Hi-Viz. A well done and a poll

[muddy boots]

[ QUOTE ]
Ishy I didn't use to worry about off-road hacking either, but after hearing that helicopter pilots have been known to thank riders for wearing hi-viz so they can avoid flying over them and from rescue pilots saying how a striken rider wearing hi-viz is SO much easier for them to find, I now wear it even then!

And having driven round a bend in a lane, on a sunny day, I know that even in broad daylight, the dappled light and glass reflections mean I'd still appreciate a rider to wear hi-viz.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hadn't thought about this ..... when I ride off road I never wear it, but will now. Also, if conditions good I tend not to, but agree, horses blend in well without.

Is it true that insurance can be void without? Someone told me this, but can't find anything in my policy.

I promise to try harder and wear more.

 

[jumptoit]

I always wear a tabard - partially due to insurance. I probably should wear more but I only hack on roads where visibility is good and have never had trouble with people not noticing me.

 

[nicnag]

I go out looking like a mounted police reject - every possibly HI-Viz item you can buy on! I have a heavy winter hi viz jacket and a lightweight one for summer, same in quarter sheets for my horse. the roads around us have become so much busier that I just don't take the chance any more.

 

[MrsMozartletoe]

Never did as a child or teenager (was a loooooong time ago

).

Now both daughter and I wear it. Daughter has an Exo cage and a zip up high viz tabbard over it - she looks like muscle child lol. I wear a tabbard over my BP. I guess we look like mutant family lol. Neds usually wear high viz sheets. We hack on and off road.

 

[Faro]

Always wear Hi-Viz when hacking, whether on or off road.

I've got tabards, but I prefer to wear a lightweight ex-police top I got from E-bay. This is great because it's lightweight and windproof, yet big enough to go over my bulkiest coat, yet light enough to wear on the hottest summer day. It's got long sleeves (for added visibility) and reflective stripes as well. I paid about £3 for it.

I've also got a hat band which stays permanently on my hat - no reason to take it off. (I've got a separate "posh" velvet hat for dressage).

I also use a hiz-viz neck strap, so there's more visibility from the front as well. I did have some leg wraps, but have to confess to having put them "somewhere safe" and can't now find them. And I have recently invested in a pair of Mountain Horse high-viz gloves.

Just hacked out this evening between 6pm and 7pm (the rain didn't stop until then) and, as I was riding my brown/black boy, I also put a lightweight mesh hi-viz exercise sheet on him too - and I have a second, thicker, waterproof exercise sheet for the winter.

I don't care whether I look like a Belisha (sp?) beacon or not, mine and my horses' safety is far, far more important.

 

[palomino_pony]

Always wear a tabbard now on my new skitty horse, don't always on my older pony, but I should do! I wear hi - viz more that I used to, say 5 -10 yrs ago, as our quiet lane from the farm has become a cut through rat run over the past 5 years - more houses built in the village and a lot less "horse / farm aware" driver using the lanes. (GGRRR!!)