Never been more glad of my hi viz

[LauraWheeler]

I live in the new forest so hardly ever have to ride on the road but I still wear a hi viz jacket most of the time out riding. Luckly today was one of the days I had the hi viz on.
I was riding Herbs up the outside of an enclosure and ahead I could see some feral ponies. They all seemed fairly spooked so I approached them with caution. They became very intrested in Herbie and started circling him and which point he desided to grow 3 hands and go into stallion mode :rolleyes3: I carried on up the track when suddenly the feral ponies started to act spooked again.
Suddenly the police helicopter appeared just above the trees, dropped below the treeline and started heading streight for us :eek3: Herbie didn't seem to bothered but I could just see the feral ponies taking off and Herbie going with them so I jumped off him and started franticly jumping up and down and waving my arms around to get the pilots attention. Herbie and the feral ponies all looked at me like I was a nut job :redface3:
Luckly the pilot saw me (at the last minuet), turned away and gave us a wide berth. The feral ponies took off but luckly I remembered I had polos in my pocket so managed to distract Herbie and lead him up the track alittle way before getting back on and continuing the ride.

I don't think the pilot would have seen me at all if I hadn't had my hi viz on and the outcome could have been a very diffrent story.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I think it was the Polos, do they not know that flying within 500 feet of people is illegal?

 

[Sprout]

Thank goodness you were ok Laura.

We always wear our Hi- viz, all year round, not just so drivers can see us on the rare occasion we ride on the roads, but so anyone out on the Forest, dog walkers, other riders, people flying kites, pilots etc can see we are there and hopefully be cautious. Also, if we fall off, we want to be easily found!
Sounds like Herbs was a star, even if he was bribed with polos! xx

 

[Orangehorse]

I think it was the Polos, do they not know that flying within 500 feet of people is illegal?

They can only keep away if they can see you. Considering that they are travelling x miles per hour, a good way up in the air, it must be difficult to see a brownish animals against the greenish/brownish landscape.

Obviously the Polos helped too!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

What a ride!
Like Sprout, I always wear my hi viz to be seen anywhere - thank goodness you were wearing it!

 

[Magicmillbrook]

Hooray for hi viz, Herbie and polos. We have loads of low flying helicopters go over our field at the moment as we are not far from a military training ground so our neds are totaly nonchalant about them, wish the same could be said for dock leaves and patches of different coloured mud!

 

[Bionic Boy]

I always wear hi viz for the simple fact of if anything should happen the chances are it will be the air ambulance that comes out to me and I want to give them the best chance of finding me.

Hope I never need to put it into practise but you never know.

 

[quirky]

Brilliant of the police to bank off when they saw you and great job you were wearing hi-viz.

I always wear mine, even if staying on the farm.

 

[Megibo]

Good job they saw you!

I always wear my hi viz even if just going around the yards private hayfield. If I realise I haven't put it on I go back for it!

 

[debsflo]

crikey i would have been a nervous wreck

 

[dizzyneddy]

Gosh! You can't say your ride was boring!!! Like you said good job you had your hi viz gear think its essential this day & age. Glad that you & Herbie are both fine - love the new forest (l should do as l've got 2 cheeky nf ponies). Sounds like the pilot was concentrating on something to not see you but you were prepared with your polos so everything ended well thankfully. Take care & happy riding

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Something similar happened to me a while back on Trad-Lad.

We were riding on a local area of common land where the military train; we were under the trees, going down a steep bit - towards home!!!

World War Three was already going on around us - blokeys running around, hiding in the undergrowth, etc etc, THEN there was the noise of a helicopter right over the tree canopy directly above where we were. Just when I thought this can't get any worse, it did, people started abseiling out of the 'copter just close to where we were!!!

Thoughts of: where will horse bolt to (his yard, PDQ - all I've got to do is just hang on & hope-to-god we don't flatten any dog-walkers on the way); can I actually manage to stay on??? What TF shall I do???? - Jeeeezuuusss!!!! - all entered my head as quick dart-thoughts.

I just waited for the explosion............... but - miraculously - horse was fine! Didn't turn a hair, didn't break pace or anything, just plodded on towards home. Such a lovely boy when he's really needed to be a sensible chappie. I should have known he'd have been OK, and trusted him. But anyway, rider had six fits & a nervous breakdown (dealt with adequately by suitable alcoholic refreshment later on, I hasten to say).

On the way home a butterfly flew under his legs. He spooked at it, the great wuss. That's cobs for you.

And YES, I was wearing my hi-viz, but don't think they'd have had a dogs chance of seeing me under all the vegetation.

But I never get in the saddle without it; frankly can't understand people who don't. Why not wear it for their horses sake if not their own? It baffles me. You can get a simple hi-viz tabard very cheaply, certainly less than £10 - is that too much for either the rider or the horse's life???

 

[Spottyappy]

That was close. Glad all ended well, and that Herbie was such a good lad.

 

[Tobiano]

wow that is scary Laura! Well done Herbie and well done you.

 

[LauraWheeler]

Thanks everyone. The chopper was up looking for some burglers, who were apparently caught breaking into a shed and had legged it onto the forest. Hope they caught them.

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite thats sounds scary glad your horse was fine with it.

dizzyneddy Foresters are the best you can never just have one

 

[Sprout]

Shame the Police didn't catch the thieving scum - we had break ins around here again recently!

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Thanks everyone. The chopper was up looking for some burglers, who were apparently caught breaking into a shed and had legged it onto the forest. Hope they caught them.

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite thats sounds scary glad your horse was fine with it.

dizzyneddy Foresters are the best you can never just have one

LOL, that's is so true!

What part of the forest are you in? Glad all was ok. I was on my NF today and another helicopter came over the pylons where they did last week. I was intending to go that way too but watched as they dipped and hovered literally feet from the ground. I don't wear hi-viz with Benji but I do when taking my youngster out for walkies.

I'm going to contact our local bases to find out when they are low flying so I can avoid going out!

 

[dizzyneddy]

crikey i would have been a nervous wreck

Laura

Foresters are the best you can never just have one [/QUOTE]

I definitely agree with you on that score - l've been lucky enough to have had nfs in my life for over 23 years, their willingness & cheekiness is what draws me to them. Would live in the new forest if l got the chance