Goodhors, I totally understand what you mean so please don’t anyone misinterpret or put assumptions on what I’m about to say.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter if the BP is approved or not.
THE rules relating to body protectors vary according to discipline. There often isn’t even a standard for a specific discipline and because their use is optional.
In driving trials, which we know is the high-risk fast-paced, adventure-junkie driving sport, the British Horse Driving Trials Association (BHDTA) recommends that body protectors are worn for all age groups, but does not make it compulsory. Hence there isn’t actually an approved protector for the sport.
Let me go on to further explain. I’ve raced or evented all my young life and I’ve had body protectors ever since they first came out. I personally wore them before they were even compulsory in the sports I was doing.
Yes they’ve improved over time and I’m absolutely confident that they’ll continue to improve.
But a lot of the ones I’ve collected over the years weren’t approved in the early days - there wasn’t even a system for approval. Then latter ones were approved but the approval system changed, so they’re not now.
The one I’m most likely to wear out on a hot day isn’t approved. Not because it doesn’t offer protection. Just because it doesn’t offer the protection you’d need for eventing or national hunt racing nowadays.
Appreciate that manufacturers put them through the rigorous and extremely expensive approval process when they know they have to because that’s what’s needed. For some equine activities it’s compulsory to wear them and it’s compulsory to wear one ONLY if it’s got the right PAS, ESN or ISN number on it.
Appreciate that there isn’t even an “approved” body protector for pleasure driving. You may well wear something approved for ridden eventing but that’s assessed for the risk probabilities of that particular activity.
Also understand that an approved Level 1 which provides the lowest level of protection is the one that is considered appropriate for licensed jockeys while racing. Yet it’s not approved for ridden eventing.
The one I’m most likely to wear driving is an old BS safety kite mark. It would probably be equivalent protection to a modern racing vest. At the time I bought it then it was the best available and then it was approved but that was 30 or more years ago. To all intents and purposes it doesn’t look much different from the one I have now that is the level 3 eventing body protector and which is ESN 13158:2000. Except it allows greater flexibility because the blocks in it are slightly smaller and it’s lighter in weight. It’s also doesn’t sit so slow over the coccyx.
It gives protection though. Like I said the risk is getting thrown off at speed and/or run over by your carriage or crushed against a hazard and for sure it gives protection.
Really this is no different to the situation with hats. Appreciate that the ESN for riding hats over here is VERY stringent for riding schools. We have to use hats of the same International Safety Standard required for fei Ridden Eventing. Compare those to the hats used by endurance riders. Not acceptable. Not permissable. They just don’t meet the same standard yet of course they’re good enough for endurance riding.
It’s often the same way with back protectors. Appreciate that over the years things change. Consider show jumping. They don’t even have to wear back protectors in that sport. Likewise endurance riders can make their own decisions. Polo is a high contact equestrian sport with a lot of falls. Body protectors aren’t generally worn in that either.
When someone first starts wearing a back protector it’s normal to feel hindered and extremely uncomfortable. Even the very best, the most expensive, a custom feels like impedes flexibility and balance. It’s why so many folks spend a decade and a shed load of money going through a load of them before they find one they truly find one they get on with.
It’s what I was trying to say in my previous post.
I’ve a lot of customers who ultimately will have no choice but to wear the high standard ridden eventing body protector but they’re almost always introduced to them with one that’s lighter weight, more comfortable, sits higher, fastens differently and long before they need it for British Eventing or fei rules.
Wearing something is better than wearing nothing if you are unfortunate enough to meet the circumstances when you need protection.
Wearing something comfortable means you wear it rather than leaving it on the coat hanger at home.
Theoretically manufacturers advice is to change them every 3 to 4 years because the foam blocks can deteriorate. Also if you have a fall the blocks get crushed and lose their protective qualities. Truthfully though I don’t know a single person who does that for no other reason but “time” and I know a lot of eventers. Body protectors do take time to mould to your body and get comfortable and there’s nothing worse than trying to do something that’s difficult anyway where you need to call on your ability and wit to keep you where you should be but find your body protector digs in to you or restricts your flexibility. If you keep them inside where it’s warm then they’re more comfortable when you first put them on. I personally though can’t get on with anything that isn’t small block construction. I’ve wasted a lot of money trying different ones too!
Including Aerowear. Don’t like it and find it extremely uncomfortable for me. Yet two of my staff have their Carriage Driving Body protector which is zip fronted and cut higher on the back. That’s standard EN13158:2009 Again VERY like the Racesafe one I have of the same standard, except mine has the small blocks which allow greater flexibility.
