Just curious. I’ve never seen a hunt member wear a bulky vest over their huntcoat.
I don’t think they are popular.
I wouldn’t hunt a horse where I thought every ride involved a significant risk of falling and motivated me to wear a vest every time. On the other hand, I don’t think I’d join a hunt that specifically forbade a safety item if I wanted to wear one the first time I took a new horse out.
Tipperary made one for a while that looked kind of like a canary wool vest, but I’m presuming they were not a big seller.
One of the air vest companies currently has somebody wearing an air vest over the outside of their hunt coat in an ad.
Interesting question
I would think if one wore a a discretely colored,ie white or possibly black, underneath your jacket, no one would have a problem with it. It would of course, as all “proper attire” questions do, depend on your hunt.
I don’t think anyone even notices “safety” helmets any longer, it’s become pretty commonplace.
I’m sure we all know someone, who might wish they’d had one on under a jacket a time or two.
Usually all I bruise is my dignity.
There are many good riders who have fallen from many good horses, I don’t personally think that wishing to lessen the impact is a bad thing. I’m not wearing a vest, but I’m looking (at my age) for a much shorter horse these days.
Good on you for wanting to be safe and have fun.
If your coat is roomy enough you could wear one under your coat.
I second the opinion that its not something they want to see.
I also agree that I wouldn’t want to be hunting if I felt like I needed it.
There are several members of our hunt who routinely wear one, and I have never heard anything said positive or negative.
Point Two air Jackets just released their “hunter” line, I do think they look very cool, and are a more fitted jacket than their other models.
I think that is rather short sighted thing to say.
I doubt most people wear safety equipment because they feel like they need it (that they are in an unsafe situation). It is just a wise idea. Some of us bounce less than others when the world turns upside down, nothing wrong with taking some extra precautions if that is how things work for you.
And if a horse goes down in front of you or there is an unseen hole…might not matter how good of a horse you are sitting on. Crap happens.
To me it would be one more layer of warmth;) …and back in my youth, I should have been wearing one with some of the horses I was sitting on!
Its not that they’re not ‘good’ or ‘accepted’. It’s that they’re designed to be worn on an 8-minute xcountry course, not a 3+ hour hunt.
I’ve broken bones with them, broken bones without.
You will be very uncomfortable with one on for that long.
That said, if it makes you happy, certainly wear it.
But I’ve seen plenty of people start out with them that throw in the towel once they ‘realize’ what a hunting day is actually like.
I have certainly considered it for my green bean’s early outings as he’s the only one of my horses athletic enough to slam-dunk me on a whim, but set the idea aside when I couldn’t figure out how to keep my (not black or white) vest from showing under the traditional hunt duds. I’ve worn my Tipperary vest for long rides, and it’s certainly no worse than bundling up with lots of layers in winter.
I’ve worn one! But my hunt is pretty casual. And I think JSwan wears one.
And if your horse falls going down a slippery bank into the rain swollen Big Elk Creek you will float.
I don’t belong to a hunt, but have capped (is that the word?) a few times with a couple of the local hunts. (Fantastic people – would be so much fun to join but it’s not practical right now…). No one looked down on me for wearing a vest (over my coat, no less) – I did ask if it was permitted and the response was “absolutely!”. As it turned out I was quite happy to have it on because I managed to get dumped right ON a fairly substantial log… :). I’m by no means an expert on hunting, but you can always ask the hunt what they think.
ETA: Honestly, I don’t find mine uncomfortable, so I’ve been ok even on long days. It’s funny how the mind works – I am so used to wearing one if I jump xc that I think I would feel nervous and probably ride like a big suck without it!!
[QUOTE=jawa;6628940]
If your coat is roomy enough you could wear one under your coat.
I second the opinion that its not something they want to see.
I also agree that I wouldn’t want to be hunting if I felt like I needed it.[/QUOTE]
Jody Murtaugh, one of the best hound men in the country, was injured severely during his stay with the Moore County Hounds and is forced to either wear a vest or quit.
As one who would probably expire anyway if I had to quit, I hope he wears it forever.
If you really love the sport, you do what you have to do.
what version?
I had an "old fashioned:lol: vest which, I lent to a friend to wear under her jacket:cool: which version do you have?
ask
most hunts are in need of members;:o I would hope that your hunt would allow it:yes:. What do they say?
Having lost an important member of their hunt in a fluke accident, my local hunt happily allows any and all safety equipment any member or guest wishes to wear. No need for permission ahead of time, members are treated like intelligent, responsible adults.
We have some members that wear protective vests under their coats. One is one of the old canary tipperary vests. It seems the vests have become less bulky over time, so are not as noticeable under a coat.
I agree with Hunter’s Rest that three hours would be a long time to wear that vest. I know that when I finish a XC course, I am off the horse and that vest is off. Otherwise I am just baking and that’s not even wearing a coat.
Yes, 3 hours is a long time, but it’s colder during hunt season
I guess you’d just adjust the weight of your coat accordingly.
I wear a canary yellow Tipp when I do hunt at the suggestion of one of our masters. I got a great deal on it and have been called a few names for purchasing it used for $30 but have mostly received positive comments. I wear it under my jacket when it is cool but have worn it over a shirt when it was warmer.
I capped with another local hunt and wore it there too. I was really surprised to see several of there members wearing vests as well and had several others tell me what a good idea they thought it was. I don’t get to ride in the hunt all that much and do belong to a very casual hunt, so I’m sure it is differs depending on your hunt.
NO hunt would dare say not to wear one - open up all sorts of insurance/litigation problems. Keep it toned down.
