Hi Viz Wear - To Wear or Not To Wear - Hackers

We dont need to ride on the roads but if we did would always wear high viz.
As a driver I am very aware of horses on the road but am amazed at how many people ride without high viz - even at dusk. I do not speed and would consider myself to be a careful driver but have been shocked at how difficult it is to see horse and rider in very bright light or dull conditions. Most riders complain about inconsiderate drivers but I think we have a responsibility to ensure we can be seen. Sorry this seems to have turned into a bit of a rant but I just feel so strongly about this.
 
SpottedCat said:
Always wear it hacking when I am going to go on the roads and always wear it cycling. I like my life!

TBH I do think it's a maturity thing - when I was a kid I used to cycle to school and my mum made me wear high viz (for reasons I now understand ;)) and I hated it. Now, there's no way I'd venture on the roads without it, because I know how much more quickly I can see people as a driver. As you get older, you care less about 'what it looks like' and more about what an idiot you'd feel if you actually couldn't pay the mortgage/livery bill/whatever, I find.

I also have loads of it for work (I work on building sites a lot) and always always have some in my car/lorry in case I break down. As I say, I like my life!!
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Yes, the funny thing is I wouldn't want to wear one myself, however 'if' my daughter had to hack out (which I wouldn't want her to) on roads I would make her wear one!!! I just asked her and she said no she wouldn't want to. She's 13yrs old and it's definitely not a fashionable look in her opinion :D
 
Just curious tho OP, why wouldn't you want to wear one if went on roads? I mean, is it a fashion thing? Or lack of comfort? I barely notice mine tbh. I think it's like wearing a hat tho, just automatic now.

As a slight aside, sometimes I am last to leave the yard at night and turn all lights off before walking out with my torch. Lots of us have hi viz vests hanging by stables and my gosh are the visable! This is in the pitch dark when the torch light catches them. Similar principle for going through wooded lanes etc.....

Nicelittle my boys both have leg bands and roo has a breastplate. I may get J a breastplate too as think adds to all round visibility.
 
i like to wear one as i find drivers slow down more and are more respectful i hack one what would appear to be quiet country lanes but we often come up against huge lorries buses and tractors (which are the worst usually) so it is a little close for comfort if anyone is driving at speed. If i get particularly annoyed at drivers shooting past me in broad daylight on a grey horse i get the 'YOUNG HORSE SLOW' kit out and then people usually give a wide birth for fear of their precious cars :)
 
ecrozier said:
I have vest and hat band (flashing).

I totally agree with comment re maturity and also with whoever said there is sometimes a generalization that those who wear hi viz are the nervous type. However I like to imagine I've gone some way to reverse that trend on our yard as I'm probably one of the more competitive riders and I wear more hi viz than anyone else! But people def wear more now than they did.
I have the equisafety Polite (police) tabard and think that has a noticeable effect!
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Flashing hat band :eek: :eek: :eek: Ohh no! :D

Yes I think there is a generalisation at our yard to that if you wore this kind of gear you are the 'happy hacker' cob riding' nervous type

Not putting the cat amongst the pigeons here with reference to happy hackers, cobs etc it's just a generalization and noticeable point? So come on dressage/competition riders, prove me wrong, show me your pictures of your dressage horse in flashing head bands and bicycle red lights :)
 
I ride out kitted out as described above on my eventer whom I've taken Novice and someone else took Intermediate - I hardly think that classifies me as a happy hacker riding a cob. Even if it did, the thought that I would be more concerned that someone might not realise I compete and, shock horror, might think I 'only' hack compared with the very real danger of being hit by a car without it, is just daft in the extreme! I probably compete the most of anyone on my yard, what an odd way to think!

I am now wondering if this thread is actually a wind up! If so, well done, you had us all going ;)
 
Always a tabard and if it's cold/wet I've got a bright yellow coat I wear as well (non-fluorescent but bright enough!). Would say that's it though :o Should invest in some more though.
 
I never go out hacking without wearing hi-viz vest and horse wearing hi-viz exercise sheet - and that's hacking out on the roads, or off-road/in the fields. I know that the farm workers appreciate being able to spot me a mile off, plus on the road it's a no-brainer - drivers can spot you quicker.

I'm late 30s and don't understand why people have such an issue about wearing hi-viz. I know it doesn't necessarily directly save a life, but it does give you an advantage. And I would also like to think that drivers appreciate the fact that I'm being a responsible rider on the road.
 
janey said:
She's 13yrs old and it's definitely not a fashionable look in her opinion :D
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Neither is being splattered over the bonnet of a car! :eek::eek:

I'm 25 and always go out with hi-viz on me & horse, I passed a lady tuesday, when it was lovely and sunny without any on and didn't see her until I was right next to her (she was coming form other direction)...I was so close to stopping and telling her how idiotic I thought her behaviour was!
 
Erm, ok. Well i don't have any pictures of us wearing our reflective kit but my horses are an Arab I event at BE90 who also competes at elementary dressage, and a rising 5 year old 16.2hh very nicely bred Scottish sports horse who I (realistically according to several well regarded trainers) hope to get to 1* if not beyond.... So we probably don't fall into the non-competitive happy hacker bracket. But even if we did I would still honestly not give a d@mn whether people who think they are perhaps a bit too 'cool' to wear hi viz think I look silly. As long as drivers see me before they hit me, I'm happy.
 
ecrozier said:
Just curious tho OP, why wouldn't you want to wear one if went on roads? I mean, is it a fashion thing?
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Oh yes I will be honest and tell you it's a fashion thing. It is a bit like the hat debate but maybe it would save my life in a different way than the hat would. I don't ride without a hat though but would think twice about all this flashing yellow gear.

I've just bought a lovely blue and white Newmarket excercise sheet, I will stick to that when hacking out. It's quite bright :)
 
janey said:
lol I am chucking to myself now! :D or should I be offended! Is it my spelling, my punctuation?? My topic lol
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No need to be offended, I just cannot comprehend an actual adult with experience of the world and of how hard as a driver it can be to see riders etc even on a sunny day, putting looks in front of safety. It sounded like the sort of thing I'd have said as an arrogant teenager who believed they'd live forever and nothing would happen to them (I hated wearing high viz as a teen but got grounded if I didn't). So I thought you must be in your late teens (old enough to not be made to wear it by a responsible other, young enough to still care what people thought about how you looked vs being safe).
 
You see SC, its still branded for the company I currently work for, so would feel weird wearing it for some reason? I have worn my HUGE motorways jacket a few times - but I notice Arco are now doing long sleeved fleeces with reflective strips, which I might have to go buy myself just for riding :eek: :D
 
Since having an accident whilst out hacking and coming across riders whilst driving round country lanes with no hi viz on I always wear a hi viz waistcoat regardless of weather.

Horses blend in so well with the trees and bushes at the sides of country lanes, especially if they are dark coloured and the rider is wearing darkish clothing.

Better to be safe then sorry - I always think it gives me the upper hand should I ever have an arguement with a driver passing too close. They cannot use the excuse that they did not see me!!!
 
SpottedCat said:
I ride out kitted out as described above on my eventer whom I've taken Novice and someone else took Intermediate - I hardly think that classifies me as a happy hacker riding a cob. Even if it did, the thought that I would be more concerned that someone might not realise I compete and, shock horror, might think I 'only' hack compared with the very real danger of being hit by a car without it, is just daft in the extreme! I probably compete the most of anyone on my yard, what an odd way to think!

I am now wondering if this thread is actually a wind up! If so, well done, you had us all going ;)
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Lol I think we just said almost exactly the same thing there spotted cat and Iwas also wondering if this is a wind up. I'm pretty sure no one is honestly suggesting that competition riders don't wear hi viz?!
 
janey said:
Yes I think there is a generalisation at our yard to that if you wore this kind of gear you are the 'happy hacker' cob riding' nervous type

Not putting the cat amongst the pigeons here with reference to happy hackers, cobs etc it's just a generalization and noticeable point? So come on dressage/competition riders, prove me wrong, show me your pictures of your dressage horse in flashing head bands and bicycle red lights :)
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My last yard was a big competition yard, dressage/eventing...they would hack their horses in hi viz boots and rider in a tabbard!!
 
I don't like getting a bee in my bonnet.. but...

It's not just yours and your horses safety you have to have in mind, It's the safety of road users also, I take it you may drive a car, or one of your loved one's does.

Look.. Your horse bolts, leaving you behind, runs down the road on it's own/in front of a car, when are they most likely to see it? Hi-viz'd up or not?

My horse bolted leaving me behind with NO hi-viz on, this was last year in the summer and I'd never hacked out **OH HER before and was ill advised. And that's why I realise how important it is, I spent half an hour thinking she was dead somewhere only to find her back at my yard.. Hurt, but not dead!

Sorry OP if you think this is nasty, but I just remember the feeling of dread when my girl got away from me.
 
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I wore mine even when I worked there. My boss passed me once on the road and commented on the Monday about my nice advertising!

Loads of places do the high viz reflective fleeces - way cheaper than horse stuff - have a search online because Arco isn't usually the cheapest (just most big companies have accounts with them so from there our PPE must be purchased).
 
I always wear hi viz if I am leaving the yard. One of my friends had heart attack and died out walking across fields, so I am conscious of the fact that sometimes it is important to be visible from above.

I've also been involved in an rta with a horse, so to me, it's a no brainer. I'm just not vain enough to not wear hi viz...
 
The only hacking I do is riding round the village green (which our yard is on) as a cool down after flatwork schooling/warm up before jumping (mum takes the horse for proper hacks) no, and I wouldn't want to as a fashion thing. However I would if I had to do any roadwork, but as roadwork scares me *****less (the one thing confidence-wise I haven't got back from my shyte of a 14.2) I don't need any hi-viz :) Mum doesn't wear it, but I don't think I could make her :( She only does minimal roadwork anyway.
 
janey said:
Oh yes I will be honest and tell you it's a fashion thing. It is a bit like the hat debate but maybe it would save my life in a different way than the hat would. I don't ride without a hat though but would think twice about all this flashing yellow gear.

I've just bought a lovely blue and white Newmarket excercise sheet, I will stick to that when hacking out. It's quite bright :)
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Isn't newmarket gold and red?? :confused:
 
SpottedCat said:
No need to be offended, I just cannot comprehend an actual adult with experience of the world and of how hard as a driver it can be to see riders etc even on a sunny day, putting looks in front of safety. It sounded like the sort of thing I'd have said as an arrogant teenager who believed they'd live forever and nothing would happen to them (I hated wearing high viz as a teen but got grounded if I didn't). So I thought you must be in your late teens (old enough to not be made to wear it by a responsible other, young enough to still care what people thought about how you looked vs being safe).
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To be honest where we are the roads are to busy to get horses riding up and down there, I can't tell you the last time I saw a rider on the roads? I live near Sherwood forest so most people stick to riding there.
As I said I don't do any road work at all, we hack out around the farm and take the horse to the woods (in the lorry) so I don't see the need for me to wear a Hi-Viz.

This post wasn't to wind anyone up at all, just a debate my daughter and I had early this evening when we saw someone hacking around the land in one. Just a friendly debate :)
 
janey said:
So, your taking your horse for a ride out and the ride involves road work.

How many of you wear Hi-Viz gear, ie jackets, band around your hat,florecsent leg bandages, numnah etc etc?

I personally have great hacking around the farm and can't venture out along the road as it's a busy 'A' road so I don't own anything remotely bright :D

I remember when I was a kid galloing along the grass verges along side the very same 'A' road back in the day when there wasn't much traffic :eek:

I wouldn't wear the Hi-Viz stuff if I did road work, sorry call me what you like, I've already been called stupid tonight in one post :D I just wondered how popular it actually is?
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Never mind stupid you would have to be border line brain dead not to if you hack anywhere where the is even the remotest chance of traffic. I never go out without at least a bib, most of the time the horses wear a rug. I can't understand why you wouldn't take every reasonable precaution possible to keep yourself, your horse and other road users safe. If the worst where to happen I would know I've done everything I possible could to be safe, I couldn't live with myself and the guilt if my horse or worse another person was injured or killed and there was a chance I could have prevented it. For me high vis is like not drinking and driving if you do that your are an utter selfish tool.
 
What's wrong with cobs?! (needs stirring smiley)

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Is it they can't do dressage?

Gallop?

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Well, I am 43 and wear Hi Viz, I don't think age and/or riding a cob will stop you being killed if hit by a car :(

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Horseware do about 4 different 'newmarket' colours now- the original gold, and I think blue brown and grey? Nice stuff. I'd still put a hi viz vest and leg bands on tho personally. I guess I am affected by the fact we are in a fairly built up area so in order to hack I have to do road work, in order to keep my boys fit to event I have to hack, and being at times somewhat highly strung (competition ;) ) horses, if they are going to have a 'moment' at a scary leaf or something, I'd rather the cars had given me a wider berth already. Each to their own tho I guess.
 
janey said:
To be honest where we are the roads are to busy to get horses riding up and down there, I can't tell you the last time I saw a rider on the roads? I live near Sherwood forest so most people stick to riding there.
As I said I don't do any road work at all, we hack out around the farm and take the horse to the woods (in the lorry) so I don't see the need for me to wear a Hi-Viz.

This post wasn't to wind anyone up at all, just a debate my daughter and I had early this evening when we saw someone hacking around the land in one. Just a friendly debate :)
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Fair enough - off road I don't wear it either.

But your first post explicitly said:
So, your taking your horse for a ride out and the ride involves road work.
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So you can't be surprised that people assumed you meant you would not wear any on the roads as well as off road purely because it isn't 'cool'...
 
jnb said:
What's wrong with cobs?! (needs stirring smiley)

Beautiful they are :D I use to drool at them when they did the gallop in the show cob classes at the county shows. We use to do large lightweight Hunter classes but the cobs always caught my eye, I would love one for showing :D

Your cob is lovely
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