High vis - re Brain Dead Encounter

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Boltonrider

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Just a further point on the responses to my previous post....

When you guys and gals are out and about, the high vis really does help, however....

It's second and more important role is the location of accident scene's..... If any of us attend an incident at whatever time of day... a horse pounding down the lane is pretty simple to find and recover.... our trouble is locating the rider that's no longer mounted!!!

A simple £1 high vis vest, makes a massive difference in locating somebody who can't shout for help, or respond to our calls and sirens. That one piece of high vis holds a huge potential, and can mean the difference in utilising the air ambulance / police helicopters / mountain rescue for a search or not.
Add on a reflective hat band with that vest (the more REFLECTIVE material the better) and a search becomes far quicker and easier. I say more reflective stripes, simply because in darkness the light from a search beacon or helicopter night light can pick you out from more than 2 miles aways. Fair enough you were hacking in daylight, but daylight quickly becomes darkness in the uk, especially when you can't get details to the emergency services....

Take care, and ride safe
 
I had a nasty shock last week as a dark coloured horse suddenly appeared from a hedge at about 6:30 in the evening. It was being brought in to a yard from a field up the road by 2 people dressed top to toe in dark clothing. If they had not turned to cross the lane I would noy have seen them until I was right on top of them & it was a narrow lane.
 
have seen some hiviz polo shirts in builder merchant for less than a tenner.they have hiviz bomber jackets for £15 and they are waterproof so there really is no excuse for all weathers.
 
As a novice rider, but high milage road user I am afraid I'm a bit of a Hi-viz nerd. I have a waistcoat, a nice big jacket and I'm about to buy a bomber jacket for the spring / summer evening rides.

I see a lot of riders, many very experienced, who simply don't register how bad many drivers are, but I had not considered the rescue aspect, as we ride 80% of the time on bridleways and through woods.
 
I've just bought an airowear hiviz waistcoat in a lovely limelite colour and I can't wait to wear it! Just going to bid on the limelite horse wraps later today.
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We ride on the moors almost as often as we ride on roads and always wear hi viz/reflective so we can be seen when (not if
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) we get chucked in a ditch
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I love shires for making a reversable body warmer, blue on one side hi viz on the other would love them to make a coat like that!
I don't think there is any excuse not to wear it.
 
i need, for the better weather(when it arrives) a lightweight quarter sheet,quite thin,to sit behind the saddle.
any recomendations please?
 
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We ride on the moors almost as often as we ride on roads and always wear hi viz/reflective so we can be seen when (not if
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) we get chucked in a ditch
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That's what it's all about!!
Hundreds of square miles to cover, a rider calls in on a mobile, say's I'm injured, I need an ambulance, my horse is loose and free.
Where are you now?
Oh I'm not sure, but I passed a grey buidling about 25 mins ago, and I'm heading towards a big hedge somewhere near a stream?!?!?!
A 12hr search with tons of people?
Or a 30min scan, which finds a high vis vest marker in a remote ditch?

To have a good chance of full recovery, you ideally need to apply the golden hour, in any situation, you need to be found and recovered within 60mins and ideally in hospital by 90 mins or less!
Wear that vest, air amublance could have you found, picked up and in hospital in far less than 90 mins!!

Yes on the roads it vital, however we all need to think how we're going to get help when riding remotely on those safe beaches and bridleways.

Always take a working mobile, high vis and please consider getting hold of a "space blanket", a simple foil adult size rescue wrap which will keep you warm, trap your body heat, and allow vital extra minutes!!!

Riding together or a group?? How many of you have basic first aid training?? How many of you carry a basic first aid kit for humans and one for horses?? Something to consider!!

**Note: feel free to contact me if there are any groups out there who want to get together and receive first aid training by ambulance service staff with equine experience!!**
 
I got a nice lightweight mesh one from V bandz - you used to be able to order on line, assume that you still can...

Jen
 
Sister and I have Mountain Horse Body guard Jackets, BUT have to wear flourescent tabbards over them as they do not do them in HI Viz I do not understand why they don't, also why are there no HiViz back protectors? I think this is a big gap in the market (mind you I don't wear a back protector 'cos I can't find one that does not push me out of the saddle!)
 
Boltonrider, allow me to massage your ego once more - thank you for another brilliant post!
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Also a tip - builders merchants, Arco and construction type suppliers offer a good range of high vis stuff for not very much money.

Does anyone remember a few years ago when Puffa did black flecked jackets with reflective stuff mixed in? Any idea if anone does that type of jacket any more? It wouldn't replace a high vis vest, because you need both flourescent and reflective matertial to be able to be seen by daylight and night, but it all helps....

Go on then Bolton, tell us what would make up a basic horsey first aid kit that would fit in your pocket! I imagine things like crepe and triangular bandages would work for horse or human?
 
A member of our riding club makes brilliant bags which clip onto the back D rings of a saddle and have a webbing strap which reaches the back girth strap, she makes them fron bum bags, they are big enough to hold basic first aid kit, hoof pick etc. I now leave mine clipped to the saddle all the time, so have the essentials with me whenever I ride.
 
whilst out on a hack just over a year ago my horse and i were hit by a car. We were wearing hi-viz and it was a one car-width road, asked the 83 year-old man to stop but was ignored and he hit us. He was ignorant and arrogant, so please all be so careful and do not presume that even if you can be seen with hi-viz that people will slow down, very often they won't and we learnt the hard way. The man got away with it and is claiming against ME for damage to his car, when we were stationary and he hit us!
Also, apparantly, be careful with slogans on hi-viz that say 'young horse' and the like because so i hear this is almost accepting liability if anything happens. I always wear hi-viz and have reflective hi-viz brushing boots too. Take care be safe!
 
A very good point raised here. I always wear my hi viz when hacking, even if I'm just going into the woods and for precisely this reason. I have trained as a first aider for Mountaineering and one of our activities was to "find" a member of our team who was lying injured on the moor. When it came to my turn to be the casualty I couldn't believe how close people were walking past looking for me and not noticing me in the heather. I would like the paramedics to be able to find my body if I'm unconcious
 
I don't wear Hi Viz per say but i do wear a Horsewear product, which is like a waistcoat and has flashing red lights. Do you think that just that is ok??

Horse always wears her Hi Viz blanket out on hacks though because shes black and blends in with hedges very well...
 
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I don't wear Hi Viz per say but i do wear a Horsewear product, which is like a waistcoat and has flashing red lights. Do you think that just that is ok??

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I would suggest you consider some reflective wear as well.
The vests you use are excellent on the road, from the air, the LED lights used, cannot be seen from any distance, or from certain angles.
Continue to wear it, but think about adding a reflective hat band and possibly wear leg bands on your legs as well as the horse!
Ypur scenario, means the horse would be easier to locate with the sheet, however should you have a problem and become dismounted, it's you that needs to be found quickly.
 
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Boltonrider, allow me to massage your ego once more - thank you for another brilliant post!
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Go on then Bolton, tell us what would make up a basic horsey first aid kit that would fit in your pocket! I imagine things like crepe and triangular bandages would work for horse or human?

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Aww thanks naturally!!

First aid kit for horses? Tell you what I carry in a small personal 1st aid bag, attaches nicely to saddle or utility belt worn over your hi-vis jacket!

Laminated First Aid Guidance Leaflet
Sterile Wound Hydrogel
Adherent Wound Pads7.5cm x 7.5cm
Adherent Wound Pad 10cm x 10cm
Disposable Powder Free Vinyl Gloves
Alcohol Free Antiseptic Cleansing Wipes
Pair Blunt Ended Stainless Steel Scissors
Pack of Sterile Non woven Swabs
Microporous Bandage Tape
Under Bandage Padding
Cohesive Bandage 10cm
Pack Cotton Wool
Sterile Saline Solution
Pair Plastic Tweezers

That kit always goes with me as a minimum, obviously the nature of my work means I carry a lot more in my vehicle, and if I was riding in unknown terrain or over long distance trekking, I would probably top it up a little. However the above should be more than enough to get you home or back to safety, rule of thumb says if you need anymore than whats in your kit, you most likely need to get vet assistance asap.

As for humans, well I have a small pocket kit in black and very discreet attached to my everyday belt.
Carry a pocket mask in the event of CPR ever being given (cause I really don't want unknown bodily fluids in my gob!!)
Variety of plasters, triangular bandage (so many uses it's unbelievable!!) protective gloves x4 and a multi-purpose tool with knife etc. Generally thats all you should ever need in the event of an accident....again if you need much more than that, then your looking towards getting emergency help on the way!!..
Just a pointer...if you decide to carry a kit and you ever have to open and use your pocket mask....make sure you have an ambulance coming!!!!
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I always always wear high viz, no matter how hot it is. I've got the mod issued high viz vest, a spare one incase someone i'm riding out with hasn't got one
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the mod quarter sheet for Cropi, hat cover and for the winter a high viz bomber jacket. I don't often wear it all at once but at the very least have the jacket or vest on.
 
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Also, apparantly, be careful with slogans on hi-viz that say 'young horse' and the like because so i hear this is almost accepting liability if anything happens.

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This has been established many times on here that this is, infact, not true.

Well done Boltonrider, I think this matter needs to be repeated and repeated until all horse riders/drivers take the hint and USE the gear.
 
Am always Hi Viz'd, infact it was a standing joke at my previous yard, with smart comments llike " Oh your binding me " I would reply "good thats the whole point " At my new yard we have in total 700 acres off road hacking, if hacking off road I reduce Hi Viz to Hat cover and Waistcoat ( jacket depending on weather ) and if wearing a sheet always a wrap round Hi Viz. When I had my last bad fall. I was found quicker as they could see the Hi Viz. I had been knocked out and didn't have a clue where I was. It didn't help that I couldn't phone for help as phone had been broken in the fall. I always tell someone where I am going. I really don't understand people who don't wear Hi Viz,
 
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Add on a reflective hat band with that vest (the more REFLECTIVE material the better) and a search becomes far quicker and easier. I say more reflective stripes, simply because in darkness the light from a search beacon or helicopter night light can pick you out from more than 2 miles aways.

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That's exactly it! For me Reflective is equally as important to hi viz colour. I've lost count of people - mostly joggers - that I've seen (or almost not) in early winter mornings or evenings who wear the hi-viz tops but without the reflective bits they don't really stand out any more than someone without hi-viz - the colour makes next to no difference in the dark. Great for day time, but not the dark.

I pass one chap each morning on my way to the yard and he's covered top to toe in reflective - and he can be seen from a couple of hundred yards away.
 
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