Do YOU wear Hi viz???

Do YOU wear Hi viz?

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I hardly ever hack out on the roads because I just find it too frightening with so many inconsiderate drivers these days(had a few near misses), but when I do I have a bright yellow exercise sheet, a tabard and reflective leg bands on the ned. I had high vis drummed into me at college but must admit before then I did a lot more hacking out and never wore high vis!!
 
Hi-viz victim here!
My chap had to endure boots, exercise sheet, noseband and rein strips while I wore a tabbard in summer or a hi viz jacket I stole from a builder!
I'd rather look like a fool than a splash mark on the road.
 
I always hack in a hi-viz tabard summer and will add lots of other hi-viz items in the winter including an exercise sheet on an 18hh horse, so if driver cant see me then they should be allowed on the road without there guide dog...:D
 
OP why do you consider people who use hi-viz as "saints" and presumably those who don't are naughty rebels. Just seems a strange way of looking at it to me.

I use hi-viz for the drivers, not for me. That's why I don't use it when I am schooling.
 
Yep, I wear a tabbard/vest whether riding or driving... mOst of the time! Very cool. I seem to recall something being said to me about personal liability cover being affected if you are in an accident and haven't taken reasonable precautions to ensure you are visible to other road users - has anyone else heard this or was it usual yard b****x being passed around like chinese whispers? I think the "Caution: Young Horse" might be a problem though in terms of admitting liability...
I had a pony 'bumped' by a coach while long-lining as he kept coming past us and pony turned his bum into the road. We had 2 feet between very and coach to stand in... Doubt hi-viz made a difference there, I was wearing it. The driver stopping when I asked him to, might have helped though. Tw*t.
 
auntyfred said:
I find the results interesting. (currently saying 80% do wear it)
Last weekend I passed 9 horses on the roads. Only 1 had any form of hi viz. This was a 60mph road, it was raining and very poor visibility.
On our yard there are 31 horses. I have only ever known 3 people to wear hi-viz of any kind.
A total contradiction to your results. Maybe if you belong to H+H forum you are more likely to wear hi-viz :)
Me? I was the one wearing hi-viz last weekend .....check out my halo :D
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Yes, I find it interesting too... maybe fellow sinners are just staying away from the thread?
 
dreamcometrue said:
OP why do you consider people who use hi-viz as "saints" and presumably those who don't are naughty rebels. Just seems a strange way of looking at it to me.

I use hi-viz for the drivers, not for me. That's why I don't use it when I am schooling.
Click to expand...

It does feel like I am the naughty rebel one in alot of posts referring to hi-viz clothing (as it does posts about wearing beaglers or riding without a hat!) as we (the 10% of people answering here and the 90% of people I see riding on the road without it!) are often criticised... I personally think it is an individual choice - I'm not saying anyone is right or wrong about it.
 
auntyfred said:
I find the results interesting. (currently saying 80% do wear it)
Last weekend I passed 9 horses on the roads. Only 1 had any form of hi viz. This was a 60mph road, it was raining and very poor visibility.
On our yard there are 31 horses. I have only ever known 3 people to wear hi-viz of any kind.
A total contradiction to your results. Maybe if you belong to H+H forum you are more likely to wear hi-viz :)
Click to expand...

I agree. Where I am, hi-viz seems non existant, you see the occasional Sam Browne belt here and there.

I wear a yellow tabard and pony wears reflective yellow wraps on her legs wherever we hack.

Like others have said; the air ambulance needs to be able to spot us if we fall off in a field; they do a great job, and are lucky to have their service we should make their jobs easier in return.

I drove past two riders riding two abreast along the Fosse Way in Warwickshire the other day, their horses were being very good. But they were holding up traffic, including skip wagons and the like but there wasnt a glimmer of hi-viz in sight.

The local racing yard is another culprit, highly strung young TB's hacked out on roads with riders with no roadsense and NO hi-viz.
 
Toffee has to endure minimum pink reflective tabard.

4x pink hi viz leg bands

And she has has a nose band sleeve too.

On horrible days she has a Yellow Hi Vi exercise sheet.

And I am just about to buy Samba 4x Pink Hi Viz brushing boots

I love having mares....excuse for pink things :D
 
Heehee! Sometimes I will even wear Hi-Viz when hacking across the common with no road work...if I were to fall off and lay injured I would want the helicopters to spot me!!!
 
No but haven't ridden on the roads in years... I DO own a hi viz waterproof exercise sheet but have yet to find a horse that will have it anywhere near them without freaking out!

Blitz
 
My horse lives on the yard next to my house, but the place is becoming more of a mini industrial estate every day, with buildings being rented out to businesses. We still have to go the same route as always to get from the stables to the paddocks, but now we have cars and vans using the same accesses. Yesterday my husband was leading our two-year-old filly to the stable and someone came round the corner too fast, and rather than slowing down, just swerved round the horse. I'm a bit worried about what's going to happen when I'm bringing her in when it gets dark, so we're both having Hi-Viz vests and head lights. Bit much when we need to do it on the yard, but we'd rather be safe. At least if there is an accident we can say we did everything we could to prevent it. As for hacking out, I have to wear Hi-Viz every day in my job and there's no way I'd set out on a hack without something bright on. It's not uncomfortable as long as it fits ok and I'd rather have too much than not enough. It's amazing how little people concentrate when they're driving as it is, and riders should at least try to catch their attention before they're too close.
 
I wear a tabard on the roads and (now that the weather's greyer) I'll get a few more bits for the horse. There are a lot of forests around us and he's dark bay so I'm sure we're hard to spot otherwise. I barely saw two cyclists the other day who were cycling late afternoon in cloudy weather with no hi-vis and no lights. I also wear my tabard on my scooter - I'd really prefer to give drivers no excuse!!

I don't bother if I'm not riding on the roads though.
 
99% of the time. Tabard and my hat cover is pretty bright! If its likely to be dusk when returning (happened about twice?!) an exercise sheet as well.

Concerned by the people saying yes for on road but no for off road. I'm MORE likely to wear hi viz OFF ROAD as if I fall off on a road chances are a car will come along in a few mins and hopefully stop... if I fall off on the moors, Im buggered if I don't have hi viz...how else are mountain rescue meant to pick me out easily amongst the bracken and grass as my riding clothes tend to be dark greens/creams/berry colours!
 
We're decked out like a Xmas tree every time we venture out!!! Having had an accident with my last horse where someone ran into the back of him because they said they "couldn't see us" - that did it really and made me get vizzed up. Luckily horse & me were OK, a miracle though, coz it could have so easily been nasty. Police didn't give FA coz they said there was no personal injury.
 
always , always, always, minimum of tabard, hat band, boots (+ exercise sheet in winter). plus spares to throw at any one who tries to leave yeard without it !!
 
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no i dont usually.
only time i use hi-viz is an exercise sheet for the horse when its really cold/wet/foggy. it has a light on the back which is quite good aswell.

ETA: i find that drivers are worse when we have hi-viz on than when we dont...

i also find that if i hack in shorts/bareback they are more patient aswell. unless its just the big grin and thanks that sways them :)
 
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Always, I never get on without it if I'm going for a hack. I couldn't live with myself if I caused an accident that could have been prevented if I'd been seen earlier.
 
I always wear a bib even if in the riding paddock. I need to buy something different though as I got caught in a tree on Sunday :( Any ideas were I can get something different other than a coat?
 
Yes! And here we are, having a hoony great time in Hi-Viz, looking tres chic :D
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Yes, always. Really cannot work out why some people don't. Better to be a bit 'naff' in hi viz than squished on a road with broken horse, crushed car, possibly passengers and most likely injury to the rider. I would never forgive myself if Beanie was hit because she wasn't seen in time. An extra 3 seconds can make all the difference.
 
Years ago now, one of my neighbours, who was a careful driver and expecting me to be out on the roads at the time, told me he did not see my big bay horse in shadows on a very bright summer's day. It gave me a bit of a shock.

Ever since I have put brushing boots with hi-viz straps on their legs and wear a flouro fleece waistcoat even in high summer. (Takes no longer to tack up than with ordinary brushing-boots and doesn't look too bad) I found a bit of flouro fleece to add to the lash on me whip too!
 
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