Hello! Came over to this forum because I think you might have more experience with vests and can provide advice.
I’m wondering what the best vest might be for safety purposes. No jumping, no cross country, only arena and trail work. Looking for function over form. Money not a big issue.
Not for me, this would be for a man, interested in c-spine through l-spine, tall, rib protection. Not sure if air vest or the standard is the best.
Thanks very much.
What kind of protection are you actually looking for? No vest is capable of preventing fractures or internal injuries. Most vests are intended to protect from impact puncture, abrasion etc. If you REALLY want to protect spine, forget it. Most fractures are cause by axial loads (burst fractures and so called compression fractures). The only proven form of protecting c-spine is rigid bolsters, e.g. HANS devices.
We had 3 spine fractures, all from falling off horses. One was where the rider fractured a thoracic vertebrae when they landed on their feet and then fell on their butt. No vest protects that.
I know there is concern as to whether or not these vests do any good. I know that you come from an educated perspective, not just opinion. I also come from an educated (medical) background, but not an engineering one.
I know that’s not the opinion of everyone, and of the ones that are available, I’m looking for what might be the best for an older amateur. I do think that there is viable research showing decrease in chest wall injuries, which could prevent or decrease rib fractures and the sequelae, especially hemo-/pneumothorax.
I’m very pretty familiar with the types of injuries and the mechanics behind such injuries; I think generally what might be the best option for the most protection when having an unplanned dismount (not a big concern for impaling) is the desired option.
What would you advise the Queen to wear, if she wanted to wear something something while riding her horse :)?
Thanks!
You “think” there is viable air vest research, or body protector research? We’d all love to have the link to any viable air vest research.
The Queen won’t even wear a helmet…however , I personally would not suggest that a 90 year old person wear an air vest that would tightly compress an already fragile rib cage after a fall, especially since the bones could fracture from impact and be sent into the lung by the action of the air vest, but that’s just MHO.
Skydy, I’m beginning to think you have a crush on me as you can’t seem to stay away from my posts. 
your “honest opinion” is exactly the opposite of what has been shown in at least one study.
should anyone desire to share their well-formed, educated thoughts on which of the available technologies might be considered the best for lowering the relative risk for an elderly person, please send me a private message. Many thanks.
I have been interested in the use of air vests and the lack of air vest research for years. I have participated in discussions about them on this forum, also for years.
I too have medical education (not engineering or physics) and after the extensive discussions we have had on this forum with many well educated members I tend to come to the same conclusions about air vests as do the majority, including Rayers
.I would discourage you from putting an air vest on a 90 year old but if you are determined to do so then you will.
No proper studies have been done about their use in equestrian activity and all “evidence” of their effectiveness is anecdotal.
I don’t know you and I didn’t look at your screen name before responding to your post so don’t worry that your name is important to me or that I “have a crush” on you. It is the subject matter that is important, it’s certainly not about you.
Please do link to the air vest study. Especially the one studying the effects of an air vest on a 90 year old rider that has fallen from a horse (or failing that, any scientific based study at all).
There are several approved body protectors on the market. I’d go with one of those.
I think a regular body protector would be the way to go. Air vests are very expensive, haven’t been proven (or disproven) to help, and are supposed to be worn over a regular body protector.
If you go to the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) website you will find quite a bit about vests and body protectors and the standards against which they are tested.
I would take the rider to a tack store and have him try on a variety of vests to see what is comfortable. I trail ride in a Charles Owen Kontakt vest. It is comfortable. When I came off onto my back on a rocky road, I was quite impressed with the vest. I had no bruises or pain. I got up, remounted, and ride for another hour.
I have no relevant training in any useful field but have fallen off at speed with and without a traditional vest. A well-fitting traditional vest is a good investment - any good brand that fits properly will probably do, and will definitely reduce the ouch factor. You can still break bones with a vest - my husband broke 3 ribs in one -but it will reduce the impact some.
i have an air vest but I too would not really advise one for a frail older person. When they inflate they do exert some force, and I haven’t seen any studies relevant to falling off in the way one might trail riding (as opposed to motorcycle racing, for example). There are also many reports of vests failing to inflate or inflating at a delayed, and sometimes unfortunate, interval. I’ve seen that happen in person.
As can be seen in my first post , I share your view. 
Hopefully your concerns won’t be thought of by the OP as the poorly formed opinion of an uneducated stalker , as mine seem to have been.
OP, you got the response you did because there has been a very longstanding discussion on this board about air vests, safety and research. If you do have a study that is rigorous and relevant everyone would really like to see it. Again, I have one, and I’m not reflexively against them, but the manufacturers themselves have yet to point to or provide any research that answers the many questions people with relevant training have.
Thanks! I didn’t know about the term body protector - thank you!
Thank you-can do that, and thanks for the specific name of the vest. Glad you were ok after your fall!
Thank you! I appreciate it. I know a few people who have air vests, and the person who uses it the most is someone who rides a baby horse and has had several unplanned dismounts. But much younger person. :).
That’s all I am interested in… Reducing the risk of injury. We all know what the sports offers in terms of injury; just looking to reduce the risk in any way possible.
Thank you!
Thank you! That’s one of the links that came when I did my original search and found the air best information. Thank you so much!
Thank you :-).
I was a little taken aback by the initial responses, LOL, after asking a question about what would be recommended (air versus standard) as I see virtually every single person who events riding with a vest. While I tried to distinguish between air vest/safety vest, I should have been more clear and cognizant of the board’s debates.
after looking through a few of the threads, I don’t have any more studies than anyone else has. Reading the studies about the air vests, and knowing that data interpretation is so important, and actually having been somewhat involved in this at one time, LOL, at least there is a defined way to proceed.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and tell me your personal experiences. I am in agreement with you; not against it, and curious about further research.
Thank you!
OP, no worries - it’s not your job to know about our land mines ;).
Everyone who events is REQUIRED to wear a vest (or body protector, as above - same thing) for cross country. However, that being said, what you see people wearing is all over the map. Many folks wear just a vest. Some layer an air vest on top of that. Now there are combo vests that have an air vest built on top of the traditional vest.
i know some people (mostly non eventers) who wear just the air vest. - I guess they think the regular vest is too hot or confining. I have worn my vest in 100 degree weather with humidity for several hours at xc clinics. It is hot, but I’m still here. I do not notice it when riding now.
The air vests are not legal in eventing worn alone - they must be worn only on top of a regular vest. They are designed to complement the regular vest. I’d be very leery of wearing just the air vest - the effect of the inflation on broken bones without the intervening layer is anyone’s guess…
I wear a Point Two air jacket alone for most riding. I do not find that it inflates with enough force that I am concerned about secondary injuries from the air jacket but what do I know? When properly fitted I can’t see how that is possible?
Isn’t there talk of air jackets becoming mandatory in The UK?
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