To high viz or not to high viz...do i dare ask the question!

[YatesE]

Just wondered what people think about wearing high viz throughout the year?
Personally in the winter I wear a head band and a tabard and my horse wears leg bands, a breast plate and sometimes a exercise rug (all high viz of course). In the summer I just wear my tabard and head band, nothing on the horse.
Opinions...without any criticism or rudeness!

 

[JFTDWS]

You're wearing a jacket? In this weather? Just... how are you not cooked?!

 

[YatesE]

You're wearing a jacket? In this weather? Just... how are you not cooked?!

Haha no I mean tabard...poor description (edited above)!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I wear a tabard and hat band, pony (black) wears leg bands and hi viz bands on his breastplate and always a bright yellow/orange (tho not hi viz) saddlecloth. And I have just found yellow biscuits for his bridle

 

[AandK]

I can think of lots of reasons to wear it, but none not to wear it. I wear a tabard all year round, and the horse has bands to go over his boots, again all year round. In winter horse wears a hiviz exercise sheet as well.

 

[SEL]

Having seen how easily a bay horse and a rider blended into the shadow at the side of our busy road, a tabard is the minimum I think.

I'm sure I saw something recently that attached to the back of the saddle with a flashing light. That might persuade drivers to give us some room.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Orange or pink tabard in summer (with pockets in) and bright yellow hi vizjacket in winter.
I do no roadwork, but if on random occasions I visit others and need to, then hi-viz boots on my mount at a minimum.

Obs not forgetting tags to return mount..... or me!!

 

[JFTDWS]

Haha no I mean tabard...poor description (edited above)!

I thought you were some kind of super-human who has developed the capability to live comfortably in the sun...

I wear hi vis t-shirts in summer. Ponies wear a fluo saddle cloth or a bright blue fly rug to go out.

In winter, there's some combination of reflective breast plate, mesh exercise sheet and reflective boots on the horse.

 

[SallyBatty]

I wear a hi viz tabard all year round. In the summer my horse wears a hi viz breastplate and tail flap and in the winter and its cold or wet my horse wears a hi viz sheet with tail flap and the hi viz breastplate.

 

[ester]

All year round pony wears a breastplate and small tail wrap thing as I don't like the thought of him bogging off naked. If visibility is bad for some reason I do have meshy quarter sheet.
I always wear a tabard and hat band summer.

Winter the big guns come out, I have an amazing flashing breastplate for dull weather and wear lights on myself and the legbands go on.

 

[criso]

I would almost prioritise something on the horse than for me. If we get separated I know to look out for traffic as a pedestrian, he doesn't though the reality is we both have something. I have a tabard for summer, jacket for winter. He gets waterproof exercise sheet for winter or parsons rump for summer.

 

[Red-1]

Even in this weather I have a tabard (long sleeve) and hat band. The horse has a mesh sheet.

To be fair the tabard stops me from getting sun burn and the rug and tabard help prevent fly bites.

 

[Griffin]

Year round: hat band, tabard, reflectors on stirrups, breast plate. In the winter, we use a mesh exercise sheet and in summer we use leg bands. I also have tags on me and pony. We do a mixture of off road and on road hacking, so tend to wear a mixture of hi viz colours.

 

[mavandkaz]

We wear it all year round. I'm in either a tabard or jacket and gloves. He is always in hi Vis fly veil, and either a mesh sheet or waterproof sheet. Have just ordered some hi Vis over reach boots.
Some of the people at my yard probably think I'm over doing it, but I don't care. Have had several comments about his ears and how it was the first thing that was spotted in the distance.
I think it's just as important at this time of year as it is so dark in shaded areas

 

[ElectricChampagne]

Having seen how easily a bay horse and a rider blended into the shadow at the side of our busy road, a tabard is the minimum I think.

I'm sure I saw something recently that attached to the back of the saddle with a flashing light. That might persuade drivers to give us some room.

I do believe it was this. been wondering what they would be like and if they will be expensive. I also wonder if there is already something similar made for the cycling world? I've heard mention of it before

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/new...ty-658508?mc_cid=7b57e40433&mc_eid=09334ab492

edited to add: yes there is a cycling version, wonder if its much use..

https://www.halfords.ie/cycling/bike-lights/bike-lights/garmin-varia-rearview-radar-tail-light

 

[Annagain]

I wear a tabard and hat band all year round. The horses wear an exercise sheet with tail flap and a chest strap in winter and in summer I attach the chest strap to the tabs on their numnahs (they're too short to attach to the saddle itself) and one of those hiz viz streamer things in their tails (I forget the name). We wear a mixture of pink and yellow so if one colour isn't obvious the other should be. They used to wear leg bands but they kept losing them so I opted for the chest straps and tail things instead. I like a chest strap as they're big boys so their chests are about eye-level for most drivers.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I can think of lots of reasons to wear it, but none not to wear it. I wear a tabard all year round, and the horse has bands to go over his boots, again all year round. In winter horse wears a hiviz exercise sheet as well.

*5 this. I wear tabbard and hi viz whip horse wears hi viz boots - breast plate. and winter + rug

I see too many round here only wearing a tabbard which to me is pointless as coming from the front the driver does not have a clear view as horses front end and neck obscures it.

 

[YatesE]

https://www.viovet.co.uk/images/embedded/1416917373_1680base64_14169173733916.png

This is quite a clear representation. Sadly some drivers just don't think/see...i'm a cyclist too and have the same problem despite wearing high viz shorts and a backpack with "Think bike Think Biker"

Although it can be difficult when things like this crop up!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uk...orse-riders-told-not-to-wear-polite-bibs.html

 

[ester]

I do believe it was this. been wondering what they would be like and if they will be expensive. I also wonder if there is already something similar made for the cycling world? I've heard mention of it before

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/new...ty-658508?mc_cid=7b57e40433&mc_eid=09334ab492

edited to add: yes there is a cycling version, wonder if its much use..

https://www.halfords.ie/cycling/bike-lights/bike-lights/garmin-varia-rearview-radar-tail-light

My main issue with this is that all winter, when a light is most useful I wear a long coat, which sits over my cantle to keep my bum dry! I also wonder if it is just going to sit too high up to be as noticeable as it could be.

 

[ester]

*5 this. I wear tabbard and hi viz whip horse wears hi viz boots - breast plate. and winter + rug

I see too many round here only wearing a tabbard which to me is pointless as coming from the front the driver does not have a clear view as horses front end and neck obscures it.

I agree and do think breastplates are very useful, I do have a noseband piece too but he doesn't usually wear a noseband so it only comes out rarely!

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

I'm really struggling with high viz for my ridiculously huge pony. The Big Horse shop don't have the high viz brushing boots in stock any more and won't until winter. No one seems to do a high viz ride on rug or quarter sheet that looks bigger than a postage stamp. Equisafety had volunteered to make one for me (I'd contacted them in hope they might normally make large rugs for police horses) but after I provided Little Ern's measurements, they realised it would need whole new patterns which would cost too much Instead my brother is buying me an XL rug and I'm going to source some reflective material which I'll sew on to the bottom to make the rug big enough (I have a sewing machine and a vague idea how to use it. How hard can it be?)

Until then, its just me, covered in high viz and leds. Generally Ernie's very large bottom tends to stop drivers in their tracks with a look of fear in their eyes.

I should also mention, I wear my high viz tabard while hacking around the farm ride at the yard to be visible to helicopters and other low flying noise makers, or just in case. A friend was once kicked by a mare in the field while she was getting one in. It was so much easier and quicker to recognise a problem because she easily stood out against the muddy field because she was wearing high viz.

 

[AFB]

After struggling for the last two summers in my padded hi viz gilet I realised over winter that I bought a super garish orange t-shirt from Superdry that is near enough hi viz for me to use as an alternative, so that's my permanent hacking outfit.

 

[criso]

I'm really struggling with high viz for my ridiculously huge pony. The Big Horse shop don't have the high viz brushing boots in stock any more and won't until winter. No one seems to do a high viz ride on rug or quarter sheet that looks bigger than a postage stamp. Equisafety had volunteered to make one for me (I'd contacted them in hope they might normally make large rugs for police horses) but after I provided Little Ern's measurements, they realised it would need whole new patterns which would cost too much Instead my brother is buying me an XL rug and I'm going to source some reflective material which I'll sew on to the bottom to make the rug big enough (I have a sewing machine and a vague idea how to use it. How hard can it be?)

Until then, its just me, covered in high viz and leds. Generally Ernie's very large bottom tends to stop drivers in their tracks with a look of fear in their eyes.

.

The parsons rump I mentioned can be made to measure and I don't think would be hugely pricey.

Edited to add link http://www.parsonsrump.co.uk/size-guide

 

[Beausmate]

The parsons rump I mentioned can be made to measure and I don't think would be hugely pricey.

Edited to add link http://www.parsonsrump.co.uk/size-guide

And V-Bandz might be able to do something about leg bands.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Runners have hi viz clothing. In this weather I'd opt for a bright top like they wear than cook!

 

[Equi]

I would not go out in summer without a tabbard. If its a planned hack, ill put on my martingale but most of mine are sporadic and thus i just grab the hiviz that i leave up high. In winter, i go all out with the tabbard, sheet (mostly to keep dry cause who has time to wait before rugging again) and the martingale. Oh i forgot i have a hiviz saddle pad too. Were quite the 00s neon party

 

[ester]

Orange and Lemon I have a friend who makes bespoke stuff she might be worth asking? - I've not spoken to her for a long time other than seeing her stuff on FB.
https://www.facebook.com/prosewproducts/



I can't believe you did more than one summer in a padded gilet AFB! I've got quite a lot of hi vis sportswear but I sometimes wear the tabard too depending on what I'm doing with my phone.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

The parsons rump I mentioned can be made to measure and I don't think would be hugely pricey.

Edited to add link http://www.parsonsrump.co.uk/size-guide

hmm, that's a good idea, particularly as I already have the measurements needed because I took them when measuring for Equisafety.

Haven't heard of V-bands, I'll take a look, thanks Beausmate.

 

[Carlosmum]

Is no one brave enough to admit they don't wear hi-viz? There are enough of them around!

For me.... Yellow, orange or pink tabard from amazon & hat band, in winter I have the most fabulous cycling chaps which keep the wind & rain off, just a few quid from Aldi.

Pony wears neck band, bands over his boots, & I attach a band to his browband so he can be seen from the front I add a bum sheet in winter.

 

[Equi]

Is no one brave enough to admit they don't wear hi-viz? There are enough of them around!

For me.... Yellow, orange or pink tabard from amazon & hat band, in winter I have the most fabulous cycling chaps which keep the wind & rain off, just a few quid from Aldi.

Pony wears neck band, bands over his boots, & I attach a band to his browband so he can be seen from the front I add a bum sheet in winter.

I never used to wear it. But then when your out hacking and a friends horse ends up on the bonnet of a car (not because we could not be seen, or because he reacted to anything...he simply slipped and the car happened to be too close and actually broke his fall or his rider would have come off and got he head squished..) we were never allowed out again without it. Became pure habit after that. Now i'm a fan of it cause its so ridiculous looking. I love neon colours