Body Protector or Air Jacket for Hacking?

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Bedford Joy

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What do you hack out in ?

Air Jacket?
Body Protector
Neither?

I have a Hit Air but wondered if it would give me sufficient protection for hacking or would a back protector be better?
 
BP - I hack in woodland mostly - easier to throw on and go.

IMHO for general hacking a BP is better. The air jacket is designed more for eventing I believe.
 
Depends on the horse/situation I think. You could wear both? (as is required for xc if you want to wear an air jacket- I guess in case they do not inflate for some reason/ they get forgotten to be clipped in as I am good at doing :p)

Normally neither for hacking or jumping but both for xc. Except for the first 4 or 5 hacks on just backed youngsters which is also both (or until I think they have mastered the stop, go and steer commands reasonably happily/ calmly enough!) but I really should listen to family more and keep wearing them for longer as as soon as I am on I don't notice them and they are no hindrance..

I guess I'm saying if you have both you may as well use both as it doesn't cost anything, but just do whatever you think you will feel most confident in and likely to enjoy your hacks :D
 
Can I hijack this thread?

I'm looking to get a BP (partly as my horse, although a heart of gold can be cheeky and think it would help improve my confidence a little) what brands do people wear & would you reccomend? I know a lot of it comes down to body shape, fitting & personal comfort, but it's good to have some opinions before I go for a trying on session! x
 
I wear a race safe and a hit air every time I park my butt on my
Horse , be is schooling, hacking, jumping, at the gallops, XC

Better safe than sorry and my worse accidents have occurred just walking along minding my own business

You decide what risks you are prepared to take and if you wish to reduce them

You can be just as easy hurt schooling in the school as jumping a XC fence
 
I wear my body protector for daily use / hacking, and keep my hit air for pony parties - however if we ever get any hot days this summer (as unlikely as it is), I will probably swap my BP for my air jacket purely because it's lighter & more pleasant on very humid days! x
 
You want the body protector which provides the highest level of protection which is 3 (Purple label)and meets EN13158:2009 and the BETA 2009 Standard Level 3. (The body protectors for Jockeys provide the lowest level of protection).
 
NativePonyLover be sure to have your BP properly fitted. A badly fitting one will be more of a hindrance than a help. As for brands - same as hats most fit differently - see PeterNatts post above for what level to look for :-D.
 
It isn't a great idea to wear an air hacket without a BP beneath. They are fitted to allow for the protection a BP gives your ribs and can really restrict breathing without one. (Unless you have one of the combined PRS2 types) It's become a sudden fashion in junior BS to wear an air hacket without a BP and the ones that fall are far more winded on impact than those who have a BP beneath as well - and to be honest also far worse than they would have been without one at all. In an SJ ring you can often get away with lying on the ground gasping like a stranded fish. But hacking, hunting and XC you may need to roll out of the way or otherwise move in the critical few seconds after impact - and you can't do that if you can't breathe!
 
Shay I am no expert but think you may be mistaken. The point two's have to have a certain amount (I can't remember but think it is 4 inches) of clearance because they inflate inwards if you didn't have the clearance then yes crushing your ribs could be a problem. My understanding is the only reason you have to wear a BP under one for certain competitions is because they don't currently have a kitemark rather than because of their ability to protect. I wear my point two everytime I ride after a near fatal accident 3 years ago. I have had a fall in it and it didn't crush my ribs at all.
 
Sorry I just read your post again it also didn't wind me or prevent me being able to roll out of the way of anything. Perhaps the people you have seen haven't had it fitted properly?
 
I wear a Point 2 out hacking. It certainly saved my collar bone when I was thrown into a tree. I did break my shoulder but only because I hit the point of my shoulder on the tree!! Even a bp wouldn't have protected that. I certainly wasn't winded or bruise anywhere else. It was brilliant. Also, it is much more comfortable and cooler to wear in the summer.
 
I wear my Hit-air all the time, be it hacking, competing or clinics. I hate a BP as I find them hot and restrictive, the Hit-air is light and comfortable, so far I haven't fallen off but they do give you confidence when naughty young horse is pratting about :eek:

Obviously for XC you have to wear both, but in my case that is not often! My mother-in-law, a lovely lady who passed away recently, funded it for me so I wear it all the time, in her memory.
 
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