So there doesn’t seem to be any true answer on this… Does riding in a protective vest offer any additional protection for someone who is choosing to ride while pregnant?
In the first trimester, baby is low in the pelvic girdle, so I don’t think the vest would offer much protection, but I also think it probably can’t hurt.
But did anyone choose to add a vest while riding pregnant?
I’m talking foam vest, definitely not an air vest.
I believe it’s the sudden stop more than a traumatic force (like a kick?) to your abdomen that will cause issues with a pregnancy. A vest won’t do anything for your fetus if you come off traveling at 15mph and then hit the ground and rebound.
I rode until about 36 weeks pregnant without any sort of extra vest.
Of course, I was riding my elderly TB that I had owned for nearly 20 years (mostly walk/ trot, canter a few strides on the long side).
I was comfortable, but everyone is different. If an extra vest makes you comfortable, wear it.
I am very skeptical that a protective vest offers any measurable safety benefits for baby.
If you have one that still fits you as you continue into your pregnancy, I’d file it under “can’t hurt, might help, but probably won’t help.”
At my first 8 week appointment, without even knowing me, the OB goes, “absolutely no fall risk sports like horseback riding, skiing, etc.” Being a typical hardheaded horse person, I rode through my first trimester but my horse got injured in the second trimester and that was that.
Congrats on your pregnancy!
I doubt a vest would protect your fetus.
My OB was actually very understanding. He thought that if it was something I was used to doing, and wasn’t taking any unwarranted risks, I could keep doing it.
I rode my steady little mare until I was 8 months pregnant. (I did stop jumping after my 1st trimester, to be safe…!) Then it got too uncomfortable to get on and especially off my horse, so I stopped riding.
Everyone is different, but I don’t think the vest would play any role in that decision.
Like others mentioned I don’t think that it would protect the fetus. BUT, that fetus is going to be dependent on you so wearing one to protect yourself is still a good idea.
Another vote for “probably won’t make a difference”. Riding a steady-eddy is probably much more influential. Falling in the first trimester will mostly be cushioned by your body - whether from a horse, down the stairs, etc. What I’m trying to say is that as long as you don’t take unnecessary risks, you and your baby should be fine.
Second trimester is where it gets much more individual. Depending on how big your belly gets, you will have more issues mounting and dismounting safely and comfortably. Falling becomes much more risky - regardless of the cause. There’s less “cushioning” both for you and baby. A safety vest won’t really help at this point because the cut is usually above the belly and if you bought it to fit before you were pregnant it probably won’t fit over your chest and belly anyway.
Personally I rode until I was 7 months pregnant on a horse I was comfortable with. He was not spooky and not going to unseat me without a very good reason. I just got to the point that getting up and down was too hard on me.
Just my 2¢. 
In the first trimester, the embryo is well protected. I had a horse trip and fall on me when I was about 6-7 weeks pregnant and the doctor was pretty relaxed about the whole thing (my son was fine).
The biggest risk when riding while pregnant is separating the placenta from the uterus, which most likely would occur from a fall. I do know someone who miscarried at 5 months after a fall.
Would a vest help in that situation? Not really.
I did ride during both my pregnancies, but in a very limited capacity. My first pregnancy, after the horse fell, I rode only my own horse, who was a real steady Eddie. I never rode outside the ring, and while I would get on and walk, my need to pee was so extreme that it wasn’t really worth it. In my third trimester, I mostly did groundwork.
During my second pregnancy, I stopped riding at 5 months because I felt uncomfortable and unbalanced. I did groundwork and had someone else keep my horse schooled. Your ligaments loosen considerably while pregnant which changes how it feels to be on a horse.
Thank you for saying what I was trying to say!
In retrospect, I’m not sure why I felt so strongly about riding while pregnant. I came through it with two healthy children, but now that I have them, I’m not sure I’d take the risk. Maybe it’s because since then I’ve had some serious accidents and 1) have a better understanding of how quickly things can go wrong and 2) have figured out that time out of the saddle isn’t the end of the world.
It’s something that everyone needs to assess for themselves.
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Maybe ask a trainer this question - would they train you knowing you were pregnant?
My personal feeling is that its not worth any risk. Add it to the list of things you give up for a short time while pregnant.
It’s a very personal decision.
For me it wasn’t even a question, as riding is paramount to my sanity. Especially knowing that once the baby is here, it’s even harder to find time to ride.
Yes, my trainers knew I was pregnant. After one dressage lesson, which was very tough, I had someone come up to me and ask if the trainer knew. She did, but had never been pregnant so had no idea what it was like. This was during my second pregnancy and I stopped riding shortly thereafter as I was feeling unbalanced.
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