Protective Vest Rules

[dumbpalomino]

It’s time for me to get a new vest and the rules are VERY confusing. I am looking at a french vest that a local tack store has and it fits me well and is BETA 2009 tested, but I’m foggy on the rules for USEF and USEA. One mentions that BETA 2009 is acceptable in SEI/ASTM’s place while one the other does not even mention BETA. This vest is a good price and covers a lot of surface area so I would like to purchase it if it fits. Anyone have any clue as to these rules? The tag on the vest says “NORME EN13158 2009 - Niveau 3 - Level 3”. Below is a link to the vest.

http://www.atelierducheval.com/gilet-de-protection-level-3-tdet.html

[dumbpalomino]

I was wrong: reading now neither says anything about BETA…

[amb]

USEA doesn’t really have its own rules, they all come from the USEF, though with lots of USEA involvement.

The USEA has proposed a rule change for 2016 requiring vests be certified, and the last version of that I saw said “which passes or surpasses, at a minimum, the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials/SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) standard F1937; BETA 2009: Level 3 is acceptable”. So, not so much on the EN13158 vest if it doesn’t have the BETA tag too.

Not including EN13158 as an option there seems a bit bogus to me, and it’s been brought up here before, but I don’t know how much traction that has with the powers that be. This is afaik still the current version:https://www.usef.org/documents/ruleChanges/2015/Proposals/247-15.pdf

PS: the USEF votes on this stuff in mid-January, so in a few weeks we should at least have a better answer on whether it’s a rule and what it says.

[vineyridge]

Not having the European safety standard as acceptable is probably just an oversight, or if not, a form of English speaking based barn blindness.

[Janet]

it is my understanding that rule change proposal 247-15 has been withdrawn. That is certainly what the BoG voted at the USEA annual meeting.

If you go to the list of proposed EV rule changes, it is no longer listed.
https://www.usef.org/_IFrames/RuleBook/RuleProposals/PRCChater.aspx?chapter=EV

However something similar may be re-introduced next year (to go into effect 2018)

[dumbpalomino]

So do y’all think that the EN 13158 level 3 vest would be legal? at least for the next few years

[OTTB2]

You have a few options here, If you want to be 100% certain that the vest will be “legal” then a get a BETA lvl 3. The ones that are very thick and bulky, The ones that are segmented like the original tipperary’s are often “looked down” upon for the chance of being stabbed by a stick if you fall on your sides because its just laces there. Thus the came out with the Eventer Pro model which has side panels and a thicker foam. Really without a set standards like helmets it leaves a lot up to the consumer and thus lots of confusion.

[redalter]

Janet- thanks for the clarification.

I bought a new Tipperary in spring of 2014.
Hope the rules don’t change too soon and make the Tips not legal.

[Janet]

[QUOTE=dumbpalomino;8469493]
So do y’all think that the EN 13158 level 3 vest would be legal? at least for the next few years[/QUOTE]
I am quite confident that it will be legal for 2016 and 2017.

If they do propose another rule change that would make it not legal, I would suggest you send an email to the members of the Eventing Technical Committee, pointing out that they have omitted one of the relevant standards.

If you did that, I bet they would amend the rule change proposal to include that standard.

[HunterJumperGin]

Piggybacking off of this thread-

I am down the road from a very nice XC schooling facility, and plan on taking my jumper there to play from time to time on schooling days. I have never, and do not plan on participating in any USEA XC competitions. What do I need vest-wise to be allowed on the XC course for SCHOOLING without being in trouble?

Can I get away with something like this?

[cuatx55]

are there any good vests, besides the Tipperary racer vest, that are certified but don’t come down so far in back?

(Dressage rider here- so I sit IN the saddle and can’t have restrictions…)

thanks

[Janet]

[QUOTE=HunterJumperGin;8536585]
Piggybacking off of this thread-

I am down the road from a very nice XC schooling facility, and plan on taking my jumper there to play from time to time on schooling days. I have never, and do not plan on participating in any USEA XC competitions. What do I need vest-wise to be allowed on the XC course for SCHOOLING without being in trouble?

Can I get away with something like this?[/QUOTE]
That is entirely up to the facility manager, but I would expect most would be OK with that vest.

[HunterJumperGin]

Lovely, thanks, Janet!

[Hey_Mickey]

[QUOTE=cuatx55;8536603]
are there any good vests, besides the Tipperary racer vest, that are certified but don’t come down so far in back?

(Dressage rider here- so I sit IN the saddle and can’t have restrictions…)

thanks[/QUOTE]

There are actually quite a few vests that have a shorter cut, you just have to know where to look.
Here’s a link that has a small selection with different brands: http://www.ridertack.com/Jockey-Vest-s/31.htm

I excersize ride and also event. I do gallop with a shorter cut vest, it’s just a little more function-able.

[enjoytheride]

I got a regular Tipperary in a YOUTH size. I fit into the adult sizes but they were too long.