I had a rather bad fall about a year and a half ago, broke three vertebrae (luckily just the spinous processes) and a rib, falling on my back on a jump rail. Was really rather painful. I recovered pretty well, but when I went back to jumping, bought a safety vest, figuring it would help me mentally and physically while I was still healing (and after). I started with a rigid, super-protective vest, then went on to use a Point-Two air vest, which is much more comfortable (probably less protective, but reasonable compromise). I show in the jumpers, and down at WEF, we’ve had a number of unfortunate accidents in the past few years, with another one this past weekend (good rider, tough lady, but had a bad crash and broke too many body parts to list). Am hoping she’ll be wearing a vest when she eventually gets back on (as I’m sure she will), but why is everyone else still going around un-protected? Why wait till you break a rib or your back or get internal injuries before seeing the light? A few people who ride with the same trainer as me have started wearing one too, also Joe Fargis (who had a bad injury last year), is also wearing one when jumping. Just a suggestion to others out there who currently think they’re pretty invincible (as I used to think before the accident), please consider wearing a vest before they just completely ban us from the jumper divisions!! WEF already ruined the Masters division fiddling with the format (which has not helped, by the way, crash last weekend happened in that division, on a non-jump-off day). We gotta do something!
Of course this isn’t limited to 50+ riders, probably would be good if everyone did, especially when jumping, but it’s scientifically proven that bone density decreases with age, so may as well do what we can to make up for that.
Stepping off soap box now…
maybe because there is no evidence that vests protect against broken bones. This is said as an eventer.
[QUOTE=IFG;7991393]
maybe because there is no evidence that vests protect against broken bones. This is said as an eventer.[/QUOTE]
Body protectors should be used where possible to minimise injury… Until 2004 there was only anecdotal evidence of the value of their protection (Turner 2002, Baker 2004) but it was recognised that using protectors has reduced the severity of injuries.
If I was at work where I have zippy (and free) internet, I’d check the references cited. It seems to be saying that there is now data that shows body protectors do have some value, but I’m not sure I’m reading it right.
I started wearing a protective vest after a fall in which I broke 4 ribs. I have no idea whether or not the vest would help prevent a similar injury in another fall, but it makes my Mom feel better, so I wear it. 
Edited to add that, truth be told, I find it to be a bit of security blanket, as well. Psychological effect, yes, but there it is.
You better make sure you are wearing your safety vest when you get on that soap box!!!
Preach it, sister! I had a terrible fall 5 years ago now (gosh that went by fast!) and my surgeon and I figured that a vest was the way to go. Much the way a helmet won’t stop all head injuries/concussions, a vest cannot protect you from all trauma. But…I’ve come off several times since I first donned my vest (Rodney Powell and now an Outlyne) and I can assure you, it has made the difference between broken ribs and bruising, and no injuries at all, where bruising or internal owies might have occurred.
I do wish more riders would wear them–saw a few crashes last show season that would have been far more comfortable if the rider had had one one. I do the jumpers now but even wore my vest in the hunters. I hope they continue to work on materials, fit and fabrics to make them cooler and more discreet.
I too had a fall from a horse a few years and sadly landed on the perimeter wood fencing of the show ring. Obviously NOT designed to break being constructed with solid oak fence boards. I wish I had been so lucky to land on a jump instead that would have collapsed 
Anyway, 3 broken ribs later and I too went out and purchased a safety vest. I won’t ride without it now…and yes I get the odd looks as I have to wear it over my hunter jacket at the A shows that I attend but I really, honestly don’t care. No judge or ring steward has said anything to me…and I don’t expect they will as its not against any rules to wear it anyway. Oh and I am well over 50 years of age now myself. The hard part for me quite honestly was overcoming my nervousness and apprehension to jump…and I am still working on it. Loosing your confidence is such a scary thing to happen. I never thought after all these years of riding it would happen to me. But I will regain my “mojo” someday I am sure of it.
I wear a safety vest when trail riding.
We were at the Royal Dublin Show this past summer. Every rider, except in international classes, wore a vest. I watched hundreds of rides, and never saw a rider go off by ambulance. Someone should look at the statistics and compare it to a similar US show in terms of injury rates. I think the vests help.
[QUOTE=dogbluehorse;7991387]
but why is everyone else still going around un-protected? Why wait till you break a rib or your back or get internal injuries before seeing the light? [/QUOTE]
It just depends where you draw the line of comfort for yourself.
Someone else could ask, “why are riders aged 50+ still jumping? The chance of serious injury is much less just riding on the flat! Why wait until you get hurt?”
I wear one most of the time when I ride at home alone. I mean, why not? I have a Tipperary, it’s comfortable and if it means I don’t get quite as squished in some horsey disaster, then it’s an investment well worth the minimal hassle. I ought to wear it all the time but it doesn’t fit great over my biggest winter coats so I don’t wear it in the dead of winter.
I don’t find it to be a big deal. However, I would not get one of those air vests because I am too forgetful and would hop off while still attached, and my Teddy horse would KILL ME if it accidentally deployed. I can just see him whirling away and double barreling me once I turned into the enemy. No thanks. I consider that more dangerous than riding without it. My other horse would take it fine, I think, but still, risky.
Oh, and I am considerably less than 50! I don’t think you have to be an, ahem, “Master” to take precautions. I have little kids, that makes you think too.
I’m in the 50+ group, have a safety vest but find it a bit stiff and uncomfortable. I know I need to just buck up and wear it but do wish they would make them a bit more comfortable. You really only see eventers wearing them during the cross country; I rarely see hunter/jumper riders wearing them and never any dressage riders regardless of their age. That said I am nursing bruised or worse ribs as I type this, though do to a fall tripping over a tree root, guess I should think about wearing it while I’m out walking!
My daughter wears one, both for schooling and over her hunt coat in the pony divisions at the A shows. I have only ever seen one other kid at a show wear one, although I know several kids who wear one while schooling but not showing. I figure an accident is just as likely to happen in the show ring as the schooling ring, so make her wear it for both (she doesn’t mind and the rules state that it is allowed). I bought her the vest about a year ago after she fell off and her pony cantered right over the top of her, planting his foot in her ribs. Thankfully nothing was broken but the vest seemed like a good idea after that. Since then she has come off a few times and landed on jumps, wearing the vest. She hasn’t had any bruising or soreness from those incidents, so it’s definitely doing something.
I am 62 and wear a vest, although I probably won’t wear it on show day. That being said, I only do 2’6" these days.
I wear mine every ride. I actually find it quite comfortable. It is a Tippery. For me the trick in getting it comfortable was getting one that was fairly tight and not too long in front. If tight-ish, it will feel looser as you ride. The foam needs to warm up, like our half pads! And I had one that was too long in front and kept brushing the pommel when I jumped. The Tippery is nice and short in front, but long in back.
Here is picture:
I am getting a Tippery, I don’t jump but know of too many weird, bad wrecks.
I’m 58 and wear one all the time. I show in it, too. It felt odd at first but now I’m used to it and don’t even notice it.
To the person who said it has not been proven to reduce broken bones, that’s an interesting statement. I am not sure how you would do control tests, since it would be pretty impossible to get two volunteer riders to induce a horse to do the same thing and fall off, one wearing a vest, one not wearing. But that being said, if you land hard on a jump rail and break a rib, seems hard to believe that having padding between you and said jump rail wouldn’t help. Understanding of course that it’s not 100% protection, obviously won’t protect legs, wrists, etc, but should help with certain types of injuries, kind of how helmets help with heads. Anyhow thanks everyone for all the responses, will continue quietly on my quest to encourage people to at least think about it…
There is no proof that vests reduce broken bones and your assumptions are solely based on the idea that there is some form of padding. I have multiple vests, from the Mg cage EXO to a Tipperary to a CO Protektor.
I would state that before you can make any claim as to preventing broken bones, you will need to determine how the bones are broken in the first place. The rib, you use as an example may fracture due to poor bone quality, flexure rather than impact, etc. An example is that the air vests mentioned were touted as preventing injuries when the clinical data showed that the specific incidents used as examples of success actually resulted in spine fractures. The company was subsequently sanctioned and forced to desist in their claims.
Yeah despite being a hard core, EVERY ride helmet wearer - I am not “sold” on vests.
As for the “why nots” I find them exceedingly hot, uncomfortable and limit my range of motion (I have a super short neck - even custom vets interfere with the back of my helmet - shoulder range of motion).
And like Rayers - I am not sure the research is there that shows their effectiveness (unlike helmets).
But, I am not over 50 yet (mid-late 30’s!) and knock on wood I have only broken my tail bone in a fall (yep, was wearing a vest - doesn’t provide protection for that area!).
I am going to keep eating that kale (calcium) and thank my German ancestry for my “robust” bone structure!
[I am going to add - when I was younger, and a working student schooling many green horses XC - I came off my fair share, both with vests on, and without. Can’t say I ever felt much of a “benefit” from a vest. Never felt like it “padded my fall”. But I have also never damaged a rib, or my upper back - just tail bone with the vest did diddly for! - find vests restrictive, helmets not at all! (my head doesn’t flex and move)]
Well, they are hot and somewhat restrictive. Kind of like helmets. I realize all that RAyers said is true, but given my personal experiences with my vest and falling, I’ll continue to wear one every ride. It gives me confidence, offers protection beyond my own skeleton, keeps me warm in the winter and, in my imagination, provides weight loss as it is my own personal sauna in the warmer months.
Well…50 is the new 80 don’t you know. To assume that riders over 50 should not be jumping is absolutely ludicrous. Ian Millar are you hearing this…wait he is wayyyyy over 50, in fact over 60. I can only assume that comment was made in jest. Yes the vest can be hot, it can be somewhat restrictive if not fitted properly but the only time I find that is actually restricts my position is when I am sitting in a deep seat for dressage. I have German blood in me too…believe me when you hit an unmovable object at speed bones WILL break…I only wish I had just hit the dirt. And I do firmly believe had I been wearing a safety vest the injury I sustained would have been minimized…certainly the bruising for sure if not the broken bones. But each to their own…
Umm…I am a former event rider who took a crashing, nasty, high speed fall on cross country about 18 months ago. While my badly mangled and broken leg was the biggest concern (my horse stepped on me in his scramble to get up), I cracked ribs and was a mass of deep, dark, nasty bruises all up and down my left side. I fell on nothing but the Virginia dirt. I had on a standard vest (Charles Owen) and a Point 2. And I still cracked ribs and looked like I had been beaten by a pack of thugs with lead pipes. I’m not much of a believer in them now.
That being said, so what is right for you. If you feel more comfortable, you will ride less tensely and defensively, which is always good.
