# Protective Riding Vest



## Paintedponies1992 (Nov 17, 2013)

I only trail ride, but I do ride horses who are youngsters and/or green and I do have a gelding over 16 hands so if I did end up falling off it would most likely hurt more due to distance, so I always ride in my Tipperary vest. It's more flexible and breathable so I don't sweat as much and I can move easily enough in it. Now it won't save me from a broken limb, but it covers my ribs and vital organs. 

To answer your question about being beneficial for what you do, I'd say yes; I don't get on an unfamiliar horse or started horse unless I have the vest and a helmet on me. 

I can't say if the vest would save a person who's horse flips on them, though, as I've never known anyone who's been in such a incident.


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## dogpatch (Dec 26, 2017)

I have a Tipperary hard shell vest, and a Hit Air inflatable. I ride in the Hit Air, but there are trade offs. The air vest is much cooler than the hard vest, and it offers neck protection. I fractured my neck in a fall and I dont especially want to go through that again. Off the shelf I dont think it would protect your chest from a saddle horn. But they have accessories. In eventing they're only legal if worn over a hard vest, which certainly cancels the cool part.

What if it doesn't inflate? What if you forget to unsnap the lanyard before dismounting?

I'm old and my confidence is shaken from being injured. I just trail ride and school my mare around the farm. The vest gives me some much needed confidence. I never ride without it. Will it save me in a wreck? Air bags and seat belts in a car aren't always enough. Neither is a riding helmet. But safety equipment helps stack the odds of survival in your favor. 

Wonder about a nice western styled bull rider's vest?


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Examples of protective vests, and advice on softer landings, in this thread: ;-)

https://www.horseforum.com/horse-talk/falling-off-nerds-789799/


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

I have the airoware outlyne vest. I use it every time I get on a horse now, after watching a friend hit the ground and not be able to get back up. 

Would a vest be beneficial? I think it would be beneficial for most people most of the time. Horse riding is risky, anything that you can do to minimize the risk could be considered beneficial. 

I have had one horse flip on me, but got lucky that I slid back after I hit the ground, the helmet /would have been/ the real help but I wasn't wearing one then... I don't think a vest would have helped too much, but I don't think it would have hurt me more either. 

I do not consider my vest hot, but I have some tolerance for heat. I could be out riding in 80, 90F with a vest and feel warm but not hot. The foam ones do get warm. I guess it would depend on what you do. I wear a long sleeve shirt outside, especially when it's a hot sunny day. 

It does restrict movement, but I find it to be minimal. I haven't found my movements impeded in training or riding, but it's a little harder to keep my elbows at my side and not looking like a chicken. 

I guess it weighs a few pounds, but I don't notice once I'm riding. 

I like the advice about the bull riders, they get gored, and probably have some protection to help minimize that risk. 

Of course it is entirely your decision, but if you can afford it I don't see the downfalls to using a safety vest!


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## Buddytink (Jun 23, 2019)

Thanks for all the replies, I'll definitely be looking into the vest and the bull riding ones as well


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

For all but the horn impact either something like the Tipperary or Airhit would be beneficial. Different vests have different comfort levels. My child is happy with his Tipperary as are several of the others he rides with. The older ladies prefer their air vests. You'd have to ask about what protection from the horn is available in the event a horse flips over. Hard shell I could see some protection. Air vest I could as well but it would depend on whether it could withstand the force from such a small area of impact.and not bust.


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## dogpatch (Dec 26, 2017)

A really important note about the Hit Ait with buckle closures, the bottom strap WILL catch on a saddle horn!!! I found out the hard way right after I bought the dang thing!

I think they make a zip front model. The possible downside to that might be that the vest cannot be worn under clothing. Don't know if the zip up model will expand to accommodate jackets. Not a problem with a hard shell.

The zipprr on my Tipperary failed. I ended up sewing a heavier duty jacket zipper over the old one.


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

It's worth noting, when looking at the vests that there are different safety levels they can meet. Mine was around $350, and meets the highest safety levels they test for. The tipperary ones don't meet the higher safety regulations (at east the models I saw). I guess it depends on how much protection you want and how much you want to spend. I personally figured if I was getting one I should get the safest one I could!


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

This is the one my child uses. It is Tipperary and is certified. https://www.doversaddlery.com/tipperary-eventer-pro/p/X1-40788/


Price point seems to indicate certification. When we were looking $350 was the lowest price I found for certification.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Buddytink...
I don't know of to much that is going to "protect" your heart from a compression injury so small in distribution of force with weight of a animal somersaulting its combined weight plus force at one impact point.
That is incredible force...
Think of a car...today seat-belt with shoulder harness and combined airbag deployment has saved more lives and reduced injury because the force field was widened over the body taking the hit.
I kind of think of the vest still having limitations no matter how good it is with extreme conditions present.


I don't own a vest, but it is something I've been thinking about getting especially as I get older since not bouncing but thudding when I take flight...
I trail-ride also and often alone lately...

My question is...
No matter what brand/style I look at all seem to be "short" in the front and not offer much coverage past the rib-cage bottom.
Does one vest over another offer more protection to this region of the body where internal organs really, really needs some serious protection?
Anyone try or have the bull-riders vest and if so is that vests coverage of the thoracic area better?
I also see a neck support on many of those bull-rider vests no "English" style seems to offer...
Hints and opinion please.
:runninghorse2:...


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

horselovinguy said:


> My question is...
> No matter what brand/style I look at all seem to be "short" in the front and not offer much coverage past the rib-cage bottom.
> Does one vest over another offer more protection to this region of the body where internal organs really, really needs some serious protection?
> Anyone try or have the bull-riders vest and if so is that vests coverage of the thoracic area better?
> ...


From what I can tell the main thing they are meant to protect are your ribs and spine. They keep your ribs from breaking and jamming into your internal organs, reduced chance for your lungs being punctured. Most of the fitting guides I saw suggest they cover to your last rib, but not necessarily your floating ribs, and that they cover down your back as far as your tailbone goes, or so that you have reasonable clearance from the cantle. 

So in effect they are designed to protect your internal organs not from impact, but from puncture from your ribs. 

When you get into the air vests you will start to see ones that cover the areas the foam vests miss. The ones I've seen will cover your abdomen area, and also have a neck collar that inflates so you are really covered all over except for your limbs.


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

QtrBel said:


> This is the one my child uses. It is Tipperary and is certified. https://www.doversaddlery.com/tipperary-eventer-pro/p/X1-40788/
> 
> 
> Price point seems to indicate certification. When we were looking $350 was the lowest price I found for certification.


I looked at this one at Dover. I went with another option mainly because of the bungee weave and stopper were hard, and there was no padding right on that area. I felt that would be unpleasant to land on. Can you share your experiences with it?


Unrelated to the quote and comments, but I found this helpful when I was searching for mine as it was a pretty thorough review of the options. 
https://www.equisearch.com/HorseJournal/heres-choose-body-protector-25128


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

Here's some falls where the horse is landing on the person and while they are not able to get up and walk away it's amazing they survived with as little injury as they have. 





Broken ribs





Head injury, cleared to ride next day

There's another I'm looking for with a grey gelding. Tumbles over the rider and the rider gets up and walks away.
Found it.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

I've only worn it a couple of times but have found no restriction. I typically don't jump. My child wears it year round. His only complaint has been when riding during the heat of the summer but it isn't unbearable. The sides he ties and doesn't use the cord stopper.


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## Jolien (Aug 19, 2019)

Buddytink said:


> I've been thinking about buying a protective riding vest and was wondering if anyone else rides in them or could tell me a little more about them?
> 
> I know most of the people that I see who use them are jumpers/eventer/cross country/endurance type riding. I don't ride in any of these disciplines tho. I mainly train horses and barrel race and then just some general riding. Would a vest be beneficial? There have been a few people in my area who have been killed due to horses flipping over on them and the saddle horn hitting them in the chest. Would a vest protect against these types of accidents?
> 
> How hot are the vest? Do they restrict movement? Are they heavy?


hello 



I am a beginning rider and I bought a level 3 body protector for horseback riding. I got it in discount (because I am a size small and they have difficulties selling those to adult females.) The vest protects my ribcage, tailbone and vital organs. I heard that it improves your chanches of surviving if your horse falls on you, accidentaly steps on you after falling and panicking or when hit (but I doubt a horse hitting me full on my chest with its hooves would be... erm survivable, your heart would take a tremendous hit too...) Like you I have know several people that got severely wounded or died after accidents with a horse (like a horse tripping and falling on them... ) 



I don't find it to restrict my movements (but I bought a more expensive one and not the cheapest on the market.) As for warmth... I ride in 30 degrees (celsius), It's hot but not unbearable. If you live in a hot climate and you are gonna do work and intensive things with your horse, I can imagine it would get really really hot. It's light (some kind of foam in it), I often forget I am wearing it.  It looks fashionable (not really ugly, it's ok in size S!.) If I would ever ride events I would definitely pair it up with an airbag vest. Safety first.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

The vests are definitely great to have. I ride in one myself but I also do cross country and start/train young horses so I tend to throw it on for protection. They are a great addition but definitely not there to prevent everything as far as injury goes. I would just suggest making sure that it has at least the basic certification on it(check to see what the tags say).


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