High viz

Our lemony-yellows! :)

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If he's not got the sheet on, he has leg bands and a breastplate. On two occasions, he's dumped me and run home, crossing a busy road on the way. Although he is a clever pony and looks both ways before crossing (no, really, he does!), I'd rather he be clearly visible to traffic.
 
I always wear a Hi-Viz hat band, tabbard or fleece depending on the weather, the mare always has boots and exercise sheet. This is even if we are going to friends yard which is off road except for about 100 yards. I want to be found if I drop off and want the mare finding too :)
 
Always wear a hi-viz tabard or jacket whether I plan to go on the road or across country. There's a lot of extremely low-flying helicopters and light aircraft in our area and they definitely give us a wider berth when wearing hi-viz - pony is thankfully bombproof in this regard anyway but it's common courtesy to warn each other. I regularly pass the same few hauliers on the road near the yard and they always smile and wave, many have pulled over to let us pass and thanked us for wearing it - they have to wear one by law, it's only fair that we do too.

I always wear one when cycling too, and am shocked by the number of cyclists around here who go out on busy B-roads with neither hi-viz nor helmet. :(

When the dog is old enough to come biking with me (attached to the bike) I'll look to get her some kind of coat or flashing collar too, as even if they see me motorists won't expect to look for a dog at the side too.
 
I always wear it, not only for the car drivers but also the RAF who often fly over here in their helicopters - you can actually see them make an effort to avoid going right over us. I'm also really lucky in that I have a lot of off-road riding in various private woodlands and it helps the gamekeepers seeing us when they are out deer-stalking etc.
 
I bought a fantastic ex Police Hi Viz jacket from ebay and wear this everytime I go out.

I have recently found myself on a bit of a mission with regards to those that don't waer any Hi Viz. This week I left the yard and it goes straight on to a very busy main road, but one that is tree lined so really quite dark and shady. I was absolutely appalled to discover a middle aged lady, wearing dark clothing and riding a dark pony not only out on the road without any HiViz on but actually riding the wrong way up the road towards us as well! I not only told her that she should ride on the correct side of the road but that she should also be wearing something so that at least she'd get spotted toodling down the wrong side - the response... absoutely nothing, she didn't say a word, looked stragiht ahead and carried on!!

A friend at the yard has been giving a teenage girl a few lessons and last weekend they went for their first hack (friend on her other horse). When handed a HiViz tabbard to put on the girl scowled and said 'what if someone sees me dressed like that' - EXACTLY! What if someone doesn't see you!
 
Yep always have on at least my hat silk (always on my hacking hat) & a tabbard. Also have spatz for pony's legs, glove covers, excercise sheet & a flashing tabbard that despite costing a full 5er has had the audacity to die after 4 years(!) and needs replaced.

All of my stuff is yellow as I don't think pink, green & orange are as visible at a distance, although obv better than nothing.
 
I always wear Hi Viz, rain or shine winter or summer. Others at my yard don't, because they don't like to look 'like bin men...' better than being run into by someone in a car I'd say.

I like to have easy to use bits if hi viz - such as a hat cover - so even if I don't wear any other item, I always have that on. Also, hi viz boots on the hrose and covers on the breastplate. I have the usual tabards for summer days and a waterproof coat for winter.

You never know wha those few extra seconds might save you or your horse.
 
Without hi vis, it is so easy to just blend into a hedge. I ALWAYS wear a tabard. On one occasion i had to go out with some others and was late. All i hat was a reflective/flouresent silk on. I think it is important to have one on you, if not something on the horse too.
It is really no more hassle t put a tabard on you and something small on your horse. For Gods sake, some people spend ages fiddling about with breastplates/fancy nosebands and think it's too much hassle to stick anything hi vis on :(
 
I always wear hi- viz out hacking and we have mainly quiet country lanes and off road bridleways.

We have an RAF base near us and they have just given us a whole load of Hi-viz tabbards to use:). Needless to say not everyone on this yard wears it but my horses, my neice and I always do.:)
 
I always wear hi viz, I always have a tabbard on, and neddies always have at least all 4 boots and a martingale thing, one wears a tail guard, and have also got exercise sheets!!

Dogs also wear hi viz when I take them out, they've got collars and coats! :)
 
I wear high viz if im hacking when it's dusk or if im going out in the light but know it might get dark when im heading back but i have to admit i don't wear it if i am hacking through the day.
 
I nearly hit two horses and two riders yesterday :(. I glanced to the left, saw nothing other than the browns and greys that are always there, glanced right and the road was clear, went to move forward (to the left) and looked back to the left - two flipping horses!!! Both brown or bay (dark anyway), both riders wearing dark coloured clothing. Not a spot of hi-viz between the four of them :o. I nearly swore, a lot, but I was a bit shaken at the near miss :(

Both riders were very polite and said thank you...
 
I have to admit I have been known to forget my high vis tabard when hacking out.

However I have a hat band and ponio has flourescent bits on her bridle for the front and a large white bum at the back! Plus my coat has reflective bits down the back for a little extra visibility but I do TRY my very best to wear as much as I can before I go out... sometimes the "extras" slip my mind, I have recently started to put them on top of my riding hat and boots to ensure I remember which is working for me!
 
I always hack out with at least a hi-viz vest. When it's quite cold or wet, or if I'm riding out in late evening then I will also put a hi-viz exercise sheet on my horse.
 
dont leave the yard without one all year round unlike the others on my yard. the only time i dont wear one is if im not going on the roads. (acess to offroad riding straight from yard gate) i believe it gives me an extra few seconds on the roads by me as there are alot of bends and its national speed limit.
 
I keep my boy on a BHS training yard which is an excellent example of good practice. You're not supposed to go out, even on quiet country roads, without a hi viz tabard. Its just not worth it, even on open country I've seen people vizzed up with all sorts of wonderful colours! - where I ride there is military usage so it makes good sense really coz if there's a b****y great helicopter flying around, if it can see you its a great help.

I think as horse riders we need to, as it were, do a good job of showcasing that when we're on the roads, as many of us have to as there's no-where else to hack, we take road safety seriously. I don't care if I look like a Christmas tree, as long as I'm safe that's what matters.

I was out on my old horse (bay horse, I was wearing a green jacket) and someone ran into us because they said they couldn't see us. They were probably right, altho' they were going far too fast for the road. If you've ever been involved in an accident like that, you will wear hi viz believe me. It just aint worth not doing so. Luckily my horse was OK (as was I), but it could have been so much worse.
 
Our yard had hi viz waistcoats made and sold them for £2 each (bargain!)

I dont hack out on the roads at all but go around the lanes, forest etc and always wear my waistcoat, we have a lot of dog walkers and bike riders around.
 
Maisy said:
I dont always wear hi-viz stuff.....I judge it on whether I would turn my lights on when driving tbh.....
QUOTE]

I use to do this but the weather can change very quickly near us and i go caught out once (fog) and vowed never to let it happen again.


I know have full hi-viz on me and the horse, what ever the weather.
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I very rarely ride on the road anymore, I'm usually safely on private lanes and tracks around the farm, so don't wear one.
However, since having my horse down at college last year and having to hack out on the roads I've realised the importance of wearing one.
It's taking a little time to get used to getting into the routine of putting one on every time I venture further than the farm but I do try my hardest to remember.
 
When I came off last year and donked my head, I was still wearing a hi-viz tabard from the hack back from the show. The helicopter pilot said thank you! Said it had made his job so much easier (I was in a field). Made me think... :cool:
 
BFG said:
Maisy said:
I dont always wear hi-viz stuff.....I judge it on whether I would turn my lights on when driving tbh.....
QUOTE]

I use to do this but the weather can change very quickly near us and i go caught out once (fog) and vowed never to let it happen again.


I know have full hi-viz on me and the horse, what ever the weather.
Click to expand...

Even in the sunshine it makes a huge difference when you're driving - my colleague and I almost took out two riders on a bright sunny day leaving work once, as we were in sunlight and they were in the shade of a tree - no high viz, two bay horses, totally invisible:eek:
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