Any ideas for an 'alert' system when riding alone?

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Crazydancer

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I've started going to the yard before work, and will be riding my newish young mare. Reading a thread the other day about risks, and horses and riding being a magnet for them, it did occur to me that if anything happened that resulted in me being knocked out etc, it would be a long time until someone found me! We're a pretty quiet little yard. I do carry my phone on me, and suggested texting OH before I ride and when I'd finished, so he could be my 'alert' system, but I know what he's like!! Often leaves his phone lying around, as he's a carpenter he sometimes doesn't hear it over the drill etc, or is so busy he forgets to call back etc..... so not the best idea.
Anyone have any other ideas, or know of a system, or even an iPhone app that might do the job?
 
really good idea to get something in place now, rather than have a silly incident turn into a big deal and think - 'I wish I had done that!'
I text or call my oh when I am about to set out on a hack, or school if there in no-one on the premesis, and let him know how long I expect to be and if I am hacking then an idea of the route I am taking. Then I give him a call when I am done. If he doesn't hear back from me I would like to think he would bother himself to find out what's going on! If your oh wouldn't notice you missing for rather longer than you would like, then would something like this help? http://www.textyouhome.com/webmain/index.php from briefly reading it, it sounds like it only does anything if the time you have set elapses then it contacts numbers you have set - so you could have a back up for your oh?
 
that is brilliant Pony , than you for putting that up.

I always have a tag on myself as well as my horse with contact / medical details ... in case we get seperated and someone finds my horse before I do or before she gets home :D

I also have a whistle on a lanyard ...... that will often be heard before a voice if we need attantion ... particularily of doing an SOS series of blasts!
 
Thanks ThePony, that sounds worth looking at!! If I was riding my old gelding I wouldn't be so bothered, but new mare is only 4, and hasn't done too much, so not sure still what to expect and slightly concerned what tricks she has to try on me!! :rolleyes:
 
A standard way for hikers is to leave a note on their car windscreen with the route/ time they expect to be back - could you do the same on the yard?
 
If you have a smart phone this app may be useful
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/horse-riders-trip-plan/id393100500?mt=8

The Horse Rider’s Trip Plan application makes it easy to keep your friends and family informed about when, where and with whom you are riding.
Your riding trip plan can easily be sent by e-mail along with SMS notices to someone with information on what to do if you don’t return as planned.
A reminder alert helps you remembering to send a message when you have returned.
By using old riding plans as templates the process can be made even quicker.
 
Agree about leaving a note on your stable door/tack room with your number on it too.

Also make sure you have the I.C.E. numbers in your phone too. I have home, son and neighbours' numbers in mine; hopefully, at least one of them will answer if someone rings them!
 
I ride with my phone and a hood pick in this little bag, it has a hook for keys, loads of little pockets and a name card on the front to fill in with all your details in case. Got it for a fiver, it's made by BENTLEY it would be good to invest in one I think.

Wear Hi-Viz; everywhere.

I always have a wistle (sounds pathetic I know) In my little bag and also I have a bell on my boys saddle, It was all the animals I am coming to stop the birds shooting out of the hedges and giving my boy a heart attack, also works on cats, chickens, rabbits.. :D It helps keep him steady too as he listens to the bell.
 
ThePony - That looks like a great idea, think I'll look into that too.
I am planning to have a laminated map of my routes at the yard and to leave a note of which route I have taken and the time, just so that if anyone comes looking for me they have more chance of finding me.
 
Might not work for you but at our yard:

a) we can see the manege from the sitting room window and if someone is up, have a look out every now and then to ensure rider is still where it should be in relation to horse;

b) a small personal alarm in the tack room that people can take to the manege/ out hacking if they're nervous;

c) write in the book/ tell someone which route you're planning to hack and when you expect to be back;

d) wear hi-viz.

If OH or our groom are on their own and riding one of the youngsters, I generally ask them to phone me before they start and again once they're done. Saves me worrying too.

Very sensible to think about it!
 
This has always been a concern for me, having an idiot horse. There is rarely anyone up the yard when I am there, also dead spot for phone signals ! My OH would not hear the phone even if he was in as hard oF hearing !
 
My elderly grandmother has a buzzer she wears on a cord around her neck, in case she slips over and can't get herself up -she presses the buzzer and it calls through to her carers phone to come and rescue her.... sounds like a very good idea for riding alone, or even just working alone on the yard (my worst accident was falling off the muckheap when on the yard alone, had to crawl up the lane with mangled ankle a good 10 minutes to find someone to help me!!!)
 
I have to ride early mornings on my own. Most of the time no one would have a clue if I came a cropper. I have one of these
http://www.ride-alert.co.uk/pages/id_for_horses.php
It's excellent. The horse ID attaches to the saddle, the rider ID is a bracelet. If anyone finds a rider or horse, there is just one phone number to ring.

I always, always, always wear Hi-Viz. A friend came off her horse a while ago - they were a couple of fields away from a road and luckily a motorist saw this bright yellow "thing" fly through the air and he thought he'd investigate. She'd broken her collar bone badly and couldn't move.
 
cremedemonthe said:
I use these, one on me (even got CPR in it for anyone who doesn't possess any first aid training) and one on my horse in case of separation, such a good idea in loads of colours too!

http://unicornleather.co.uk/Locata-Twin-Packs-Save-by-buying-both-at-once.php

I've got the hi viz yellow
Click to expand...

We've got 2 sets of these between us, mine are hi viz pink and his is leather, very good idea, especially the first aid included, nothing else with that on the market we have found,we wouldn't be without ours.We even wear the rider one off the horse when out on a long dog walk as I have alot of medication I have to take and would need paramedics to be aware of this in the event of me collapsing.
 
If you have a phone with gps then enable Google latitude. It drains the bat a bit but it constantly tracks ur location. U can therefore be found in case of emergency. My plan for long hacks out in remote locations (can't do it cos my back is knacked this yr!) was to also carry a cheap pay as u go phone incase the gps caused batt to go down too much on smart phone. U can turn Google latitude on and off as u pls so people can't snoop when y don't want them to!!
 
Make sure that your saddle and bridle have a dog tax on them engraved with the name of your horse and your surname and your telephone numbers and that of your vets. Always wear long sleeved High-Viz so that you can be easily seen from a dstance (such as emergency helicopters etc.
 
I suggest buying yourself a Personal Locator beacon (PLB). OK, they are not cheap BUT they guarantee that in the event of an emergency and you being in need of urgent help that you will be found. They are mainly sold for aviation and marine use, but they are an excellant piece of equipment. Basically, you keep the unit on you in a pocket or something and should you be unlucky enough to come off and need help, you can arm the beacon which will start to transmit a distress signal and that will be picked up by the monitoring station and help will be sent to you as the signal the beacon emits is based on GPS and will tell rescuers where you are.

Fabulous bit of equipment that is used widely as I said in aviation and marine so well tried and tested.!!
 
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