Hi-Viz - good pictures to show how much difference it makes

Z

zoeshiloh

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www.stowmarketanddistrictridingclub.com
I went to Devon at the weekend, and the town where we stay had their annual 'starlight festival'. There were two police horses roaming about, and a pair of shires pulling a dray giving rides up and down the town. I took these pictures one after the other, in almost the same spot (turned right about 90 degrees). I put them on my facebook where a friend commented how it really shows how much difference high-viz makes.

policehorsesdulverton.jpg

drayhorses.jpg
 
Good point, you can certainly see a difference, I think people only tend to wear hi-viz on dull days when in fact during the day time in winter with the low sun you really need something on all the time.
 
I am generally hacking in one of those neon yellow Rockfish HighViz Jackets and we are in Devon, with narrow lanes and high hedges and a week ago a lady in a car stopped to tell me how visible we were and that she could see my jacket from a long way away above the hedge even so she couldn't see the horse.
 
It makes such a difference, it's amazing! I only really started to appreciate it when I started driving, the extra time makes it som much easier for a driver. It's also good off the road too, gives me extra time to call the dog when walking
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I always wear a hi viz tabbard even in summer. There is always one plonker on the road driving like a he's jenson Button...a few extra seconds could save us from a nasty accident..also I heard that soem insurance companies may not pay out claims if you were riding in a public place without hi viz.......

Sorry guys I also don't get why some people ride out wearing dark clothing on a dark horse...daytime or not you are still really hard to see.

I was driving to my yard recently and our 2 youngest yardies were riding out oit was a murky day but was about 11.ooam
both in dark clothing one on a dark bay horse the other on a grey no hi viz...I always expect to see horses on the road by the yard and from 2oo yards I only spotted the grey horse because she stood out against the hedge line....

got to yard told the mum...and her response was oh well they are teenagers what do you expect....

well i would expect them to come home alive at least.....I have a 12 year old daughter and I would never let her on the road without hi viz no matter the season or light.....in fact she rides at a riding school and for insurance purposes no person is allowed to hack out without hi viz...very strict...

sorry that turned out to be quite long....
 
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Crumbs i really had to look to see the shires and spotted the police horses straight away.
Good point very well made

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Ditto this, I was wondering why I was just looking at a man in hi vis in the 2nd photo at first glance, took me a minute to see the shires.
 
I think its sheer stupidity to be out hacking without hi-viz.
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To me Hi-Viz is a necessity, it could make all the difference. It's "saved" me a few times. I mainly hack off road, but it takes us through some woods, where a lot of offroaders go, the times that motorbikes have had to stop quickly on seeing us are numerous. For the sake of your horse, you owe it to them to wear hi-viz...not just on dull days, but everyday.
 
that's quite remarkable. I'm finding it hard to remember putting it on as we just didn't wear it years ago.....I hack out at first light most mornings now though so I know I've got to get into the habit of it.
 
I do agree with you, but also think its affected by the different quality of light in the shots.

In the second pic there is a man standing in the foreground with a hi vis tabard on, but he is much less visible that the police in the first pic. So yes, I do agree that hi vis does make you easier to see, obviously, but as the pics are not taken from the same angle, it also is a trick of that light that the shires are that dark imho
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Z, sorry I missed you, daughter had a load of friends staying all weekend for her birthday but I actually popped into town just to buy a chicken completely forgetting it was Starlight!

Its a great shame that Hi Viz hasn't really taken on down here - I don't know anyone who wears it
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We ride out in hi viz all year round, I can't see the point of not wearing them, they are light, don't hold the wet and could save accidents.
I always say to people who mention it, that I value my horses highly so i'd do anything I can to avoid them, or me, being hurt.
This time of year with the low sun and poor visibility is as bad as dreary evenings, reflective strips flash at the drivers so at least they get a bit more warning when they see us on the road.
Living in a hugely horsey area i see dozens of riders out every day, few bother with reflective jackets. In a world where owners say they care so much for their equines, spend fortunes on kit and expert help, then can't be bothered to stick a vest on to give drivers a vital few extra seconds to avoid them it seems crazy. A complete no brainer, if you care for your horse at all stick a vest on and BE SEEN.
 
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I think perhaps the hi-viz man doesn't look as stood out as his high-viz tabbard was a mesh one, and was dirty - the police officers were in waterproof clean jackets, hence stand out a lot more.

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Yes, but I still think its because of the light in the photo - I can see peoples skin colour in the first pic, can't see anything in the second one
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I've never had any doubts as to the difference Hi-viz makes. The photos are brilliant, as I had to search for the shires!!

The question is - how do we make people realise and wear it??
 
I am always hi vized up as is my horse (unless it too hot for a sheet ) but he does wear hi viz wraps on his boots people at my previous yard used to make smart comments like " Oh you can be seen from space " I would reply thats the point.

when I had a nasty accident a couple of years ago and I was knocked out and the the horse was found without me. They found me quicker lying knocked out on the ground in the woods because of my hi viz
 
thick fog met me on the morning yard drive today. I was on a 'country' bus route, not a little used track. Whilst chuntering about a silver car i'd just passed with no lights on and virtually impossible to see until you were on top of it I found a dark bay horse being ridden down the road towards me with the rider in green/brown clothing. Normally i shake my head and wonder what part of their body holds their brains, but this time i stopped and spoke to the rider. She seemed genuinely surpirsed when i said how hard it was to see her, and perhaps took my advice on board to at the very least stick a reflective vest on. I hope so. Very nice horse she had too!!
We decided to ride those that had to go out down our local lane, as it has wide verges and we can stay off road the whole way, including through the farm yard to get onto it. Otherwise I would NEVER ride in fog, and thing those that do should have their heads examined.
 
i dont leave the yard at any time without High-vis on, the lives of my children & horses are too precious (the kids do not need to loose their mum) & the boys should not be put at risk.

too many people work on the principle "it wont happen to me" but sadly it can & does.
id personally like to see it compulsary for minors the same way hats are.
 
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