Hi Vis in the light - REFLECTIVES in the dark

[JenJ]

Having seen quite a few comments/posts/threads regarding hi vis on here and various other running/cycling forums/facebook etc, I just wanted to reiterate that you can wear as much hi vis as you like, but it only makes you *more* visible where you are already visible. If it's dark, and you cannot be seen, his-vis is likely to be as visible as lo-vis i.e. *not*!

If it's dark, and you are in an area where there are likely to be headlights e.g. roads - *reflectives* are the thing that will make you visible.

Of course you could go over the top and get a jackets that's half hi vis and half reflective, so you're visible day and night...

Reflectives can be seen from a lot further away under a weak light source than even hi vis, which sometimes is only visible at the last minute. Please, protect yourselves

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Quite right. I also have a tabard which lights up, and a tail bandage with lights.

 

[Apercrumbie]

Very good point. Although for those who ride in the dusk/dark, IMO nothing short of lights is good enough.

 

[Captain Bridget]

My horses rug has reflective strips on it, I could find him in the pitch black with just the small amount of light coming from the stables! Very handy!

I'm amazed by the number of cyclists I see on my way to the yard who have no reflectives on at all. Very dangerous.

However I think I'm the only horse rider in my direct area who wears any hi viz, but I can count on one hand the riders I see around! And we have a lot of off road riding.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

I echo these sentiments - actually I wish pedestrians/dog walkers would understand that some reflection at night would be good. On the drive back from the yard these past couple of nights - in driving rain and dark - I can barely see folk at the side of the lanes.

 

[AdorableAlice]

In my view, which is pretty worthless, in today's fast moving world, there is no place for a horse on the road at night.

If your horse needs daily winter work keep it on a yard with facilities. The driver who hits a horse in the dark will be just as traumatised as the owner of the horse.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Reflectives are not enough in the dark, otherwise cyclists wouldn't need lights. Worse still, grubby hi viz further reduces visibility. The only safe way is to keep horses off the roads at night.

 

[khalswitz]

In my view, which is pretty worthless, in today's fast moving world, there is no place for a horse on the road at night.

If your horse needs daily winter work keep it on a yard with facilities. The driver who hits a horse in the dark will be just as traumatised as the owner of the horse.

My horse needs daily work, hacking in straight lines - I am rehabbing him after an injury and he isn't allowed in the school.

We ride at night with lights and reflectives, with only a short stretch of road without street lights - actually the off-road part is worse in the dark because of cyclists!

My horse is impeccable in traffic and we are very visible. IMO, safer than hacking out in mid summer with bright sunlight and shade where drivers really can't see you for glare.

 

[benson21]

In my view, which is pretty worthless, in today's fast moving world, there is no place for a horse on the road at night.

If your horse needs daily winter work keep it on a yard with facilities. The driver who hits a horse in the dark will be just as traumatised as the owner of the horse.

Agree 100%.

 

[Mike007]

I know what you mean about the cyclists off road. I have found that tapeing an LED pen torch to my horses browband gives adequate warning to cyclists (I even use 3 of them if it is really dark )

 

[vam]

I have always believed that the refelctive part of hi vis is the most useful part at night, i have been driving along and several times seen the reflective bands on horses legs and on the rider before anything else. Good red flashing lights are also a must but can be confusing when on the front of a horse, i tend to put bright white lights on instead same as cyclists.
Speaking of which, on my search for a refletive mesh ex sheet (really hard to find a decent one by the way, i dont want fleece inside as i've got ones like that and he will get to hot now he isnt clipped out fully) anyway i came across these and i have to say im really like the idea, some thing i might consider actually. I already have a light by them and find it really good and bright.
http://www.provizsports.com/en_gb/c...flect360-gilet-reflective-gilet/category/126/

 

[Spudlet]

I just got some brilliant neoprene arm/leg-bands from Wiggle. They are reversible, with hi-viz on one side, and reflective on the other so you can swap them around depending on how dark it is.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/respro-reflective-ankle-bands/

 

[Kat]

BY LAW you MUST use lights after dark showing red behind and white in front.

If you are likely to be out in fading light or misty weather add lights to your hi-viz and reflective gear too it could save your life. Hi viz alone is not enough!

 

[bakewell]

Great points already, just to add something.... it's much easier to judge closing distance on a blinking light than a solid one. We've all had people coming up waaay too fast behind!

 

[BeingKate]

In my view, which is pretty worthless, in today's fast moving world, there is no place for a horse on the road at night.

If your horse needs daily winter work keep it on a yard with facilities. The driver who hits a horse in the dark will be just as traumatised as the owner of the horse.

This, this and this again

 

[OWLIE185]

Mt advice is to always wear long sleeved Hi-Viz to PPE Professional Standard when hacking out as it is both Hi Viz and has reflective strips on it. Long sleeved will ensure other road users can see your hand signals.

 

[NinjaPony]

In my view, which is pretty worthless, in today's fast moving world, there is no place for a horse on the road at night.

If your horse needs daily winter work keep it on a yard with facilities. The driver who hits a horse in the dark will be just as traumatised as the owner of the horse.

I quite agree.

 

[stencilface]

In my view, which is pretty worthless, in today's fast moving world, there is no place for a horse on the road at night.

If your horse needs daily winter work keep it on a yard with facilities. The driver who hits a horse in the dark will be just as traumatised as the owner of the horse.

Agree 100%.

This, this and this again

I quite agree.

Yup to all. I don't care if you're rehabbing, work the rehab so you don't have to go on the road. Yes, it may even take longer, some things take time (trust me, I've done enough rehab!) but its not worth it. Is it worth your life, the drivers life and your horses life? If you horse gets away from you, no matter how sensible, it does happen.

 

[Highlands]

Yup to all. I don't care if you're rehabbing, work the rehab so you don't have to go on the road. Yes, it may even take longer, some things take time (trust me, I've done enough rehab!) but its not worth it. Is it worth your life, the drivers life and your horses life? If you horse gets away from you, no matter how sensible, it does happen.

Totally agree, my friend had the same and give them her due her work place were really good, they let her come in for 10 and work an hour after so she could ride safely. Actually in the dark you could not avoid dangers such as mud on road, debris and pot holes so surely more dangerous? Not everyone's as lucky granted but wish people would think before having to ride in dark.

 

[khalswitz]

Yup to all. I don't care if you're rehabbing, work the rehab so you don't have to go on the road. Yes, it may even take longer, some things take time (trust me, I've done enough rehab!) but its not worth it. Is it worth your life, the drivers life and your horses life? If you horse gets away from you, no matter how sensible, it does happen.

Can't im afraid. That is my only option!

And I don't doubt it does happen - but Horse riding is a risk sport, and the whole game is about evaluating risk. I don't see any more risk when properly lit up and viz/reflectives than riding on the road during the day.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

Mt advice is to always wear long sleeved Hi-Viz to PPE Professional Standard when hacking out as it is both Hi Viz and has reflective strips on it. Long sleeved will ensure other road users can see your hand signals.

That is exactly what I was just about to say - I saw some riders last night when it was pretty much dark and they only had tabards on. I could see only their torso and not their arms nor their horses!!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

You can't be TOO safe IMO.

But feel very sorry for anyone who is in the position where they have to be dealing with horses on the roads at night, i.e. leading in etc.

Hate, just hate, these dark evenings.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Interesting thoughts and views. I am afraid I would not be brave enough or should that be stupid enough, to risk myself and my beloved, expensive and cherished horses on the road in the dark. Equally I would not want to be the wife/husband/ father etc who has to explain to the children that someone is not coming home because he hit a horse being ridden in the dark and died in the impact.

Yes riding is a high risk activity, why increase the risk. Maybe I am being thick here, but if your horse needs work in the winter he is either a competition horse or a hunter that is expected to do his job at the weekends. It is the owners responsibility to keep him where he can be worked safely in the week, be it under lights or on livery, on the walker etc etc.

The vast majority of hobby riders also work full time and when the clocks change we have had it unless we have a school. Give it another couple of weeks and most of us won't see our horses in daylight at all in the week. Horses can cope without exercise as long as they have turnout. Yes they will huff and puff a bit on the weekend rides, does it matter. Better unfit than splattered up the road in bits.

I can see the problem with the rehab horse, but if he really can't be laid off I would be putting him in somewhere with someone who can rehab him in daylight.

 

[pennyturner]

Something very beautiful has been lost in our world of street lighting and rushing cars.

We're lucky enough to be able to ride on tracks and field-verges, well away from artificial light or roads, and whilst I usually ride at weekends, very occasionally I'll go out in the dark.
A canter by moonlight is something else!

 

[3OldPonies]

I don't see any more risk when properly lit up and viz/reflectives than riding on the road during the day.

Really? Sorry, but I don't think you understand, night driving is inherently more risky than during the hours of daylight. Human eyes are rubbish at night time, and you could quite easily, even with your lights and reflective gear be missed by a driver dazzled by oncoming lights from the other direction. Not to mention potholes, overhanging branches all of which you could quite easily not see until you are upon them - they don't come with lights and if you had to go round one at short notice with an idiot driver behind it could quite easily end in someone getting an unwelcome visit from a policemen if you get my meaning.

I'm afraid I'm very much on the side of all those on this board who think that in this day and age there really is no place for a horse and rider on the road in the dark, no matter how much hi-vis, reflective and lights they are wearing.

 

[bakewell]

One thing to bear in mind is that in the event that you *have* to move a horse at night (say escapee for example) it's always better to have the kit, just in case, and have the horse used to it. Plus just crossing the road from field to yard can be made much less hazardous.

 

[khalswitz]

Really? Sorry, but I don't think you understand, night driving is inherently more risky than during the hours of daylight. Human eyes are rubbish at night time, and you could quite easily, even with your lights and reflective gear be missed by a driver dazzled by oncoming lights from the other direction. Not to mention potholes, overhanging branches all of which you could quite easily not see until you are upon them - they don't come with lights and if you had to go round one at short notice with an idiot driver behind it could quite easily end in someone getting an unwelcome visit from a policemen if you get my meaning.

I'm afraid I'm very much on the side of all those on this board who think that in this day and age there really is no place for a horse and rider on the road in the dark, no matter how much hi-vis, reflective and lights they are wearing.

As I said, I ride under street lights at night. So with my own lights, reflectives and viz, I genuinely do think it is safer than riding on the twisty country roads with blind bends in national speed limit zones during the day.

I've met friends on mine from my yard on the same road at night, and you really can't miss them. Whereas I have nearly missed them in high summer when they have been in shade and I've had sun glare in my eyes.

In our area, I have risk assessed it as not ideal but acceptable. Somewhere else/someone else may feel differently, fair enough. However I don't have anything clinically wrong my my brain, to whoever called me stupid

To whoever said about sending him somewhere to be rehabbed during the day - I couldn't afford to. As like has been already noted, it's a long slow process, and I can't afford double livery plus a riders fees. So there really isn't another option!!

We are actually moving to another yard with access to off-road hacking. However it has no lights in the school at all, and there is a 1/4 mile of quiet, twisty country road to do first before the woods. So in trying to evaluate at the moment which actually works out safer really!! Lights will still be in use anyway

 

[thatsmygirl]

Hence why I ride after work dressed as a Xmas tree and get far more respect from motorist then during the day time on our lanes

 

[AdorableAlice]

Hence why I ride after work dressed as a Xmas tree and get far more respect from motorist then during the day time on our lanes

Why do you have to ride in the dark, is it because you want to or are producing a competition horse.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Can't im afraid. That is my only option!

And I don't doubt it does happen - but Horse riding is a risk sport, and the whole game is about evaluating risk. I don't see any more risk when properly lit up and viz/reflectives than riding on the road during the day.

I actually agree, iv had far to many problems in our lanes during the day esp with traffic speeding up behind but at night iv never had 1 problem and cars stay well back trying to work out what I am and in fact I end up waving them on cause they won't come anywhere near me. I would go as far as saying I feel safer at night in my area then during the day