No love for Hi-Viz?

I have always worn a Hi-Viz tabard since a motorist nearly failed to see me in a tree covered lane, but have recently added leg wraps after talking to a non-horsey friend who pointed out to me that when sitting in a car the moving legs are the first thing that he notices.
 
mandwhy said:
I assume these people are adults, do they go to building sites and make fun.of everyone for looking stupid?!
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Last time we had the farm animals out on a site visit with builders there (working at a school) the builders made a strange cooing noise when they saw the babies and asked for a cuddle... I'm sure they couldn't care less about a little hi-viz :D
 
I have been riding on the roads for 50 years now (many of which were in Central London) and I would suggest that the most dangerous time is when the sun is bright and low so I always avoid riding out in these conditions. When I first started riding out I used to wear a bright orange Kagoul (Hi-Viz was not available). Sadly in about 50% of cases where horses/riders I have known have been killed in road accidents was when the sun was bright and low so please take car as Hi-Viz is not even seen clearly in these situations.

I am also amazed at the number of racing yards/livery yards that do not provide their staff with Hi-Viz when riding out on the roads as if one of their staff was injured/killed then serious questions would be asked as to why they were not wearing Hi-Viz to the professional PPE specification.

I would also suggets that all horse rides should do the BHS road safety course.

May I wish you all a very safe 2013
 
the best hi viz i have seen was on a cyclist, who was decked out with skeletal legs and rib cage, it was very early in the morning and all you saw was the leg bones moving in from of you. !
 
Pascal96 said:
I have always worn a Hi-Viz tabard since a motorist nearly failed to see me in a tree covered lane, but have recently added leg wraps after talking to a non-horsey friend who pointed out to me that when sitting in a car the moving legs are the first thing that he notices.
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Leg bands are very good. As my horse is 16.3 I've put rein sleeves on the breast part of his martingale as I figure his chest is in line with most drivers' eyes as they approach us. They're going to see that more than anything on me or on his head. They need washing frequently though as they get greasy and muddy easily there!
 
Id rather we both wear hi viz than see my horse hanging out of the windscreen of some car, or lying broken and bleeding at the side of the road wishing we had done, thats always assuming, you are alive to see your horse :(
 
I was wearing hi vis when we wre hit by a speeding car. The Police said if we hadnt of been in hi vis, the driver could of claimed he didnt see us, therefore getting away with dangerous driving. I can give many many valid reasons to wear hi vis, can anyone give a valid reason not to?
 
I can't afford one of the posh Luna jackets, so I am currently sporting a secondhand workman's jacket - it's really warm, totally waterproof, REALLY bright, and has tar stains on it :o Tbh it's fab !

This - ww.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Scan-Hi-Vis-Yellow-Motorway-Jacket-Hood-XXL-50-52-128-132cm-EN471-/251162666276?pt=UK_BOI_ProtectiveGear_RL&hash=item3a7a762524
 
dominobrown said:
I quite like pink hi-viz :o I also have a black horse so I think it would suit him :D
Anyone know where you can find a pink fitted hi-fiz gillet at a reasonable price?
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I got mine from eBay it's by rockfish riders, very warm and wind proof, and pink. I fit an age 11 (the sizing is generous), the pockets are a little small, but at around £12 I'm not complaining.
 
Won't go out without it. It really annoys me when I see ignorant riders or cyclists without it. It may be your life to treat with disdain, but the car driver that kills you has to live with that for the rest of theirs.
 
There are so many good reasons to wear high viz. I always wear a high viz jacket as well as decorating up the horse. The other day some dog walkers commented saying they had seen me from hundreds of yards away well before I saw them and therefore kept their dogs on lead as not to spook the horse :)

My son Elliot on our mare - I had the high viz jacket on.

IMG_1262_zps819e31f9.jpg
 
horserider said:
I thought that the best colour for visibility was orange ?

I always wear hi viz, but don't do the OTT Christmas tree look.

Not fond of pink hi viz though, other than for girls under 6 years old riding Shetlands.
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This. Except I don't wear hi vis mostly. The horses do though - way more concerned about their lives if we get separated! It's all orange, can't be doing with pink and yellow is just not very visible, especially round here in summer with the rape seed!
 
I just do not understand riders who do not wear hi-viz. It is important to me, and even my partner is realising what a difference it makes. I wish riders around here would wear it, as very few do. Dog walkers, cyclists etc would also benefit
 
My friend said she wouldn't ride ut with me as we looked stupid wth the amount of hi viz we had on. I didnt think we wore excess amount tabbard, flshing leg straps on me, a sheet, boots and breastplate.
I also have hi viz jackets for my dogs when I walk them. I would prefer to be seen and look stupid than have myhorse hit by a car
 
Twinkle Shy said:
I can't afford one of the posh Luna jackets, so I am currently sporting a secondhand workman's jacket - it's really warm, totally waterproof, REALLY bright, and has tar stains on it :o Tbh it's fab !

This - ww.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Scan-Hi-Vis-Yellow-Motorway-Jacket-Hood-XXL-50-52-128-132cm-EN471-/251162666276?pt=UK_BOI_ProtectiveGear_RL&hash=item3a7a762524
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I couldn't afford a posh jacket either, so I got an ex police jacket :D
 
Nic said:
Won't go out without it. It really annoys me when I see ignorant riders or cyclists without it. It may be your life to treat with disdain, but the car driver that kills you has to live with that for the rest of theirs.
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As well as that, if you are not wearing it and you are hit by a car, its you that has to live with the guilt that your horse was injured, or killed, all because you didnt wear hi vis. I live with enough guilt from our accident, and I certainly dont need any more!
 
I hack out on roads nearly everyday at the moment, and would never even think about going without hi-viz! can't understand why some people don't wear it...such a quick and simple thing you can do, that could stop a horrible accident happening!
 
xMoodyMarex said:
I hack out on roads nearly everyday at the moment, and would never even think about going without hi-viz! can't understand why some people don't wear it...such a quick and simple thing you can do, that could stop a horrible accident happening!
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I can understand why some people don't wear it, having read one or two replies on this thread :( The suggestion that the more Hi-Viz you wear, the more you are neurotic and expect the world to stop for you, while also making some rather bizzare correlation between wearing Hi-Viz and lack of sexual activity :confused:, or possibly that the wearer has been raped. I do not care about the views of these odd people, but I am sure that if you had the misfortune to share a yard with them, particularly younger people, then you may find their mockery hard to take and end up putting yourself and your horse at much greater risk.

We had a few members of our RC who did not see the value of Hi-Viz, until they were standing waiting for a group to return and realised that they could see the ride a good half mile away, cross country.
 
I always wear hi-viz when going out, on the road or not. As a driver, I know it gives you advance warning of a rider or cyclist up ahead.

Also, I know that my friend would not have been shot at TWICE if she had been wearing hi-viz! She was totally camouflaged on a dark horse, wearing dark clothes on a winter afternoon (not on the road). They were poachers there illegally, but I'm sure they didn't shoot at her deliberately.
 
As a driver, rider and cyclist I think everyone should use high viz :p I hate it when pedestrians step out into the road all in black and cyclist all in dark colours it means you lose vital seconds and nearly gives me a heart attack. I can always see those joggers that wear high viz jackets on the pavements though :rolleyes: :p It's for safety's sake surely it's simple.

Mythical whilst I see your point, I cycle regularly in high viz and still feel like I am taking my life in my own hands the way driver behave around me, it may not be a legal requirement but it is in the highway code why give careless drivers another excuse ??
 
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Everyone at my yard wears it. Some more than others, I wear a tabbard and horse wears leg wraps, exercise sheet as well in the winter.

90% of the horses round us seem to wear it and as a driver what hit home for me is the amount of joggers and cyclists in dark clothes I dont see till the last minute and have almost hit on a country lane.

I cycle in London and have seen 3 people get knocked off in the past year - so yes my colleagues call me the year round xmas tree but they dont understand that even if I break a leg I'll still have 2 horses to muck out so its in my own interest to be in one piece!
 
Thanks Springy, I Don't have a Shetland Myself its for Something I'm doing... So its Stuff that'll fit a 9 Hander....
Going to have a Lookie at The link now...
 
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Centauress said:
Can You Buy Hi-Viz for {the Smaller end of the Scale} Shetlands Ponies?
Thanks
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My horses leg wraps are actually a kids £1.95 high vis jacket from Asda cut up and sewn back together as leg wraps. I used her brushing boots as a Guide for the size and shape.

I think adult size jackets are about £2.50 from Asda, though I'm not sure how big they run. You could probably fashion a quarter sheet from one or two of them though, plus some cord to stitch around the edge to weight it down a little. I considered it once but my horse is 16.1 and I'd probably need about twenty!
 
I suspect that in a few years, riding on roads without hi Viz will be seen as as stupid as riding on them without a hat is now.

I wonder if equine insurance policies will make it a requirement for accident cover?
 
Centauress said:
So it Could be MADE if You Can't Buy?

You all Will find out What This ALL about in the Future, I Promise but Just Not Yet... DO NOT want to Jinix it...
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I dont see why not, I dont expect hi-viz to provide any sort of protection other than to be visible. Besides, it all has to be made at some point.
 
i think its silly not to, because in some cases insurance won't pay out because drivers can just say they didn't see the rider...
also my friend has been sued because she had a PLEASE PASS WIDE AND SLOW hi-viz and the driver crashed with someone coming the other way, their car was written off and now they are suing my friend because of her hi-viz, its ridiculous that they are allowed to sell them but then there are always those loopholes..
i'de suggest getting caution young horse or just caution horses...
happy hacking
 
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