More hot air fails to address safety concerns

"Horse industry and safety experts have reacted with caution to impact testing done on the Point Two equine air jacket" reports Horse and Hounds. Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) in Berkshire conducted impact research on an airbag jacket from one of the UK's most prominent brands. According to H&H, "The report states there is no evidence that the Point Two would exacerbate any neck injury in an accident". In other words the airbag jacket would not injure a rider. Also that the "air jacket offered improved protection when worn with a British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) Level 3 body protector". So it offers some additional protection when worn with conventional body armour. However, the test did not establish what level of protection (if any) air bag jackets provide when worn WITHOUR conventional bodty armour.

BETA executive director Claire Williams said: "This report does raise more questions than answers."

Dr Roderick Woods, an expert in safety testing and standards, is quoted as saying. "The only way to test airbags is to replicate a genuine accident, record the data and compare it to an autopsy report," he said. "In cars, you drive a dummy into a wall - but with a horse it's virtually impossible because there are so many variables."

Read the full feature at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/296557.html