I just wanted to let you know that my air jacket saved my life at the weekend.  I've owned an air jacket for a long time.  It's was actually one I won in a competition so I didn't get a choice of colour. I never liked it (I admit to being vain!) so only wore it for cross country. After a couple of friends had silly falls I decided I wanted to wear an air jacket more often so as a birthday present, I swapped it for a helite gilet style air jacket with the plan that I wore it every time I rode.  And boy am I glad I did!

I was out hacking with friends and we came to a gate  I went to open it on my very sane horse and either something startled him or it was a miss communication but he ended up trying to jumping it from a stand still which resulted in a rotational fall. I had the full weight of him on my upper body. I felt the jacket protecting me. In that split second I knew he would need to shift his weight to get off me and my hip and pelvis got rather smashed but without my air jacket - who knows!  I was airlifted to hospital and will be in for some time.  But I feel very lucky that broken/dislocated bones are my only injuries and thought I should let you know how it saved me.  Katie x 

Air Jacket saves my life!by Katie Dickson