Rules Question - Medical Armband

[Gry2Yng]

Was a timer this weekend. Rider enters the schooling area on XC and warms up. Someone notices she is missing her armband. She returns to the trailer gets her armband, continues to school and then rides her course. Question comes up amongst the group at the start box. You are required to have an armband on to jump, which this rider didn't for a portion of her warmup.

One person thought the penalty was elimination, one thought discretion of the ground jury. I can't actually find anything in the rule book that talks about the penalty for jumping without it. Only the statement that you must have it.

thoughts?

[SevenDogs]

I'm glad she wasn't eliminated. It was an honest mistake that was corrected immediately and didn't matter a wit, at the end of the day.

I'd bet money that it is at the discretion of the GJ. That's one of the best things about eventing - officials use their discretion wisely to educate and not necessarily eliminate for this type or thing and other competitors don't try to get their fellow riders eliminated for minor infractions like this either.

[RoeVee]

Interesting - I can't find it in the rulebook either. It says you must wear one while jumping - and you will get $100 fine if you wear someone else's - but nothing on if you jump and are not wearing one.

Glad the person was not eliminated! :yes:

[msghook]

What the rule says it there is a $100 fine for not wearing one's own medical armband. If you are not weating any armband, then you are not wearing your own armband.

Malcolm

[Gry2Yng]

Got it. Thanks Malcolm.

[fooler]

I'm glad she wasn't eliminated. It was an honest mistake that was corrected immediately and didn't matter a wit, at the end of the day.

I'd bet money that it is at the discretion of the GJ. That's one of the best things about eventing - officials use their discretion wisely to educate and not necessarily eliminate for this type or thing and other competitors don't try to get their fellow riders eliminated for minor infractions like this either.

You are correct in that most officials use this as an education opportunity instead of collecting $100 for the organizer (who mostly prefer we educate instead of collecting funds)

BUT IT IMPORTANT THAT ALL COMPETITORS WEAR THEIR OWN MEDICAL ARMBAND! Because it speaks for you when you can't, either you are completely unconscious, incoherent or God forbid, physically unable to speak to due injury. As I explained to a mother & daughter who 'shared' an armband:eek:, they may or may not have had the same blood type, they may or may not have the same drug allergies, they may or may not be taking the same perscription or even over the counter drugs that could affect their treatment by EMT and/or the ER.

So it is very important to have that armband filled out with the necessary information as it relates to you.

[RoeVee]

ahhhhh! thanks Malcolm - I read it with a different twist. But what you wrote makes sense.

Ouch. $100!!! :eek: But agree they are super important!

[Meredith Clark]

I was working Stadium at a rec. horse trial a while ago and sooo many people didn't have theirs. I was pretty good about spotting it, some people were thankful but others totally gave me attitude. :eek: Would they have rather me not said anything and got E ?? I also go the "i can't wear it on my arm" story. I was told by the TD that they had to be on the arm.. sorry!

[scubed]

And don't just wear it (your own medical armband), but also fill it out fully and update it with some regularity. If you pass out and can't answer questions (whether from a bonk on the head or from the heat), you want to make sure the EMTs know of any conditions/allergies, etc. that you have and that your physician's number/insurance information is current

[Raison d'etre]

I was at an event recently and was warming up for XC. For some reason, my armband kept falling down no matter how tight I put it. Finally I just attached it to the front of my XC vest (wrapped at the collar bone area, very visible). TC stopped me and told me it had to be on my arm or he'd fine me $100. He said the EMT are trained to look on the arm. Well, I don't know what was safer - having it attached visibly to the front of my vest or riding around with it dangling on my wrist, prone to go flying off into the grass should I actually fall off.

[jn4jenny]

I was at an event recently and was warming up for XC. For some reason, my armband kept falling down no matter how tight I put it. Finally I just attached it to the front of my XC vest (wrapped at the collar bone area, very visible). TC stopped me and told me it had to be on my arm or he'd fine me $100. He said the EMT are trained to look on the arm. Well, I don't know what was safer - having it attached visibly to the front of my vest or riding around with it dangling on my wrist, prone to go flying off into the grass should I actually fall off.

Duct tape or electrical tape. Tape the band to your shirt sleeve. Problem solved.

[Jazzy Lady]

I was at an event recently and was warming up for XC. For some reason, my armband kept falling down no matter how tight I put it. Finally I just attached it to the front of my XC vest (wrapped at the collar bone area, very visible). TC stopped me and told me it had to be on my arm or he'd fine me $100. He said the EMT are trained to look on the arm. Well, I don't know what was safer - having it attached visibly to the front of my vest or riding around with it dangling on my wrist, prone to go flying off into the grass should I actually fall off.

If you fall on your front and have a spinal injury they cannot move you to get to your medical information if it is on the front of your vest. Therefore the card is useless.

It isn't a rule up here yet that the armband must be on your arm, but when I stewart xc warmup, I ask riders to put it on their arm. The EMT's that work at majority of the events up here ask that it be there and are actively persuing equine Canada for a new rule that makes it mandatory to wear it on the arm. Most of the trainers around here (the good one's anyway) make their students wear them on their arm.

If someone forgets their armband, I send them to it before they go xc. But tack check is mandatory up here for each phase BEFORE you go.

[bigbaytb]

ok..devils advocate here....

what about the xc vests that I see that have a spot at the base of spine for the medical card to be placed..and I believe there are other vests that now have visible plasic sleeves for the cards to be placed in front too...are those illegal?

[BEARCAT]

ok..devils advocate here....

what about the xc vests that I see that have a spot at the base of spine for the medical card to be placed..are those illegal?



Yep, according to David O'Connor ;) He pointed it out at a clinic last month.

[kookicat]

I use zinc oxide tape to keep mine in place. :)