Hi Vis in the light - REFLECTIVES in the dark

sasquatch

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I try and avoid hacking in the dark - my horse is dark bay so even over fields in the dark I might lose him.

I don't ride on the roads unless it really is my only option, and even then I wear hi-vis no matter what time it is.

I wonder if you could get tabbards with LEDs in them that would work at night and day.
 

KautoStar1

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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 completely agree. I just can't understand anyone who would want or need to ride on the road in the dark.
 

stencilface

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Ah well, riding in street lights is a little different I grant you. I may be tempted if I had to if that was the case. And yes I hate twisty roads, but these days during daylight with a barefoot horse I now can safely (mostly!) trot downhill on the sections with blind summits when I can hear a car coming so I can be out of the blind spot.

I thought we were talking about in the dark here ;)

I wear my old work coat for dog walking at 6am, it's lovely and warm and marvellously oversized in the only way female ppe can be. Just need to get a zip in the mutts equafleece so I don't have the leg battle and we are set :)
 

thatsmygirl

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I try and avoid hacking in the dark - my horse is dark bay so even over fields in the dark I might lose him.

I don't ride on the roads unless it really is my only option, and even then I wear hi-vis no matter what time it is.

I wonder if you could get tabbards with LEDs in them that would work at night and day.

Oh yes you can, :) I have one, it flashes very bright along with flashing lights on all 4 legs, big red light on her tail, flashing martingale which is amazing, head torch on my hat, head torch on my mares browband and other flash strips attached to stirrups and that's before I start on any reflective gear
 

khalswitz

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Ah well, riding in street lights is a little different I grant you. I may be tempted if I had to if that was the case. And yes I hate twisty roads, but these days during daylight with a barefoot horse I now can safely (mostly!) trot downhill on the sections with blind summits when I can hear a car coming so I can be out of the blind spot.

I thought we were talking about in the dark here ;)

I wear my old work coat for dog walking at 6am, it's lovely and warm and marvellously oversized in the only way female ppe can be. Just need to get a zip in the mutts equafleece so I don't have the leg battle and we are set :)

I do try and be as safe as poss!! I try and avoid the national speed limit, non lit roads after dark unless I've just been caught out in late autumn before clock changes.

I have to do a stretch on the old railway before the road that is unlit and far more hairy than the road...
 

ozpoz

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I agree with AA. I am amazed at people believing it is normal to ride out on roads in poor light, or darkness. I really don't get it.
Just because products originally designed for cyclists are now marketed for riders doesn't make it a good thing!
Every rider I have heard, who justifies their night time riding by saying how visible they are,fails to take on board the fact that they are "horse aware" both as riders and drivers - most drivers are not horse aware in daylight. At best, it is insanely optimistic to hope they will be horse aware at night!
 

twiggy2

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for those of you that ride out after dark have you checked your insurance covers you? I would have thought that riding after dark or having a horse on the roads after dark would be seen as NOT taking reasonable precautions to be safe.

Also how ever many lights you have on or how ever much reflective stuff drivers still cannot see (on the whole) that it is a horse on the road.

I think riding on the roads after dark is a risk too far for me just seems a massive risk for horse/rider and other road users-a loose horse on the roads during daylight is a massive risk let alone a bundle of lights and reflective gear that no-one can decifer as being a horse
 

Cragrat

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I completely agree. I just can't understand anyone who would want or need to ride on the road in the dark.

Because I work full time, and I don't have access to an arena of any kind.

Not everyone can afford not to work full time, or to stable their horses a long way away, to gain access to arena, but where the distance would necessitate full livery.

I use fluorescents, reflectives and lights. I choose where I go carefully. I don't see why I should restrict my riding to weekends for 4 months of the year.
 
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ozpoz

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Craigrat, you, I, and many others work full time and don't have an arena.
I choose not to put my horses or family and other road users at risk for the sake of my hobby.
And the risk IS considerable, and not worth it ,imo.

Lunge, let down a little, ride at weekends for a couple of months. It won't harm your horse, yourself, or anyone else that way.
 

Cragrat

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If I had somewhere to lunge, I would.
It's not a couple of months, it's four.

Our roads are quiet, i get off the roads on to the moors most of the time, and I am well lit.
 

RunToEarth

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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.

Completely agree.

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!!

I actually think that is a very odd way of looking at things - for all the money saving in the world I would not be compromising myself, my horses and any other road user by riding in the dark.
 

Cragrat

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But I don't feel I am compromising anyones safety.

We meet 2 -3 cars at most in the hour or so we are out, often none at all.
I always hear the car coming, and move to a verge or gateway.
The car always sees us in good time and slows right down as they pass.
I don't feel any more at risk than in the daylight.
I do feel the key is that I and my horse really are VERY well lit- I am not skulking around like a shadow.

And I am not prepared to stop riding for 1/3 of the year.
 

Tapir

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Many people ride on the roads at night near us. All have lots of lights and reflectives and are visible from a long way off. I have no problem with it at all as the roads are fairly quiet and straight and mostly have steetlamps. The first time I saw a lit up horse and rider it did take a moment to figure out what it was but, regardless of what it was, I could see it and so avoid.

I just wish the dog walkers and cyclists would have the same sense.
 

khalswitz

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for those of you that ride out after dark have you checked your insurance covers you? I would have thought that riding after dark or having a horse on the roads after dark would be seen as NOT taking reasonable precautions to be safe.

Also how ever many lights you have on or how ever much reflective stuff drivers still cannot see (on the whole) that it is a horse on the road.

I think riding on the roads after dark is a risk too far for me just seems a massive risk for horse/rider and other road users-a loose horse on the roads during daylight is a massive risk let alone a bundle of lights and reflective gear that no-one can decifer as being a horse

Yes, petplan covers nighttime riding! Just FYI.

Eta do HAVE to have lights and reflectives though!
 

khalswitz

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Completely agree.



I actually think that is a very odd way of looking at things - for all the money saving in the world I would not be compromising myself, my horses and any other road user by riding in the dark.

I don't physically have the money to pay someone else, as well as two lots of livery. I don't see how that is a funny way of looking at it? You either have it or you don't - and I don't.

I could turn him away for four months, and maybe that is what you would do. However I am relying on my insurance money if the rehab doesn't work - and an extra four months away then adding on rehab time may leave me with him breaking down after my insurance cover ends.

Unfortunately, some of us keep horses on a groom's wage! And it is doable, but anywhere where costs can be avoided they have to be (and we all know the areas where they shouldn't be) - and I'd rather my equipment fitted, feed was good quality etc etc than pay someone else to rehab my horse when I can do it myself.

I don't see it as high risk compared to daytime on the road (but then I also ride at rush hour when I can because I think it is safer than through the day, and until they think about the much slower speed of traffic and lack of room for overtaking, and longer time drivers have to see you, most people think I'm mad).

I doubt I will convince you, and you won't convince me, so I guess we are at an impasse :)
 
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JenJ

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Hell, I even wear Hi-Viz in the day!

And this was the whole point of the thread - hi vis is not something that should be worn at night - it's most useful in the day when there is light for it to be seen. Reflectives are most useful for visibility at night (excepting lights of course, I'm just referring to clothing items rather than attachments).

I only started this topic as hi vis has been recommended by a lot of people (not just on this forum) as a prerequisite at night, but it should only be a pre requisite in the day. It's little better than useless at night, though granted it's better than wearing all black :p
 

twiggy2

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my Hi Viz has reflective strips on it, that is a tabard with pockets, a t-shirt and a coat, the horse has a Hi Viz exercise sheet with reflective strips-I only hack out in daylight hours and always wear Hi Viz when hacking out on roads or tracks
 

Meowy Catkin

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And there was me thinking that hi-viz automatically meant a combination of fluorescent fabric and reflective tape, although you can get the tape that is both fluorescent and reflective, as seen on many hi-viz leg bands.

I would say that if you venture onto the roads at night, you need hi-viz and lights. I wouldn't have hacked in the dark for all the tea in China where I used to live, but I could here if I was so inclined.
 

thatsmygirl

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Many people ride on the roads at night near us. All have lots of lights and reflectives and are visible from a long way off. I have no problem with it at all as the roads are fairly quiet and straight and mostly have steetlamps. The first time I saw a lit up horse and rider it did take a moment to figure out what it was but, regardless of what it was, I could see it and so avoid.

I just wish the dog walkers and cyclists would have the same sense.

What a great post from the drivers side of things. I also get told how well lit up I am and I will say again that I get NO issues at night only by day. Most drivers stop to tell me how well I'm seen and have Red on the back end of the horse and plenty of white light front end. Insurance is fine as long as I show the white light at front/red at back. I have headlights on my car which show up all the dog walkers with no hi viz so other people's head lights will show up myself and my horse very well with all our lights. If people think their roads are safe enough there is nothing wrong with it if they are lot up well enough and they know their horse will be ok with it
 

Ibblebibble

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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

so you know that drivers can't see what you are and you think that is good?!

I am quite happy to give my horses an easy winter and only ride on weekends, would rather that than spend 4 weeks or months in hospital because a driver couldn't tell what i was and failed to give me enough room. Although i know we have the right to be on the roads as much as any other user, we are also responsible for making sure we give other road users the same courtesy we expect, we want drivers to give us room and slow down, if they can't identify us how can they do that?
 

thatsmygirl

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so you know that drivers can't see what you are and you think that is good?!

I am quite happy to give my horses an easy winter and only ride on weekends, would rather that than spend 4 weeks or months in hospital because a driver couldn't tell what i was and failed to give me enough room. Although i know we have the right to be on the roads as much as any other user, we are also responsible for making sure we give other road users the same courtesy we expect, we want drivers to give us room and slow down, if they can't identify us how can they do that?

My roads are very quiet and drivers stay well back until they work out the lights, its a lot safer than daytime hacking in my experiences. I'm seen from a very long way away and I also have no problem passing other riders who stand out well in my headlights with their gear on. Unless your blind you really can't miss them
 

thatsmygirl

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I must remember to have a word with the cows which keep getting out the fields which I meet early in the morning, they have no reflective gear on at all but funny enough my lights show them up so I can stop and go round them.
 

saskiahorsey

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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... ;)

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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 :)

sorry haven't read replies but I just avoid riding in the dark....if I do its at a comp in winter so limited if any traffic...I just would not enjoy riding out in my area in the dark ...its bad enough in daylight.... but yes I think leading in from field where you need to cross roads etc its an excellent idea to use lights reflectors etc
 

MerrySherryRider

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I must remember to have a word with the cows which keep getting out the fields which I meet early in the morning, they have no reflective gear on at all but funny enough my lights show them up so I can stop and go round them.

Lucky for you that you have never seen dead horses and cattle that broke through fencing at night. It's not a pretty sight.
 

Ibblebibble

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I must remember to have a word with the cows which keep getting out the fields which I meet early in the morning, they have no reflective gear on at all but funny enough my lights show them up so I can stop and go round them.

you may think it's funny but there is a reason that farmers can and do get charged if their animals escape onto the public highway, it's because it is dangerous and can cause a fatal accident.
it's the attitude of , 'i can so i will regardless of how it could affect others' that gives horse riders a bad name :(
 

thatsmygirl

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I've seen my fair share of dead animals and people for that matter after working in the fire service for a few years until I had my daughter.
Night time riding where I live has proved to me to be safer then day time riding as long as your lit up well enough, the same as any other road user. In fact I worry more about daytime riding esp in bright sun where drivers are blinded by the sun. It seems some people think vehicles have no headlights, mine show up the riders with lights and those without high viz as I met tonight but my headlights still showed up the animal and its rider, the cyclists, little rabbits running in front of me, oh and the person walking in full dark clothing this morning at 4.50am but still my lights showed him up. Point being yes you must make yourself seen it would be stupid not to but nobody should be invisable on the roads if drivers are paying attention and their lights are switched on. I would never ride on busy roads but that's choice, i know how quiet my roads are so im happy with them. Accidents always happens but in my experience if I had an accident I would place money on it being in day time.
 

thatsmygirl

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you may think it's funny but there is a reason that farmers can and do get charged if their animals escape onto the public highway, it's because it is dangerous and can cause a fatal accident.
it's the attitude of , 'i can so i will regardless of how it could affect others' that gives horse riders a bad name :(

Of course cattle on a highway is dangerous that goes without saying, they are even more dangerous on a duel carriageway or motorway or busier roads but on OUR quiet lanes they aren't so much of a problem as being a very rural area and every place being nothing but farms its part of the parcel and you expect to come across some sort of animal. A few weeks back I stopped for a stunning barn owl who was stood quite happy in the middle of the road, I stopped and had a very good look before he flew away.
 
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