Body protectors are designed to absorb impact from a fall, a kick or being stepped on by a horse, and certain body protector standards are compulsory for competitions under the rules of governing bodies.
The body protector standards were originally developed by the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA), with the help of riding organisations, doctors, riders, manufacturers and retailers. In 2000, the new BETA standard superseded all previous standards, but it has been revised twice since – in 2009 and 2018.
There are three levels of protection – and the vast majority of horse riders should look for BETA level 3, which is the highest standard of protection on offer.
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BETA level 3 (2018)
This is the latest version of the BETA level 3 standard and it is marked with a blue label. It’s the standard you need to look for if your governing body or rider organisation – for example, The Pony Club, British Eventing, British Riding Clubs or BSPS – requires you to wear a body protector.
All of the body protectors we’ve featured in our buying guides are currently accepted by all major governing bodies.
What about BETA level 3 (2009)?
The 2009 version of the BETA level 3 standard (with a purple label) ceased manufacturing in 2018 and it’s unlikely that you’ll see any of these purple-labelled body protectors in stores or online.
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Governing bodies and rider organisations that require a body protector no longer recognise the purple 2009 label, with most ceasing to accept this on 31 December 2023. They can still be worn if you’re competing at British Dressage or British Showjumping as a body protector is optional and no guidance for a standard is given – or, indeed, if you’re not competing at all. However, it’s recommended that you replace your body protector every three to five years and the BETA level 3 (2018) standard offers the highest level of protection.
CE marks
A CE mark which, although not a quality mark, shows that a product is fit for purpose as outlined in personal protective equipment guidelines.
Body protectors that are CE marked to EN 13158:2018 (the European standard for equestrian body protectors) are annually retested to the BETA 2018 standard, which means they consistently meet the very latest in safety standards.
What are the different levels of body protector?
There are three levels of the 2018 revision, each designed for different activities and denoted by a colour-coded label on the garment.
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Level 1 (green label) provides the lowest level of protection that is only considered appropriate for licensed jockeys while racing.
Level 2 (orange label) is only considered suitable for low-risk situations, which does not include jumping, riding on the road, riding young or excitable horses or riding while inexperienced.
Level 3 (blue label) is considered appropriate for general riding and competing. Level 3 body protectors should prevent minor injuries, including bruising that would have produced stiffness and pain, reduce soft tissue injuries and prevent some rib fractures.
Shoulder protection standards
There is also a BETA Standard for shoulder protectors. Shoulder pads that are sold to be worn with a particular body protector, such as the Racesafe Motion 3.0 shoulder pads, will have been tested to the same level as the body protector. Research into falls onto the shoulder during eventing competitions has shown that wearing adequate shoulder protection reduces the risk of breaking the collarbone by up to 80%.
Georgia is Horse & Hound’s deputy website editor and equestrian products expert. She curates content across the website with a particular focus on upcoming equestrian events horse care and buying advice. She also manages all the ecommerce opportunities that allow us to give you easy access to the best products at the lowest prices via our buying guides. Georgia has first-hand knowledge of all the equestrian brands and their ever-evolving product lines, having been working with them closely since she started in equestrian media in 2015.
