Do you and your horse wear hi viz clothing?

[Chestersmummy]

Yesterday I took my horse on a mini hack. We only went 1/2 a mile or so but I still put leg bands over his boots and his neck strap on. I also wore my hi-viz and a band on my hat.
Even though the yard is on very quiet roads, I always make sure we are visable. I know some of the other liveries don't bother with hi viz and its quite hard to see them, even on a bright day as they are in dark clothing on a dark horse. I know this because I've followed them. When I said I couldn't see them very well they basically said they'd only wear hi viz stuff if it was getting a bit dark!
This to me is total madness!

 

[fitzaud2]

I would always wear hi-viz when hacking, regardless of where i go. My mare is black, so if i have dark clothes on, we wouldnt be seen. I have a hi-viz jacket, as well as the usual velcro stuff, it only takes a minute to put on, why would you risk being knocked down.

 

[Shantara]

Yup! I really need to get a photo of me and Ned kitted out in our hi-viz!

Imagine this picture, but with full length hi-viz chaps and bandanges...and soon to be tail wrap too!

 

[Gracie21]

ALWAYS!!

Some people at my yard go all out and have the horse in boots, rein bands, nose band, exercise sheet.....They do tend to go out at rush our in the morning, so that is very sensible and they light up like a Christmas tree, PERFECT!

I only have youngsters atm so lead in hand down the road...tend to wear a hi-viz jacket, my mum wears one (she walks behind in the middle of the road). For the short distance we walk it seems to work well, but when he starts getting ridden he will be lit up like a christmas tree too, no point risking it!!!

 

[WelshRuby]

Absolutely. I value my and my horse's lives and despise anyone who risks it. At this time of year the sun (when it's out, lol) is low in the sky and dazzles car drivers'. I will stop here as I could go on and on!

 

[ladyt25]

In all honesty I never used to wear any when i was a kid and people just didn't. We then did get the odd exercise sheet and tabard but only wore them if the visibility was poor (ie foggy). It's probably only over the last 5 or so years (actually maybe more - time flies!) that I wear something every time I hack out. There are so many options these days though and it's not so hideous and bulky as it used to be. I just wear an equafleece gilet and have an exercise sheet for my horse if the weather's very cold or the visibility is poorer.

I have to say I really notice now when people AREN'T wearing high viz round us as they are in the minority now. Maybe it's a coincidence but they also seem to be the same ones who ride all over the road like they own it and don't thank car drivers when they pass! Oh and more often than not they ride a dark coloured horse and choose to wear all dark clothes. Brainless!

 

[YorksG]

While this has been done a few times before I am happy to participate again
Yes we always wear Hi-Viz when we leave the yard. The minimum is tabard, arm bands, Hi-Viz gloves and hat band on me. the minimum on the horse is martingale strap, tail guard and leg bands. If we go in full lot, then it is the above along with quatersheet (both summer and winter weight ones) for the horses and in summer a longsleeved jacket for me. I also have lights attached to a Hi-Viz band that I can put on my leg if I think we may get caught out by the dusk dropping early.
I have no idea why people do not wear the stuff.

 

[welshies]

With you 100% loubymiller! people who don't wear it because they don't think it looks cool or can't be bothered need a kick up ***. It's your responsibilty to look after your horse, which includes keeping him safe. I am lucky as my riding is all track and field but still wear some kind of hiviz for the track bit as tractors and empty trailers are a lot less noisey and scarey if they are going slower because they saw you sooner! I have obviously seen many people over the years on the roads without (unfortunately more don't than do!) but there is a girl that consistantly ride on a very twisty main road (60mph) near me with no hiviz, how she and her horse are still a live is beyond me, you literally see her as you are up her horses back side!

Sorry for the rant but as you say, total madness when you can do something about it!

The MOD made a donation to BHS for hiviz equipment as it makes such a different in the time i takes them to spot horse and rider from the air if they are wearing them.

 

[lazybee]

Yes and yes! no reason not to and too many near misses and one actual impact (not me but wife). It's my choice. too many people don't in my opinion; that's their choice of course. I personally consider them to be tw*ts, but there you go

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I never used to bother, until my horse got hit by a car. Luckily we were both OK and no traumas either, and this was on a very quiet road which was hardly ever used.

Now, I won't go anywhere, not even a quick trot round the block (10 mins) without it. Its just not worth the risk; and people who don't wear hi viz should be aware not just of their own safety but also all the trauma and possible injury/death to their horses.

 

[BlizzardBudd]

When I hacked on the roads I always wore high vis... But now all of my hacking is off road (I an so lucky and very fortunate!) I dont anymore

 

[Enfys]

I personally consider them to be tw*ts, but there you go

That would be me then

I don`t.
Straight roads, no bends, no hedges, no fences, 30`wide, heavy traffic is 2 tractors and a truck within 10 minutes. We ride off road other than when we cross one.

 

[only_me]

Yep, wear a hi viz jacket when out hacking, but that's it - with a 17h coloured horse you tend to get noticed anyway

We do hack near enough in the middle of the road,seems to be the only thing that makes the drivers slow down

 

[cheeryplatypus]

We always wear something hi viz. In the winter the horses both have exercise sheets and I wear a tabard. I the summer I wear a tabard and I'll probably try to get a lightweight sheet for the horses too. I don't understand why you wouldn't. For me it just means there is no excuse for folk not to have seen us and slowed down. It also means that if you have a bad fall the air ambulance can spot you easier (read that a rider was left all night with a broken pelvis because the helicopter sent to look couldn't see her brown clothing against the background, I don't get why you would take this sort of risk?

As a driver its much easier to see joggers and cyclists in hi viz, in fact I get quite cross when they don't!

 

[abbijay]

I wear vest (proper railways compliant one pinched from work) and hat band as a minimum. Depending on time of year/day i also add leg bands to horse, flashing leg bands to me, full coat (again site compliant), flashing hat band and hi-vis sheet. That said horse has 4 massive white legs, massive white face and is generally huuge so helps (but I wouldn't rely on it).
I rode out at the weekend with a friend on a black pony, all dressed in black. We didn't leave the yard till quite late and had to start dashing back early as the light was starting to go and while I could have turned into a Xmas tree at a moments notice we didn't want the pony getting missed.

 

[stencilface]

I do, and will be getting some cheap hi vs running t shirts/vests for summer so I don't have to wear my fleece gilet. I refuse to wear crackly workmens high vis as I have to wear it for work, and I don't ever want work to encroach on me time!

 

[claireandnadia]

Yes. If I go on one particular route we are very much hi-vized up but if its the local roads I'll wear my polite notice or plain tabard.

 

[Shantara]

In all honesty I never used to wear any when i was a kid and people just didn't. We then did get the odd exercise sheet and tabard but only wore them if the visibility was poor (ie foggy). It's probably only over the last 5 or so years (actually maybe more - time flies!)

Yes! I didn't even know hi-viz existed until I joined the yard I'm at now...I was surprised when the YO brought out these florescent things and said "Put that on the horse!" ...do what now?!
(Bare in mind, this was 11yrs ago!) I haven't looked back since

 

[Mlini]

I use a hi-viz exercise sheet on my horse. Don't wear any on myself but usually have bright clothing on - in the form of a bright red coat usually.. and my horse is bright ginger with lots of white We are pretty visible. I have never had a vehicle not see us. I only hack out in good visibility at times with little traffic as my horse can be a little s*** when he wants to be.

My friend sometimes hacks out with me on a dark dapple grey. She usually wears dark jods and a black or navy jacket. No hi-viz. Thats probably why she ended up under a lorry.

 

[NOISYGIRL]

Yes we both do, a mixture of pink and yellow

Equisafety sheet all round vision
V bandz hat for my horse in pink
leg bands in pink and yellow
Tail guard with pink and yellow on it
Various flashing lights
Pink hat band
Flashing light under the peak, red flashing at the back
Pink tabard
Neck strap with yellow
Brow band with yellow

Think thats about it lol, other people laugh at me but I dont' care too hoots, them on their black horse in dark jacket that wont' bee seen by the motorists etc. I also find it handy for when I'm in the woods for dog walkers to see me so they can control their dogs if needed, back on lead etc, lots of people comment on what a benefit it is and you can defo see the difference in the time it takes cars to slow down, much quicker response

 

[biggingerpony]

I wear: just a lightweight reflective yellow tabard.
She wears: lightweight reflective yellow exercise sheet, 4 leg bands.

She also has a pink reflective headcollar when I lead her up the road to her field

I never used to wear any either

 

[1Lucie]

Yepp!!!!!!! I wear a tabard and my horse wears leg bands¬

 

[SNORKEY]

Yep, I always wear hi viz at any time of day, my hubbys just brought me some of the new Polite range, so we have a nice big numnah and a new vest, and ive just kitted him out in 4 bright pink florecent boots! lol

 

[OWLIE185]

Yes!

I have had many years of riding including Central London and in the midle of nowhere in Mid Wales as well as a number of other places.

In that period of time several of my riding friends have been killed and or their horses killed as a result of accidents the majority of which occured when they where riding on roads but there was bright low sunlight.

I always wear a Hi-Vix long sleeved jacket and a hat band and the horse is kitted out with Hi-Viz Nose Band and Reign Covers. I wear a long sleeved jacket because it is easier for other road users to see my hand signals. I also now wear a back protector when hacking out.

I avoid riding out when there is bright low sunlight as other road users are blinded and can not see in front of them (even if one is wearing Hi-Viz).

One of the advantages of wearing Hi-Viz off road is that one can be found more easily if one does have an accident.

I also find that by wearing hi-Viz it makes it easier for shooting parties etc to see me.

I believe that I owe it to my horse, relatives and friends to protect myself as much as possible.

 

[MJC]

Yes! Isn't it amazing to see so many replies saying that we wear it. I often just wear a hi vis jacket but that's enough, better than a tabard. Sometimes in bright and then shady environments you simply don't see people - and that goes for walkers too - so I wouldn't go without it!

 

[SpockkyBoy]

I do wear a tabard, and sometimes a hat band. I also have a reflective exercise sheet.

 

[Enfys]

On the other hand........ if I still had to ride in the UK putting some sort of hi viz on for welsh mountains and lanes would be as automatic as putting a hat on.

Sometimes, just sometimes, I really miss high hedges, hard top road surfaces, narrow lanes and bends! Roads just don't have bends here, and a hedge? Not round here That would just get in the way of the farm machinery! Conversely I don't miss the lunatic, inconsiderate road users one little bit...note road users, not just motorists.

 

[albeg]

I always wear hi-viz when out on the road, and would also wear it if I was riding alone in a field. I wear a hat band and hi-viz vest, horsey wears a neckband, leg wraps and a headcollar. Horsey and I also wear hi-viz when he's going down the road to his field, have a homemade rug for him.

I also wear hi-viz walking the dog, use to only wear it if out early or late, but since bringing horsey home have been more aware, it makes sure we're seen much earlier than if we weren't wearing it.

 

[cob&onion]

I always wear at least my tabard. At most exercise sheet and mare has a neck band.
However i have just invested in a tail guard and some leg bands too, all peanuts on eBay.
Some people i hack out with NEVER wear it despite being on a brown horse wearing brown clothes
Theres even someone who takes their child out just as its getting dark on a dark pony with zero hi-viz. Dumb in my opinion.
Yes the roads are quiet and we do live in a rural area but you still get cars/lorrys/milk tankers/tractors etc and there are alot of dark wooded roads and sharp blind corners here too.
Prime exmaple - driving back from town along the wooded road, clear day, perfect conditions, driving along and looked in my mirror and seen someone on a horse i had obviously passed going the opposite direction to me, never even noticed them as they blended in with the trees so well on a bay horse with dark clothing.........
But there you go, theres no telling some people.

 

[jenki13]

On the other hand........ if I still had to ride in the UK putting some sort of hi viz on for welsh mountains and lanes would be as automatic as putting a hat on.

Sometimes, just sometimes, I really miss high hedges, hard top road surfaces, narrow lanes and bends! Roads just don't have bends here, and a hedge? Not round here That would just get in the way of the farm machinery! Conversely I don't miss the lunatic, inconsiderate road users one little bit...note road users, not just motorists.

Yeah I think your wide open 3 car-wide roads are an exception to needing Hi-viz British roads & hedges are much better for horse camouflage!

I always hi-viz up on the road although the horse only has Fluorescent brushing boots normally, I have found my old exercise sheet so need to see if that will fit!
I have a fluorescent yellow hat cover - great for being seen over hedges. A heavy weight workmans jacket, a lighter weight Running jacket & a tabard for different weathers! Currently considering buying some of the running t-shirts you get - although I have also got a bright orange sports top that works quite well

There are a couple of riders round where I live that go out on dark horses in dark clothing & you literally cannot see them especially in a couple of areas of the road where there are overshadowing trees & high hedges it's MADNESS!