's worth) and it comes up at 1.3 kilos on the home scales (not very accurate). I shall have to try a Kan as soon as I get back to pre-pregnancy weight!


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## Shrimp (24 February 2011)

Thanks very much, I understand it alot more now. Its definitely going to be on my 'to try' list


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## kerilli (24 February 2011)

CarlM said:



			I keep hearing great things about the Kan body protector but unfortunately being male I am part of the 50% of the population unable to benefitfrom them 

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I believe that once sales of the female version get high enough, there's are plans to put a male version into production. New moulded panels etc would be needed, obv, it couldn't be the same shape as the female version!


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## Oscar (24 February 2011)

My God!! You are a very lucky girl!! Speedy recovery to you! I hope your horse is better behaved next time!!


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## CaleruxShearer (24 February 2011)

My OH was asking me when Kan's for men were going to be bought out yesterday!


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## CaleruxShearer (24 February 2011)

HorseyLad said:



			My God!! You are a very lucky girl!! Speedy recovery to you! I hope your horse is better behaved next time!!
		
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Thank you! In fairness to him I can't say I entirely blame him, he has been on 2 months box rest and he was pretty fit when he went on to box rest and doesn't seem to have lost that much condition! (Or fitness apparently!)


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## the Financier (25 February 2011)

he body protector debate is an interesting one.. before I say my bit, 2 points;

1 I'm CaleruxSheare's dad
2 We have no business connection with Kanteq, just very satisfied customers!

Horse riding is dangerous, even if you are just sitting on a horse and
fall its going to sting a bit.. if youre competing  and going over a
reasonable size fence on a 16 hh + horse your head and body are going
to have over 12 ft to fall at up to 30mph, if you come off, thats
going to hurt!

Coming from an engineering background Im impressed by the way the Kan
has been thought out and constructed. CS did a lot of research before
we purchased one and Im glad she made the choice she did.
In any accident whether you get hurt and how much is to a certain
degree down to luck and/or your chosen deity..  what you have to do as
a rider is put as much in your favour as possible and I believe the
Kan is a very important part of that decision, along with the correct
hat and being aware of your surroundings.

There seems to be a split between the inflatable protector and
normal protector camps but on the P2 web site its says
The Point Two air jacket offers additional protection, but we
recommend it to be worn with traditional protective riding wear such
as the EM13158 body protector.
Note the Worn WITH. Unfortunately every fall is different and Im sure
the inflatables work well in some cases but I can see that they can
cause greater problems than they solve in others. In this case I dont
think it would have helped. Im not totally against them I just dont
see them as the magic cure all some people do!
 Ive also seen several riders fail to unclip as theyve jumped off
after an event surprised horse and inflated/constricted rider trying
to control it.
From a mechanical point if you want to protect something from a force
you need to be able to spread and absorb the load as much as possible
with out too much damage to the protecting device. This is to ensure
continued protection in case of repeated loads (being hit again) and
re usability. The Kans clever foam seems to do this well.
Its also interesting to see that those who own then and post on here
love them and their original thoughts on weight are quickly forgotten
once they wear one.
I noticed a post about concreting in fence posts, If you dont the
uprights will move as the ground moves as it dries, freezes etc then
your rails will either start to split or pull away from the uprights.
Apart from putting protection on each post ( not really practical) I
dont have a simple solution. As CS found out the uprights dont move
when you head butt them!


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## Polo*Pony (25 February 2011)

Wow CS, I hope your recovery goes as smoothly as possible. That's a horrendous thing to happen... I'm so glad you had your BP on - definitely sounds like it saved you!


I was asking for advice on body protectors today and someone sent me in the direction of this thread...  Definitely saving up for a Kan now! Why do horsey shops never do student discount?!


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