Terrible Accident - Air Jacket Anyone?

Poor girl, what a horrible thing to happen. Sending my very best wishes for a full recovery.

I would never jump now without BP and P2. Had quite spectacular fall team chasing last year - Lockie lost his footing slightly between hedge and big drop fence, and rather than stopping as he slithered to the drop completely unbalanced, decided to take off anyway ... from a standstill. I fell from quite a height, pinged out of the saddle and over the substantial drop, and can honestly say was not even sore the next day.

Having said that, I also fractured T12 from an awkward landing. Didn't actually fall but landing sent shockwave up my spine and caused a fracture. I didn't have P2 then but not sure would have made any difference anyway in that scenario. Sadly, as much as we can try to protect ourselves as much as humanly possible, we are vulnerable around horses
 
sasquatch said:
are the air jackets restrictive at all to a rider? what are they like to ride in?
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The standard P2 and Helite are essentially the same jacket and it is like riding in a long loose lightweight waistcoat with a hard lump (the co2 and trigger) near your hip that you hardly notice. The lanyard is long enough not to be noticed at all. The tail of the jacket can catch on the cantle of the saddle and be annoying now and then. The hit air has a tucked up tail and doesn't do that, but it also fits tighter and for that reason is not so flexible about how many clothes you can wear under it without changing the fit. I suspect because it's tighter it's also hotter to ride in on a warm day, but I don't know.






Wishing everyone who is injured well.
 
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So sorry for what happened. I hope she makes a good recovery. I also hope she finds that in time she can ride again, doctor's permitting.

I have taught two people after broken backs, and it has been slow and steady, but in time they have got back to hacking, jumping and having a whole load of fun.

I would also get a second opinion if she wants to ride, I have been told twice that I could not ride again (neck and knee) and I think it is because the doctors were not "horsey" and did not realise the impact that not riding would have on me. It was just easier for them to say don't ride than to look into it further. So, I would leave it until normal everyday life is comfortable and then ask for a medical opinion again.

I have a Point Two jacket, and have only set it off once accidently when dismounting. I had though it would be of no use in helping the back to cope with a compression injury, but in point of fact it shot my head up, shoved my hips down and had me so winded that it was alarming. The upshot of this was that it did support my back, as with so much compression pressure on the side of the spine it would have had some protection from vertical compression too. Sadly is was also so uncomfortable that I do not often wear it!

Best wishes to Sarah.
 
sasquatch said:
I have never worn them, but after reading this thread am considering buying one.

are the air jackets restrictive at all to a rider? what are they like to ride in?
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I've just had to replace my BP (middle age spread going on!) and have gone for a Racesafe which I tried on whilst chatting to the retail staff about different brands of air jacket - it was so comfy I almost forgot I was wearing it. Have to say that I also feel that they also make you "splat" in a fall, in fact I had a fairly innocuous fall years ago (wearing a BP) where I fractured my coccyx and always felt that I would've come off better without. Trouble was it was during XC training so had to be worn. Since then I only really wear a BP when XC or jump cross which, due to currently being without transport, isn't that often.

I had an RTC in the course of my work in February, probable fractured coccyx again and some lumbar damage. I've been researching air jackets and have now taken the plunge with a Hit-Air for general use during hacking, schooling and jumping knock-down fences. I chose it for their much greater product experience due to years of development for motorcyclists, better (imo) neck and coccyx protection plus some lateral rib protection, and I reckon much easier to self-adjust the fit effectively since you don't have to leave space for it to implode. I've had it just a fortnight and, once "plugged in", forget I'm wearing it. It's not in the least bit restrictive, isn't long enough to catch on saddle or be sat upon, doesn't overheat me if I'm just in a t-shirt (although you need a collar since the seam is a little scratchy) and is easy to adjust over a blouson jacket if it's chilly. Highly recommend it!

Ed to add best wishes for a full and prompt recovery for the lass mentioned in the OP.
 
I wear my hit air always for hacking and dressage and BP and hit air for anything jumping or "new" for us. I would never get on my horse without my air jacket, it saved me from some nasty falls. It'll never notice that I'm wearing it and feel much more confident riding when wearing it. I went for the hit air over P2 as I liked the fact it gave additional lower spine and neck protection which the P2 doesn't give and I prefer the way it inflates outwards. My local saddlery kindly inflated both of them while wearing so I could feel and the hit air was much more comfier all round. If you can afford to buy one, please do, aside from my hat and BP it has been the best horsey purchase I've ever made, you can't put a price on your health an safety and when riding unpredictable animals I for one would like to know I'm protected as much as I can.
 
Very tragic accident and one each of us is open to every time we put our foot in a stirrup. My question is (I had to look up air vest as I had never heard them and in fact are quite popular with motorcycle riders), what happens if you are wearing one of these vests and your horse starts bucking for whatever reason? Are you taking a big chance the vest will inflate and if it does, are you now is a worse scenario than if you didn't have the vest on?


RollOnSpring said:
A girl at my yard fell off two months ago jumping her horse on a farm ride we were all on together. No one's fault - just pinged out the side door as a result of a slightly early take off over a 2ft jump. She has a broken back and pelvis. We are still all in shock. She has had 4 operations so far and will recover but it will be a long process, she will never ride again but will hopefully be able to walk within 12 months.
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Daytona said:
You can seriously hurt yourself in the most easiest of falls

she lost balance and landed on bum in sand school.. She broke her back
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I don't think any air jacket would have made a difference in this situation.

I was jumped off a couple of years ago and landed on my feet - no injuries and a good laugh had by all. But saw a similar thing happen to someone else who ended up with a corkscrew fracture in her knee, was in hospital for about 3 months and it was over a year before she rode again.
 
Plaine1956 said:
Very tragic accident and one each of us is open to every time we put our foot in a stirrup. My question is (I had to look up air vest as I had never heard them and in fact are quite popular with motorcycle riders), what happens if you are wearing one of these vests and your horse starts bucking for whatever reason? Are you taking a big chance the vest will inflate and if it does, are you now is a worse scenario than if you didn't have the vest on?


As far as I'm aware they don't go off in that situation. My lad has put in a good rounded back, head between knees bronc and my hit air didn't go off. I also think it helped me stay on as I didn't want to pay for a new canister!
Watching the cross country riders as well, there is often a big gap whilst they are still 'on' and they don't go off.

OP I went for the Hit Air as it's adjustable and inflates out wards so if I chose to wear it hacking out without a BP I can (spare canister taken with me) and I can make it bigger for when I use a BP. It also fits my 18yo daughter with a BP (it's too big without). I had us both fitted at Olympia or HOYs (can't remember which).
I also like the neck design, if you look at their info it talks about neck injuries and why their design works well. Though I'm sure the other makes have lots of info about why theirs is best :)
Great investment, we spend so much on our horses equipment, less on us!
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Poor girl, wishing her the swiftest recovery possible. I think the most important thing about BPs and Air Jackets is that they will not protect you from all injuries, but they will very very very rarely make things worse: therefore why not wear one? I usually ride in a solid BP, and yes it is a faff when first putting it on, but once I'm riding, I'm concentrating too blooming hard on the horse to worry about the BP.
 
fairyclare said:
I write this from my sick bed......

On 10th June I was having jump lesson on my baby horse, in the menage over show jumps in warm weather - I always wear my point two to jump in, hey, I didn't shell out £400 to wear it once a month when I go to a show! Except, this particular day it was rather warm and I decided it wasn't necessary..... you can probably see where this is going!!

Coming to the end of the lesson we were doing an exercise over an upright across the school at X, my baby has a tendency to land on the right lead, for reasons unknown I decided last minute we would be turning left, well, I turned left and she carried on the way we were supposed to be going - right!!

I came out the side door, superman style and landed on the menage kick boards which are 1'6" high scaffold plank type boards.
I instantly knew I had done some serious damage to myself, I had landed across the boards, legs in the menage, body on the planks and upper body and arms outside the menage. Cue ambulance, morphine, gas and air and blue lights to hospital.

The outcome, a shattered left wrist and a grade 3 kidney trauma 6 days in hospital, mainly on HDU.
The wrist has been pinned and plated and is, although weak and limited movement, as good as new - the kidneys, well they aren't so good right now. I am 3 weeks into a minimum of 6 weeks complete bed rest, been told by the urology doctor that I will not be riding for 6 months and that there is still a real possibility that my left kidney will rupture (although as the weeks go on the chance of this happening is reducing)

Do I wish I had worn my point two - HELL YES I DO! The wrist would have broken regardless, I would have been bruised and battered but I may well have reduced the damage to my kidneys significantly had i been wearing it.
As a result of this I will now - when I eventually get out of bed and back to something resembling normal - wear my point two EVERY time I get on a horse, be it my 2 or anyone else's horse I sit on.

I am annoyed at myself for thinking it was ok not to wear it, I am annoyed that I bought a new race safe the week before too.
Nothing I can do about it though, it happened and now I have to deal with it, rest up and get better.
My mum was videoing the lesson, she got the fall on camera but I can't watch it, or the lesson prior to the fall, I guess when I am ready physiologically I will watch some of it.

I have a pic of the X ray of my wrist, I am too technologically inept to post it but if anyone wants to see it please feel free to PM me and I will send it to you, it is out there on Facebook too!
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Hope you continue to make a good recovery and the OP's friend too, puts the little injury I had a couple of years ago into perspective.

And OP, if you're friend really does want to ride after her recovery then I'm sure she will find a way.
 
Can the people with a hit air explain how their neck and back is more protected than in a p2?

When my p2 goes off it meets the bottom of my hat at the back and is under my chin at the front. And it's way down my coccyx (?) at the back. I don't understand how the hit air can do any more???
 
I have a point2 you do forget it's on .
However I must say I do worry about it going off with a broncing horse .
 
Best wishes to your friend, I hope her recovery is as pain free and quick as possible.

I fell off 10 days ago, in a flat lesson, onto a soft arena surface. Unfortunately I just fell hard and at an awkward angle. I ended up with severe concussion, a sprained shoulder and pelvis, a very bruised back and a chipped hip. Although I'm lucky to have not suffered worse injuries, I'm almost certain if I had been wearing my HitAir I would have only suffered the concussion. I've had two falls previously in my HitAir and have walked away fine both times. So yes I do think they make a difference, and once I'm allowed to ride again I will consider wearing it at all times, after all I fell off in an arena during a flat lesson, which I'd have considered a low risk activity.
 
To think some people don't even wear helmets! Serious injuries hurt. And not just you either- your loved ones as well.
 
The fact that some injuries will not be prevented or negated by an air jacket is no reason not to wear one .
However all these safety things will not be as good for preventing injury as riding well and training yourself to take good choices .
It's important never to loose sight of this .
 
Goldenstar said:
The fact that some injuries will not be prevented or negated by an air jacket is no reason not to wear one .
However all these safety things will not be as good for preventing injury as riding well and training yourself to take good choices .
It's important never to loose sight of this .
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wish someone could pin this post at the top of all the threads that go on and go and round and round in circles on this topic.

OP - speedy recovery to your poor friend.
 
OP I hope Sarah gets well soon, what a scary accident for her and for you to witness, and get well soon to the poorly girl who wrote from her sickbed (apologies for not remembering your name and my pc is too slow to scroll back). Im backing my baby autumn/spring and this has convinced me to save up for a P2. After reading these stories I wouldn't feel safe without one now so thank you all.
 
cptrayes said:
The standard P2 and Helite are essentially the same jacket and it is like riding in a long loose lightweight waistcoat with a hard lump (the co2 and trigger) near your hip that you hardly notice. The lanyard is long enough not to be noticed at all. The tail of the jacket can catch on the cantle of the saddle and be annoying now and then. The hit air has a tucked up tail and doesn't do that, but it also fits tighter and for that reason is not so flexible about how many clothes you can wear under it without changing the fit. I suspect because it's tighter it's also hotter to ride in on a warm day, but I don't know.






Wishing everyone who is injured well.
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No HitAir is not hot at all as not a complete vest like the 2point

It's got big holes in it, if that makes sense, it's just the airbags , no material between

Also very adjustable

I can wear mine tight over a show jacket or shirt at dressage in summer , to over a body protector and winter jacket hacking in dec

I also wear it over my leathers on my motorbike

It has a adjustable Strap on the sides, you can wear as loose or tight as you wish

I don't ever notice I've got it on if I'm honest.

Great bit of kit. I think airjackets should be worn by all horse riders and bikers, like helmets. It's just a extra bit of kit that could save you one day.
 
Another big difo between HitAir and 2point/helite

Is the Hit-Air vest is the only air vest on the market which has rib cage air bags, helping to protect both ribs and vital organs

Hope these photos show what I mean




 
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cptrayes said:
I don't see anything at the neck of lower back that is any different from a p2/helite?
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I'm not sure about that.?? My links are to show that HitAir has rib/organ protection the p2/helite don't.

I know the HitAir has a gap at base of neck to help with neck injuries, you can't see on p2/helite if they do or not as air bags hidden inside vest,

Edited to say

Actually on closer inspection of photos it's clear to see HitAir has much more neck support, it's goes right the way round and is high up too. I would assume this would come from the motorcycle part, to have such good neck support , which is a patented design so I guess others could not use it

Also look how low the hit air comes due to flap out cox part, compaired to where 2p stops.

To my untrained eye the HitAir appears to give a decent but more protection.

Zoom in on the photos I posted and you will see what I mean.

So I'd always buy the HitAir over the other but that being said, the others will still do a decent enough job at protection compared with not wearing one. But if forking out money you might as well get the best protection for your money.
 
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Daytona said:
Another big difo between HitAir and 2point/helite

Is only the HitAir offers rib cage protection as well

Hope these photos show what I mean



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You can also see the difference in neck and coccyx protection too in those pics. I also wear mine over just a t shirt in summer (today!) and when it's freezing cold over my thick ski jacket. There's adjustable straps and covers less of the body when deflated than the helite/P2 therefore would actually be less hot than P2.

As for being able to wear whatever you like without altering the fit on the P2 would be dangerous surely? Either it's then too baggy so wouldn't provide you the support you needed when inflated, or it's too tight and you'd risk doing yourself harm from th pressure. I had an adult medium on it's baggiest setting (I'm a clothes size 8-10 on top) and was still winded quite severely from the P2 when I tested it. I wouldn't like to put anything thicker than a thin t shirt under it...
 
I don't see it, I'm sorry. My p2 comes both as high round the neck and as low on the back as the photos you've shown. I don't think it has the side bits, but the front and back come out to a point where it would be difficult to hit your kidneys or spleen or ribs anyway. I certainly wouldn't replace my p2 to get a hit air, but I wouldn't rule it out when I need a replacement.

Regarding adjustment, I have fallen off in it with one thin jumper on and with two jumpers and a thick wool hunt coat on without any adjustment and its been great every time. Obviously it's important that you have the right size, and people reporting that they hurt when they blow up must, surely, have the wrong size?

I don't agree that the p2 will be hotter. The hit air will hold your clothes tight to you even if it has gaps itself. I like the way the p2 allows my clothes to flap in the breeze :) without trying both in warm weather I guess it's not possible to know which is the cooler.
 
cptrayes said:
I don't see it, I'm sorry. My p2 comes both as high round the neck and as low on the back as the photos you've shown. I don't think it has the side bits, but the front and back come out to a point where it would be difficult to hit your kidneys or spleen or ribs anyway. I certainly wouldn't replace my p2 to get a hit air, but I wouldn't rule it out when I need a replacement.

Regarding adjustment, I have fallen off in it with one thin jumper on and with two jumpers and a thick wool hunt coat on without any adjustment and its been great every time. Obviously it's important that you have the right size, and people reporting that they hurt when they blow up must, surely, have the wrong size?

I don't agree that the p2 will be hotter. The hit air will hold your clothes tight to you even if it has gaps itself. I like the way the p2 allows my clothes to flap in the breeze :) without trying both in warm weather I guess it's not possible to know which is the cooler.
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Oh gosh no I'd not shell out for a 2nd vest if I'd already bought a 2P, I just mean for those buying that have neither, look at the HitAir first to get the extra little bit of protection.
 
cptrayes said:
The standard P2 and Helite are essentially the same jacket and it is like riding in a long loose lightweight waistcoat with a hard lump (the co2 and trigger) near your hip that you hardly notice. The lanyard is long enough not to be noticed at all. The tail of the jacket can catch on the cantle of the saddle and be annoying now and then. The hit air has a tucked up tail and doesn't do that, but it also fits tighter and for that reason is not so flexible about how many clothes you can wear under it without changing the fit. I suspect because it's tighter it's also hotter to ride in on a warm day, but I don't know.
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Thank you - will definitely do a bit of research into them and see what one works best for me!

RoughcutDiamond said:
I've just had to replace my BP (middle age spread going on!) and have gone for a Racesafe which I tried on whilst chatting to the retail staff about different brands of air jacket - it was so comfy I almost forgot I was wearing it. Have to say that I also feel that they also make you "splat" in a fall, in fact I had a fairly innocuous fall years ago (wearing a BP) where I fractured my coccyx and always felt that I would've come off better without. Trouble was it was during XC training so had to be worn. Since then I only really wear a BP when XC or jump cross which, due to currently being without transport, isn't that often.
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I avoided what could have been a serious fall when I wasn't wearing my BP, horse tripped and went down onto his side and I was thrown clear and rolled. Think luck was with me that day because I'd had no stirrups at the time so I was catapulted away from the horse. Luckily we were both fine but shaken but it was a heavy fall. I can't help but think that if I'd had the BP on I wouldn't have 'rolled' so to speak and could have ended up trapped under the horse.

I have a racesafe with a short back, but think I should probably have got a childs as I have a short torso compared to my legs. I also found once I stopped riding in mine my issues with stiffness through my hips sorted themselves out and I was falling off less (although maybe that's a coincidence) so don't use mine unless it's proper xc and not a few small logs that may as well be poles in the field.

I will see if I can 'borrow' an air jacket to try before I buy one though. If they offer better protection and don't feel as bulky or restrictive then I think it'll be a worthwhile investment!
 
After learning about these air jackets on this forum, I did some reviews reading on the Internet. I found one written by someone in The Chronicle of the Horse magazine. The writer tested out two models, I believe; the PS brand (?) would not send him a vest to try for the review. I am sorry I don't have the link to it but it should be easy to find.

The writer decided against them for various reasons, one of them being the time it takes to change the 02 tank with special wrenches you are sent (especially if you have a fall but not bad enough to not keep going with a group) and he said that the sound it makes when the 02 tank is discharged was like a gun going off which may not earn you many friends on a trail ride if your horse (or your fellow riders horses) don't expect the noise or are desensitized to sounds like a gun going off. I don't know if he was being overly critical or not. What do those who have had to have your vests inflate think of his comments? Is it really that loud? Thanks!
 
As a regular xc steward I have heard quite a few go off and it is much more of a pfft sound - think more like a fiizy drink being opened. I have never seen another horse spook at the sound or a horse spook at a scheduled dismount where the rider has forgotten to disconnect. For an unscheduled dismount it's more likely the low flying rider that leads to a spook.
 
Plaine1956 said:
After learning about these air jackets on this forum, I did some reviews reading on the Internet. I found one written by someone in The Chronicle of the Horse magazine. The writer tested out two models, I believe; the PS brand (?) would not send him a vest to try for the review. I am sorry I don't have the link to it but it should be easy to find.

The writer decided against them for various reasons, one of them being the time it takes to change the 02 tank with special wrenches you are sent (especially if you have a fall but not bad enough to not keep going with a group) and he said that the sound it makes when the 02 tank is discharged was like a gun going off which may not earn you many friends on a trail ride if your horse (or your fellow riders horses) don't expect the noise or are desensitized to sounds like a gun going off. I don't know if he was being overly critical or not. What do those who have had to have your vests inflate think of his comments? Is it really that loud? Thanks!
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Nope defo nothing like a gun going off, I've heard my own HitAir go off and my last horse never even spooked at it

My current mare who I have not fell off but my sister did recently and she wears a 2P jacket, she went over her head, jacket exploded and horse just stood there looking at her, again it never bothered that horse either. I'd say the guy is being rather over the top as someone said more like a can of coke and a hiss

I've never changed a 2P but I have changed my HitAir and takes about 1min, you unscrew gas bottle , screw new one in and screw a bolt in top. Nothing to it really

I do not ever carry a spare with me, so if I fell anywhere I'd just wear the jacket deflated or if at a show take it off and continue and hope to not have as much bad luck as to fall off twice in one day :-)
 
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