How much hi-viz?

[expanding_horizon]

Any recommendation for tail tassels that stay put long term. I have this one from Vbandz, but after about six months it seems to have lost the stickability and often slides off

Combi Brite Tassel Tailguard - v-bandz.co.uk

High viz safety tailguard for horses

www.v-bandz.co.uk

 

[AutumnDays]

Any recommendation for tail tassels that stay put long term. I have this one from Vbandz, but after about six months it seems to have lost the stickability and often slides off

Combi Brite Tassel Tailguard - v-bandz.co.uk

High viz safety tailguard for horses

www.v-bandz.co.uk

I used the jumbo snappy hair clips you can get to hold in place via a chunk of tail on my old Sec D mare

 

[Sealine]

I missed out on these at Aldi recently but for those looking for hi-viz your local store may have some.

https://www.aldi.co.uk/workwear-hi-vis-jacket/p/817429759207805

 

[PeterNatt]

Take a look at the Pass Wise and Slow Facebook Page,

 

[Birker2020]

The answer to your question is that you can never wear enough hi viz. I also had lights on the back of my exercise sheet and flashing leg bands on the horses legs.

 

[Squeak]

Thanks for the recommendations of hat covers to be able to be spotted over hedges and something more for visibility from the front. I need to do both.

For those riding in lower light I always think that the amount of reflective rather than just hi vis colour is important as some hi vis only has one or two strips of reflective on.

Personally I really rate this exercise sheet but you wouldn't wear it in fog:

WeatherBeeta Reflective Wrap Around Exercise Sheet - Silver/Black

A great choice for when hacking out in low light or wet weather. The WeatherBeeta Reflective Wrap Around Exercise Sheet is equipped with a waterproof and breathable outer with an innovative material which reflects any light shone on it.

www.redpostequestrian.co.uk

 

[Birker2020]

Thanks for the recommendations of hat covers to be able to be spotted over hedges and something more for visibility from the front. I need to do both.

For those riding in lower light I always think that the amount of reflective rather than just hi vis colour is important as some hi vis only has one or two strips of reflective on.

Personally I really rate this exercise sheet but you wouldn't wear it in fog:

WeatherBeeta Reflective Wrap Around Exercise Sheet - Silver/Black

A great choice for when hacking out in low light or wet weather. The WeatherBeeta Reflective Wrap Around Exercise Sheet is equipped with a waterproof and breathable outer with an innovative material which reflects any light shone on it.

www.redpostequestrian.co.uk

Lower light and blind spots from sun glare in the drivers eyes in the summer and riding down dark tree covered lanes all have additional risks but flashing lights negate these issues.

 

[AutumnDays]

Thanks for all your input and for sharing your outfits! I am quite smugly showing OH this thread where the answer is never too much! First things first though, I am taking my two back to basics with ground work and manners (my fault, they were left to go a bit feral with the hellish year I've had), and then I will wait and see how interesting the roads get... Tourist hotspot, narrow country lanes and interesting driving techniques from what I have seen previously... It might be deemed safer to box up and adventure day trip for walkies (but still all viz'd up, just in case!)

 

[ycbm]

I'm planning on starting to walk my two out in hand together soon.

I'm hoping you can reassure me there will be a leader for each horse on public roads?
.

 

[AutumnDays]

I'm hoping you can reassure me there will be a leader for each horse on public roads?
.

Of course, I might not be clued up on some things in life, but I can assure you I'm not that daft!
ETA that this is why me and the OH were having a debate on how much hi viz, and if he can avoid the pink stuff!

 

[ycbm]

Of course, I might not be clued up on some things in life, but I can assure you I'm not that daft!

I couldn't tell from what you wrote, sorry.
.

 

[AutumnDays]

I couldn't tell from what you wrote, sorry.
.

It's ok, I realise it didn't come across how it sounded in my head

 

[Nudibranch]

I have a mix of stuff, mostly in yellow but also an orange Schoffel lightweight jacket which has received a lot of complements from random strangers about being visible! I always have a hi vis breastplate on my mare, and she has a hi vis exercise sheet if it's cold or wet as she's clipped. In summer I wear my polite vest (purely because it's the most comfortable on I have). I also have a fluorescent ribbon on the end of my whip.
I find smaller bits like nosebands, leg bands etc too faffy so don't usually bother.

Possibly controversial but personally I find a broken hi vis outline (ie separate pieces) is often more visible than one big mass.

 

[airliner]

Hi-viz is new to me as I very rarely rode on roads where I had my horses in America. The road that I ever really rode on was a dead end road due to a closed down bridge that wrapped around a field connected to the barn property and I pretty much only crossed over it to get to a larger field but occasionally would ride on the other part of the road to go through the driveway. There was never any traffic and I think I saw a handful of cars in the 4 years I was there.

I live in a small village in Germany now and riding on the roads is normal here. We have a community indoor and outdoor but they are in two separate places and tucked into the village. There are a lot of gravel paths all over the place here that we can ride on throughout the year and in the winter we can ride through/on farm fields. But I rarely see people wearing hi-viz gear!! I see some of it in the colder, darker months. In the summer time, some people have those fly sheets for riding with the zebra pattern so that provides something at least during the light and clear times.

I bought a few pieces of hi-viz gear (bell boots, brushing boots, quarter sheet) when I first got here in anticipation for this as I always saw pics/videos of everyone abroad wearing hi-viz gear when riding out. So at first I felt kind of silly and embarrassed to wear it as I am already the odd one out here! Picking up some ideas here for what pieces to get as well as confidence to wear it - thanks all

 

[Reacher]

My bare minimum is most people's overdoing it.

Horse wears: quarter sheet (with good bum coverage); neckband; noseband cover
I wear: hi-viz top (t-shirt, long-sleeved t-shirt, gilet, waterproof, depending on weather); hi-viz and/or lights on helmet

If it's gloomy, the neckband lights up, my whip lights up, lights on the helmet, and lights on the horse's bum. Edit: Also LED slap bands on my wrists, to make signalling clear.

If I'm doing a lot on the roads, I'll add legwraps.

I'll often approach a rider who's wearing exercise sheet and bib, so are really visible from side/behind, but from in front, the horse's head and neck completely covers the rider, so they're invisible.

View attachment 127414 View attachment 127415

Where did you get your horse’s “headlights” from please?

(Your horse looks as embarrassed as mine feels )

 

[Pippity]

Where did you get your horse’s “headlights” from please?

(Your horse looks as embarrassed as mine feels )

The browband was from a dodgy-looking site that's now vanished, but Kramer do something similar. The breastplate was from Amazon.

She absolutely knows that hi-viz means hacking and no hi-viz means schooling. She's always much happier to be tacked up with hi-viz than without, even with the embarrassment!

 

[pistolpete]

I have a fab padded hi viz gilet I love wearing and am sad when the weather stops me wearing it. We also have hi viz wraps on the stirrups think they’re pretty useful.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Morning all!

Just curious as to how much hi-viz everyone and their horse wears out and about? I'm planning on starting to walk my two out in hand together soon, and whilst there are plenty of off road bridleways around, there are country lanes/main road to get to most of them, and I want to be safe and seen. Other half is saying I'm being overkill with it, as it's only a short walk on roads to these lanes, but surely too much is better than not enough?! I'm looking at tail tassels, leg bands on all legs, a neck band and me in a high viz bib. What's the general HHO consensus?

So many just have tabards, but never think from a drivers perspective you can sometimes rarely see it as it is obscured by the horses head and neck.

Too me it is MORE important the horse has hi viz as it is the horse who is in immediate danger, specially of we are seperate.


We where V-bandz hi viz brushing boots all round, hi viz rug, hi viz coat and she has some hi viz sew on her ear bonnet, also hi viz whip to wave at cars if they are too close very effective for the knob heads. This is our summer attire.

Have not used my whip yet but will start soon.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hat bands are great as well as you can see riders above the hedges.

Never thought of that - good comment.

 

[nikkimariet]

High viz tabard and 2 flashing light strips on me.

High viz quarter sheet and flashing light neck strap on Rooni.

I reeeeeally want a silver reflective quarter sheet.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Gear Guide

With so many different products available on the market, it can be tricky to know which one to choose. Check out our tried and tested product reviews for impartial advice, and our buying guides for important things to consider before you splash the cash.

www.horseandrideruk.com

got one of these too

wish they still sold the SEE-U lights, I put these over brushing boots

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Any recommendation for tail tassels that stay put long term. I have this one from Vbandz, but after about six months it seems to have lost the stickability and often slides off

Combi Brite Tassel Tailguard - v-bandz.co.uk

High viz safety tailguard for horses

www.v-bandz.co.uk

Have you thought about putting a tail plait in and attaching it that way

 

[Tiddlypom]

I know that I’ve posted these dash cam stills before, but they are relevant to this thread. This shows why a hi viz tabard alone is not enough - the lead rider is wearing one. This is a NSL country lane, and OH was driving, I was passenger. I spotted ‘something’ up ahead first, and even though I’m very horse aware even I didn’t realise initially that it was two horses and their riders. We slowed up straight away anyway - car speed is shown on the stills.

The horses, who were in the shadow cast by the hedge, remained virtually invisible even close up.

Just before 1pm on a gloriously sunny late January day, wet roads.

 

[claret09]

please use orange - it's the only colour that really stands out . that's why the railways and emergency services use it

 

[ponynutz]

As much as I can physically manage.
Pony has a ride-on rug, boots, and used to have stuff for her bridle but I lost it. I have a hi-viz jacket and an LED hat strip. I would have more if I could, it's my favourite type of matchy matchy! I wear it even in very good light as it's good for blind bends/seeing a horse from far away even if not needed for being seen in the dark.

At the very least I'd have the rider wearing some!

 

[expanding_horizon]

Have you thought about putting a tail plait in and attaching it that way

Wouldn’t that be quite low down? Or are you thinking French plait the very top? Which seems quite a lot of hassle?

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Wouldn’t that be quite low down? Or are you thinking French plait the very top? Which seems quite a lot of hassle?

was thing of the upper part or maybe a "D" ring on the bag of the rug in the centre where the tail thing could attach to so wont slide down if the hi viz tail thing had a plastic dog clip attacked to it it would simply be just clip it to D ring and away you go, Just a thought.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

In low bright sun the only thing that stands out are flashing lights. I always drive with headlights on as I know even cars are invisible if sun is behind them.

 

[suestowford]

I came across (in my stash of Stuff) an old Sam Browne style hi-viz reflective belt which I used to use when I was cycling. I cut it up and now use it to attach to tails so we've got something swishy & bright at the back. I just plait a bit of tail and elastic band it on to the plait.
Also have leg bands for the pony, and an exercise sheet.
My ponies are old now so I don't ride them but we do go out for walks sometimes. One day we were out and I was in hi-viz orange hat & jacket, pony in yellow, and some neighbours came along. They said they could see us from the bottom of the lane.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Mine varies depending upon time of year and if I'm hacking in daylight or the dark in winter but I go for the more is more approach, whether that's high viz, reflective or lights.

I've been regularly stopped in both daylight & the dark to be told how visible I am, so that's reassuring.

As a rough guide to my minimum I'd go out in - a breastplate and sheet for horse and riding hat band and gilet, coat or top on myself. And that's for purely off road hacking - I'd add more if going on road!