Airbag firing pin – triggering mechanism

1. Remove the stirrup leathers from their bars.
2. Fit the two ends of the attachment strap to the stirrup bars on either side of the saddle.
3. Refit the stirrup leathers and check that the strap remains correctly positioned, centred and free from abnormal rubbing.
4. When using a new saddle, repeat this entire installation before the first use.

The strap must not be attached to a removable or insufficiently strong part of the saddle. Its installation must always comply with the instructions supplied with your own airbag.

1. Put on the airbag and fasten it fully.
2. Mount your horse, then clip the lanyard’s snap hook onto the strap loop.
3. Adjust the attachment strap at the stirrup bars to retain normal freedom of movement, without constant tension on the airbag lanyard.
4. Always disconnect before dismounting.

Adjustment is made on the attachment strap at the stirrup bars, not on the airbag lanyard. Too short a setting can put the lanyard under tension during normal movement; too long a setting can delay activation of the system during separation. Follow the adjustment specified in the AXION instructions.

Before every ride, check the strap, lanyard and snap hook for cuts, fraying, deformation or corrosion. The snap hook must open and close freely.

Only cover the airbag with a garment explicitly designed for use with an equestrian airbag vest and allowing the space needed for deployment. A rigid, overly fitted or unsuitable garment can obstruct inflation.

Never add a brooch, needle, pin, stitching, sewn or heat-applied patch, or any hard, sharp or pointed object to the airbag. A puncture or additional strain on the fabric can compromise the integrity of the system.

1. Move to safety and check your own condition first, before attending to the equipment.
2. Allow the airbag to deflate naturally. Do not puncture, fold or abruptly compress it.
3. Inspect the fabric, seams, fastening, mechanism, key ball, lanyard and strap.
4. Remove the spent cartridge: a used cartridge is single-use.
5. Rearm only with a cartridge compatible with your own airbag, following both the cartridge replacement guide and the instructions.

Before any rearming, look for tears, open seams, apparent leaks, deformed parts or a damaged mechanism. If deployment was unusual, if the system failed despite the lanyard actually being put under tension, or if you suspect damage even without an obvious mark, do not reuse the airbag before it has been checked.

After a significant fall, a direct impact on the mechanism or several deployments close together, contact AXION if you have the slightest doubt before riding again.

Spot-clean the fabric with a soft, very slightly damp microfibre cloth and, if needed, a small amount of mild soap. The fabric should be cleaned, never soaked.

For the crystals, use a clean or used soft-bristled toothbrush, very slightly dampened. Make small, gentle circular movements. Do not scrape or apply strong pressure: the crystals are heat-bonded rather than sewn so they do not interfere with airbag deployment, and excessive rubbing can weaken the adhesive beneath them and cause them to fall off.

Never wet the mechanism, cartridge or its housing, and do not spray any product directly onto the vest.

If liquid reaches the mechanism or the airbag has been immersed, stop using it immediately until it is completely dry.

Any failure resulting from unsuitable care, immersion or contact between the mechanism and liquid cannot be covered by the warranty. Take particular care and be gentle when maintaining your airbag.

Allow the airbag to dry completely in the open air on a wide hanger, in a dry, ventilated place. Keep it away from direct sunlight, radiators, flames and significant heat sources.

Never leave your airbag in direct sun or in a closed car exposed to heat, particularly in summer. Prolonged high temperatures can damage the materials, cartridge or mechanism.

Only put the airbag away when it is perfectly dry. Hang it upright on a wide hanger or keep it flat without compression. Do not roll it, leave it folded for long periods or place heavy objects on top.

During transport, protect the vest, mechanism and cartridge from impacts, humidity and high temperatures. Before flying, check the airline’s conditions for CO₂ cartridges.

Before every ride, briefly inspect the fabric, seams, fastening, saddle strap, lanyard, snap hook, key ball, mechanism and external condition of the cartridge. After a fall, deployment, difficult transport or a long period in storage, repeat this check with greater care.

Replace any part showing cuts, fraying, deformation, corrosion or deterioration. Do not use a cartridge that is rusty, dented, spent or appears to have damaged threads.

Once a year, carry out a thorough visual inspection of the entire system. If the instructions for your own airbag require an additional check or cartridge weighing, follow only the value, tolerance and procedure specified for your model.

An equestrian airbag vest is supplementary personal protective equipment. It helps reduce the consequences of certain impacts when it deploys correctly, but it does not prevent a fall and cannot guarantee the absence of serious or fatal injury.

Its effectiveness depends in particular on the correct size, fit, fastening, saddle installation, adjustment of the attachment strap at the stirrup bars, the condition of every component and compliance with the instructions.