Reflectives!

[timeandchance]

Ok so am just looking for opinions/experiences with reflective bits and bobs!

Today was really murky when we got ready to ride and I've brought Charlie a lovely relflective breastplate so that we can be seen more (he's dark on his chest). I also have a reflective "Caution: Horse and Rider" tabard that I've started to wear when I ride now it's murkier in the mornings when we ride! Now my friend I ride with was also wearing a rather bright hi-vis coat today and her horse has a reflective exerscise sheet....which seemed to uspet the other woman we rode with as she made quite a snide remark...that I won't repeat on here!

So.....opinions please! Do you use anything reflective when you hack out? Even if you're only on the roads for a few minutes?

 

[cornwallexracers]

Yes, I always wear reflective stuff out riding at this time of year. I can't understand people who have the attitude that its not the done thing to wear it as it must somehow make you less of a rider. You only need to be out on the road once without it to have an accident. I'd rather have my ego dented than my horses!

 

[Mid]

Yep! I'd also reccomend a reflective hat band! So you can be seen over hedges and aroung really tight corners.

What did the woman say?

-is curious now-

 

[TGM]

I always, always wear Hi Viz when riding on the road. Failure to do so is actually putting your horse at risk - how can anyone justify that?

 

[timeandchance]

Yes Mid...I am next going to get a reflective hatband....not got enough cash at the mo though!

I'll PM you what she said because I don't want to upset people!

 

[TGM]

Can't you just asterisk out the most offensive words so we can get the gist!?

 

[miamibear]

Yes i do and people always make snide remarks to me i wouldnt worry - you are the one who will save prescious seconds should there be an accident!! Its the difference between life and death in my opinion. Therefore they arent worth gracing with a comment back.

I have breastplate, bomber jacket, leg strips, hat cover, tail guard and exercise sheet.

Also found a whip with a light on the top!!

xx

 

[fairhill]

I wear loads - even in summer. And since I splurged on the v-bandz website last week it's all clashing!
I use: orange neckband for horse, orange and yellow leg bands (all round), yellow exercise sheet, pink flashing tabard, light on my leg and arm strips.
It's so much better to be safe and visible than fashionable and underneath a car.

 

[Chex]

Why are some people so stupid! Who gives a flying **** if its not "cool" (or whatever the problem is)! Hmmm, would I rather be cool and dead, or me and Chex alive, and wear reflectives...tough one! I really don't see the problem with reflectives, bugs the hell out of me that some people do. It will be their horses that suffer.

 

[miamibear]

Our local police did an article this week in the newspaper about horse and rider safety and i modelled for it

Here it is:-

The comments i got from this were - really bright etc

I couldnt care less the more riders see this ad and decide to wear flourescents the more accidents it has helped save

 

[Ash the arab]

I always wear my reflective tabard - even in the summer!
ash also has reflective legwraps that i find very effective.
I have passed horses without any hi-vis on and tbh you can't really see them until you are on top of them!!

 

[pottamus]

I wear my tabbard all year...even in summer and I wear it even when riding off road too...I just don't ride without it. I also wear leg bandz in the autumn and winter too when the light gets poor even during the day.
I ride a lot in the winter on the High Peak Trail near me (all off road) and sometimes you can set off and the fog decends because it is high up...you can literraly see a car length ahead of you from being clear in minutes!!! The trail is used by bikers and walkers so we would be in danger of a serious accident if I did not wear my tabbard in those conditions!

 

[miller]

Always - habve a mesh sheet for summer as my lad is black but always leg wraps, breasplate, sheet and either coat or tabard for me.

If you get a snide remark I just turn round and say " I'd rather look an idiot in flourescent stuff than draped over someone's bonnet with a dead horse and broken neck"

 

[_April_]

I always wear High Viz stuff... all year round and when even not going on the roads.

There was a thing on the BHS website a few months ago about a rider who was killed when her horse spooked at MoD Helicopters who were training.

I think the advice that was given then was to wear high Viz clothing even when riding on the hills so that you can even be seen from the air.

 

[JessPickle]

We have no roads so there isnt much need for it. Allthough when pickle was in his MAD phase I wore a warning young horse (even though he is 14) because at least then people were more careful around him.

Someone died in hassocks in sussex recently I think because they were not wearing reflectives at dusk time. If you do ride on roads I think you should wear as much reflective stuff as you can. Some people may say it costs a lot but not having it could cost your life

 

[Baileysno1]

A driver will see you 5 seconds earlier if you are wearing reflectives - that could save your life. I think its disgusting someone could be negative about safety wear. I don't care what anyone says I have definately found I get allot more respect from drivers if I have my tabbard on and that makes me feel safer.

 

[riotgirl]

Always wear reflective stuff, no matter what time of the year. Would rather look like a t**t than have me or my horse dead!

 

[johnsongreyhorse]

Always wear something Hi Viz and if it's the slightest bit murky I use lights aswell

 

[TheresaW]

Hardly ever do any road work but still wear reflective stuff. I wear a hatband and tabard and Doll has reflective strips on her bridle, leg bands on all 4 legs, and her rainsheet is reflective. The only person who gets annoyed is my OH, but only because it's all pink!

Have got yellow stuff as well which he uses if he rides her!

 

[Mid]

My gran wears a 'warning - young horse' tabbard, she's had it for years. Thing is, now her big, heavy, skewbald gelding is 20. x)

 

[timeandchance]

Ironic thing was that the lady we were riding with was also wearing a "caution" reflective tabard....but because she doesn't like this other lady...she had to make the joke directed at her!

 

[Salcey]

Always and all year round. My daughter had a accident with a car back in the summer on a sunny sunday afternoon. She had her tabard on, but I think if she hadn't, the car wouldn't even of tried to slow down.

 

[tabithakat64]

I have a please pass wide and slow reflective tabard that I wear all year round

 

[RunToEarth]

I have a pink tabbard that flashes

Meant for kids but it is soo cool, and have an exercise sheet for oshk, non flashing im afraid

They only did them in pony. Live in the middle of moorland so its always murky, could never justify putting my horses in danger, and a lot of the horses I ride do not belong to me for starters.

 

[lillie]

i wear stuff on roads all year round, but i dont wear ex sheets during the summer as my boy get quite sweaty but here are some pics from a couple of weeks ago, he normally has 2 bridle pieces but i couldnt find the other 1 that day & he wears 4 leg bands

 

[bexj]

Another vote for "Wouldn't be seen dead without it". Whether I'm hacking for 5 mins or 5 hours, on the road or off, in sun, rain and snow, I will always wear hi-viz.

After all, even if I'm lying in the corner of a field, I'd quite like the chance that someone might find me a little bit sooner.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Anything that makes you & the horse stand out better has got to be worth wearing. You will always finds some idiot who doesn't think 'it's cool' to wear the stuff. Well they'll find it very cool in the ground won't they.

Mine always goes out with Fluorescent Tabard & Exercise Sheet & hat. If you stand out the drivers will see you earlier & it may stop something bad happening. These things don't cost a fortune & I believe they're essential day or night & any time of the year not just winter months.

 

[princesskelly]

i wear hi-viz vest, poppy has exercise sheet but dont wear it in summer.(she sweats to much) also have just brought some funky purple leg wraps with reflective stripes.
better to safe than sorry!

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Yep - Hi-Vis Boots, Exercise sheet, Tabbard, & Brestplate. Probably a bit OTT and get a few snide remarks, but rather that and be seen than DEAD!!!!!

 

[eekmon]

Yep med too, a reflective tabard + sheet if rainy or cold and murkey! Some silly girls at our yard ' wouldnt be seen out in un-cool reflective gear' better to be 'un-cool' than squished by a car I say!

Think Flick_Flick I may just borrow those purple leg wraps for the Igster