Body Protectors for improved Rider Safety

Body protectors cannot be under estimated in todays ‘riders must have list’.To choose the correct body protector you will need to think about the discipline you will be undertaking when wearing it and the the hazards that you may come across in you riding. When it comes to individual makes and manufacturers you should make sure that the protector meets all the stringent E.U regulations. When it comes to the level of protection buy the best you can afford. When it comes to which one is best for you, research it, speak to other riders, and talk to other equestrians on horseworlds. Ask them questions about the best protection on a particular budget, if you increased that slightly does the protection substantially increase also.

It is a great idea to speak to other equestrians. If you visit the horseworlds forum at http://www.horseworlds.co.uk/ you can gain experiencial views from other riders that lack bias and have understanding.

The three protection levels according to E.U Regulations are as follows:

a) Level 1 – Black Label
This is lower level impact protection, usually only worn by licensed jockeys when racing.

b)  Level 2 – Brown Label
This is a lower than normal protection level for use in low risk situations only. No rider should choose this level of protection if they will be;
- Riding on hard surfaces and/or roads,
- Jumping,
- Riding young, spooky or nervous horses
- In a situation above their capabilities

3) Level 3 – Purple Label
Body protectors with this level of protection are suitable for riders in competitions and for normal horse riding. Purple Label protection aims to prevent minor bruising, reduce soft tissue injuries and in some cases can help prevent some rib fractures.

Standards are always being updated, however the E.U Standard EN 13158:2000 is met by the BETA 2000 Standard. This is the standard which body protectors have to meet by law. This standard changes from time to time as more rigerous tests are carried out and improvements made. Manufacturers re-test their body protectors to give the best available quality of their products and the individual components that they are made of. It is difficult to definitavly say that a particular manufacturer of body protectors is better than another but we do have our favoutrites such as Airowear and Just Togs. Of course we cannot and would not suggest that one protector is more capable than another as it depends on what discipline you need it for, however we like the build of Airowear Zippa Body Protector, The Racesafe RS 2000 both of which offer a high specification designed to meet the highest level of the European and BETA Standard Level 3.

This is to name only two but there are many quality protectors our there. We still think that the equestrian buying pubic is more experienced in judging rider wear and your opinions are very important to our readers. We are often asked what our personal favourites are and as ever we do not want to be biased or in any way leaning toward a particular designer however we found that dependent on the discipline you are doing there are great choices in colour, comfort and safety combinations. Therefore we will be delighted to have your feedback on the best body protectors according to your experience and discipline so we may share this with fellow equestrians.

When fitting a body protector the correct size is so important. You would not wear a seatbelt that hung loosly across your chest and the same can be said of body protectors.  The rider needs to be measured for correct fit to the, waist, chest and over the shoulders for comfort and protection.

You should wear your usual riding clothes when trying on body protectors and be sure that it is comfortable and suitable for the riding you will be doing.  The correct size is important to ensure better protection.

A damaged body protector is like a damaged motorcycle helmet in that it may be dangerous. If the foam or padding is in any way damaged, it should be replaced as the protection it will offer is likely to be diminished. The age of body protectors can also be a factor to safe riding standards. As a rule it is recommended that every three years body protectors should be replaced.

Equestrian body protectors will not completely prevent injury however the severity of impacts can be significantly reduced if a suitable body protector is being worn at the time.