Badminton Horse Trials - lack of air jackets ?!?

Wearing an air jacket doesn't stop you curling and rolling. I did quite an impressive somersault before hitting the ground and rolling in my point two when I fell off at the coffin at Badminton last week. I hit the jumpwith my leg and flipped up in the air before landing halfway down the hill yet got straight to my feet and the only sore bit the next day was my leg where it hit the jump. Never felt winded at all from it inflating and my horse ******* off every time I fall off anyway so no change there. I really believe mine has cushioned the impact when I've fallen and instead of my back aching for days I've bounced to my feet and been fine.
 
FreshandMinty said:
which would indicate that with a person already falling from them that a slight pop like a fizzy drinks can being opened is unlikely to cause any further reaction... a horse who has a bit of a panic about an airjacket is already likely to be doing so imho.
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I don't get your logic. Firstly the air jacket is louder than a drinks can (which would spook some horses if opened beside them anyway) and secondly a horse doesn't have to be frightened by movement to be frightened of an unexpected noise. After all many will react to a bird flapping in a tree even if they can't see it.

star said:
Wearing an air jacket doesn't stop you curling and rolling. I did quite an impressive somersault before hitting the ground and rolling in my point two when I fell off at the coffin at Badminton last week. I hit the jumpwith my leg and flipped up in the air before landing halfway down the hill yet got straight to my feet and the only sore bit the next day was my leg where it hit the jump. Never felt winded at all from it inflating and my horse ******* off every time I fall off anyway so no change there. I really believe mine has cushioned the impact when I've fallen and instead of my back aching for days I've bounced to my feet and been fine.
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It may not stop you from curling but it will reduce the speed at which you roll and the distance that you can go. You may be able to get straight up but also considerably slower than without it just as one moves less quickly and athletically with a thick coat on. I have never seen someone land, roll and get up in one movement with an air jacket on like they can without.
 
I hate body protectors as it is, as I find they really unbalance me (although the Racesafe one is amazing compared to the old stiff kind!) I'm fairly sure you have to wear a normal BP under your air jacket anyway (in case it malfunctions)- all those layers sound incredibly restricting!
 
Yes BP has always and will always be compulsory.

You do get used to the BP and to be honest it all happens so fast XC that you barely notice it!

The thing I find really annoying is the medical armband. It slips down my arm and I don't like it on my boot so I have it strapped to be BP. However it gets in the way when I turn my head to the left lol.

Hate the damned thing!!
 
Darremi said:
Yes BP has always and will always be compulsory.

You do get used to the BP and to be honest it all happens so fast XC that you barely notice it!

The thing I find really annoying is the medical armband. It slips down my arm and I don't like it on my boot so I have it strapped to be BP. However it gets in the way when I turn my head to the left lol.

Hate the damned thing!!
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I have my medical armband looped around the shoulder pads on my BP as it annoyed the hell out of me slipping down my arm.

I Dont even notice the bp and air jacket XC. In fact it feels weird to not wear them.
 
star said:
I have my medical armband looped around the shoulder pads on my BP as it annoyed the hell out of me slipping down my arm.

I Dont even notice the bp and air jacket XC. In fact it feels weird to not wear them.
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I would totally do that but I don't have shoulder pads :(
 
oldvic said:
They prefer to be able to get themselves out of the way either by getting up or rolling without the hinderance of cumbersome equipment. If an airbag had gone off beside Nereo he would have taken off with a high risk of injury - a frightened horse can easily run into something. Remember Mandiba pulling back away from the noise and falling off the bank, breaking some ribs?
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I thought most were wearing the vests. I agee with the above personally, I'd like to be able to move out of the way if I possibly can if there's a horse about to come down on me or stand on me. And quite often you might get thrown about XC, I'd hate the risk of it going off with me still in the saddle (which I have witnessed in a BE class I was competing in). I like the theory behind them but in practice, I'm just not 100% sold on them. I can't afford one anyway even if I did want one!

With regard to the medical cards, why on earth did they stop us being allowed to put these round our boot? I never noticed it there, whereas its irritating as hell round my arm!
 
I also thought most of the fallers had them on. I have a hit air. Having been unsure of its ability to inflate, the possibility of the "bang" causing a problem for my horse, of being winded etc., I recently fell off at a jumping competition and now really love my hit air! The noise was no more than a can opening, my young horse did whizz off but as it was my first fall off him, that frightened him probably more.
Most importantly, as an older rider I had no injuries nor was I winded. I think all levels of riders will slowly get converted :D :D
 
marmalade76 said:
Karen O'Conner at Badminton? From what I saw it was her having a temper tantrum AFTER the fall that made the horse pull back and fall off the bank.
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Thats how I remember it too…

eta - watching it again, I dont think it was a tantrum or the jacket, I think he started going backwards when the rein slipped over his ear, although i stand corrected https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaa6Z4g1P4U
 
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star said:
Wearing an air jacket doesn't stop you curling and rolling. I did quite an impressive somersault before hitting the ground and rolling in my point two when I fell off at the coffin at Badminton last week. I hit the jumpwith my leg and flipped up in the air before landing halfway down the hill yet got straight to my feet and the only sore bit the next day was my leg where it hit the jump. Never felt winded at all from it inflating and my horse ******* off every time I fall off anyway so no change there. I really believe mine has cushioned the impact when I've fallen and instead of my back aching for days I've bounced to my feet and been fine.
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I was wondering about this, Star. Did you have a BP on as well, so you could continue on your way?
 
LittleOwl said:
Thats how I remember it too…

eta - watching it again, I dont think it was a tantrum or the jacket, I think he started going backwards when the rein slipped over his ear, although i stand corrected https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaa6Z4g1P4U
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Karen said it was the noise that made him go backwards. There was no temper tantrum - apart from anything else, there wasn't time!
 
Just been at Chatsworth today and it looked like a large percentage of them did have them. They seemed to have longer "leads" on them than I've noticed before, so perhaps don't go off if people land on their feet?
 
Orangehorse said:
I was wondering about this, Star. Did you have a BP on as well, so you could continue on your way?
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One cannot go XC without a BP to BETA standards. The construction of any air jackets other than the combined such as the RaceSafe/PointTwo will not conform to BETA standards - as there are no standards set to test them!

So anyone wearing an airbag that is not combined with a conventional BP HAS to wear a conventional BP in addition.
 
jemima*askin said:
One cannot go XC without a BP to BETA standards. The construction of any air jackets other than the combined such as the RaceSafe/PointTwo will not conform to BETA standards - as there are no standards set to test them!

So anyone wearing an airbag that is not combined with a conventional BP HAS to wear a conventional BP in addition.
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They will never become the only BP you have to wear as they will not work in every eventuality especially when you need it most ie when the horse lands on you having not parted company.
 
star said:
Wearing an air jacket doesn't stop you curling and rolling. I did quite an impressive somersault before hitting the ground and rolling in my point two when I fell off at the coffin at Badminton last week. I hit the jumpwith my leg and flipped up in the air before landing halfway down the hill yet got straight to my feet and the only sore bit the next day was my leg where it hit the jump. Never felt winded at all from it inflating and my horse ******* off every time I fall off anyway so no change there. I really believe mine has cushioned the impact when I've fallen and instead of my back aching for days I've bounced to my feet and been fine.
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It may not prevent you from rolling but it does limit you - I stand by the fact that there must be a valid reason they are explicitly not allowed when racing under rules and I am fairly certain you are not allowed them when PTPing.

I won a point 2 in a competition about three years ago and what worried me more than anything is that when I hopped off to tighten my nose band XC schooling last summer, the lanyard allowed the jacket to detach and it didn't inflate...
 
As a fence judge of several years, I remember when air jackets first came in. The majority of fallers lay like gasping turtles as their horse trundled off in the direction of grass/friends/the nearest fencejudge's car. (FWIW horses seem to clear off whether there is an air jacket involved or not).

These days people have got the fit sussed so they no longer fell so crushed by the sudden inflation and most can continue to function well enough to spring to their feet and swear profusely. Before running after their mount.

I do think they affect your ability to roll and fold but then that's the idea...do them up loser and they give you bounce-ability but wouldnt support you in the event of broken back, for example.

It is a matter of personal choice and I agree that the day they start appearing in dressage arenas we really do have a problem..

For anyone interested, heres my other half having a private rotational of his own in his airjacket (the horse, as you see, did not rotate.... he went off for grass. He is the most easily spooked horse we have ever owned and this is the first inflation he has experienced....make you own mind up whether he was unduly bothered. ) (oh and if you recognise the horse....full marks !!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EnZ6wSl3-Q
 
Well would you look at that - that damned dangerous airbag caused the bridle to come off!

As mrussell says when one's fence judged for years, since well before airjackets came in, there have always been horses that will ****** off after a rider falls. Sometimes the rider manages to keep a hold of the horse and you can tell from what happens next whether horse will be faster to make it's move next time. I've had to stop riders beating their horses after coming off them :(

But it IS a personal choice, no-one is forcing any rider to buy and wear one. You makes your choice and chooses whether to pay the money, as it were.
 
mrussell said:
As a fence judge of several years, I remember when air jackets first came in. The majority of fallers lay like gasping turtles as their horse trundled off in the direction of grass/friends/the nearest fencejudge's car. (FWIW horses seem to clear off whether there is an air jacket involved or not).

These days people have got the fit sussed so they no longer fell so crushed by the sudden inflation and most can continue to function well enough to spring to their feet and swear profusely. Before running after their mount.

I do think they affect your ability to roll and fold but then that's the idea...do them up loser and they give you bounce-ability but wouldnt support you in the event of broken back, for example.

It is a matter of personal choice and I agree that the day they start appearing in dressage arenas we really do have a problem..

For anyone interested, heres my other half having a private rotational of his own in his airjacket (the horse, as you see, did not rotate.... he went off for grass. He is the most easily spooked horse we have ever owned and this is the first inflation he has experienced....make you own mind up whether he was unduly bothered. ) (oh and if you recognise the horse....full marks !!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EnZ6wSl3-Q
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Don't recognise the horse, but think it is at Keysoe !
 
mrussell said:
I do think they affect your ability to roll and fold but then that's the idea...do them up loser and they give you bounce-ability but wouldnt support you in the event of broken back, for example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EnZ6wSl3-Q
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If they were causing the rider not be able to breathe properly then they were too tight in the first instance. Fitted correctly they should be looser and it shouldn’t compromise the protection they offer, that is how the point 2 for example is designed to be fitted. The hitair can be fitted more snugly.

mrussell said:
It is a matter of personal choice and I agree that the day they start appearing in dressage arenas we really do have a problem..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EnZ6wSl3-Q
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what kind of problem??

did you see the article about airjackets in last weeks HHO and how they are becoming more common place among every day leisure riders?
 
Youve taken my comments out of context , F&M.. my points are that people used to do them us way too tight. Nowadays they do them up much looser. They should however still be tight enough when inflated to prevent you from doing further damage to any displaced or damaged bones and ligaments. If they dont hug you tightly then all they are is a glorified crash mat. Thats my point.

There is fine line between needing them to ride at speed or over fences...and needing them to have a nice ride out or perform a dressage test. In my opinion (and thats all it is) they are there to save lives, not to save bruises or boost your confidence. Accidents will always happen but if you need to wear an airjacket to do a dressage test then you need to rethink your confidence, balance and maybe whether youre on the right horse. I see too many people overhorsing themselves and rather than spend £400 on an air jacket, they should invest in getting some proper help or support. But thats just my opinion, ofcourse.
 
Alright, you Exo-supporters, I promise, when I get to Badminton, I'll wear my Exo cage. How's that?

Quizzie, so sorry about your fall at BM and v glad you are ok. You poor thing, how frightening.

In terms of their popularity, is it that they were a little bit of a craze and now people are no longer so keen on them? As and when the Exo becomes extinct, I will likely get one, though I do wonder what sort of impact this will have on my wanting to continue after a fall.

As I understand it, you have to remove inflated jacket, deposit with unsuspecting fence judge, and carry on in normal BP. Now, if you are saying "I believe an airjacket significantly reduces my chances of injury in a fall", then why would you hop back on and continue off without it?

If a bit of kit is important to safety, it's not sensible to leave it behind half way round a course. And if you don't believe that it is important, then do you need it in the first place? Any thoughts?
 
Hot to Trot - I totally agree! Having seen several riders hit the deck then remove their blow up bags, remount and carry on only to fall a couple of fences later, and STILL be uninjured ;) Mind you, I have also seen someone fall off in a BE 100 SJ, inflate, and get back on while still inflated :o

Seeing as a bag on its own has nothing to stop the front touching the back, other than your ribcage, I was surprised (ok, NOT surprised ;) ) when an acquaintance rang P2 and asked if a BP was needed underneath, to be told' 'No' ..........
 
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