Life Jacket?

You need at least 70 pounds of pressure on the cord for it to pull out and inflate the vest.

Over the weekend I got off a 17.1 hh horse and forgot to unhook and it didn't deploy, but that's because it didn't have enough pressure put on it, and I also realized halfway off so I was on my tip toes as I unhooked.

Regardless, it's definitely something I'm saving up to buy. My coach swears by it and I know it's saved her from many a serious injury, as well as other riders. As I continue moving up the levels I will make sure I never ride cross country without one.

Yeh but you look to be a bock o five , I'm 220 I can exert 70lbs of force scratching, hahah, They are pretty expensive but I am at the very dangerous part of my riding skill,
Good enough to not be afraid, bad enough that I probably should be.
I wonder how hot or uncomfortable they would be on long rides ? For that matter what about the normal vests ?

Novel idea. Could be useful, don't know if I'd wear one, mainly because of the cost and the fact that I would constantly forget about it and set it off. I'd probably just absentmindedly pull it.

I know safety first, and I'm not being vain, but it would be kind of hilarious though. I can just imagine my local pony club competitions, with all these kids falling off their horses (as they always seem to do) and then puffing up like huge coloured marshmallows!

Oh and the embarrassment. I always feel so embarrassed when I fall off - it would be ten times worse if I had just fallen on my bottom and then my life jacket puffed up in the middle of the arena, and I had to waddle after my horse, with my sore bottom and looking like a marshmallow.

Theyre fairly lightweight. We school cross country in them in hour to two hour sessions in the summer and I never really notice a difference. I also always wear the regular air vest over a normal one though they have recently come out with a hybrid vest that is a combo of traditional body protector and air vest.


Saskia- when they puff up you don't entirely look like a marshmallow lol. However they do fully inflate to protect your collarbone and the back of your neck which imho is wonderful since the traditional body protectors don't do that. Yeah it can be embarSsing but I'd much rather remain in one piece after a fall. Some horses don't even react to the sound of it going off. And there's lots of incentive to remember to unhook! The refill canisters are around $50.
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Why wouldnt this be useful? This is the samr thing I think all motorcycle riders should wear. Its like air bags in a car. The safer the better imo.

I cannot imagine any trainer "disowning" you...or making any disparaging comments towards you for that matter, for wearing a piece of safety equipment.

If I move up to 1* or higher in eventing then I'll likely purchase one of these. I wear a body protector now (shown in my avatar), not because it is fashionable, not because I expect it to protect me in any type of accident, but because I figure it is better than nothing.