Did you know, it’s as important to wear hi-vis in the summer as it is any other time of the year? No matter what the weather, hacking out can be dangerous for horse and rider, including anyone on foot. Wearing suitable clothing to maximise the visibility of all is of the upmost importance.
Hopefully, the dark mornings and evenings are now behind us for another year and we can all look forward to spending more time out and about riding our horse. That, for many, means great opportunity for hacking on the road to either reach bridlepath or enjoying a leisurely stroll through country villages.
Here, Nicky Fletcher, Founder of Equisafety reiterates the importance of wearing hi-vis in summer:
Going without that splash of fluorescent, reflective material is not a good idea, especially when a horse and rider can be more difficult to see during those sunny afternoons. Horse and rider easily vanish from sight whilst riding down a leafy lane on a bright sunny day. This is a particular problem on lanes or roads where drivers go from shady areas to bright ones just by going around a corner, or when the sun starts to rise or fall thereby dazzling them.
TOP TIp: If you want to make yourself visible and look rather funky at the same time, consider mixing up the colours of your hi-vis apparel, both on yourself and your horse as this will help raise awareness of your presence.
Make yourself a checklist of hi-vis items, ideally of everything you’ll need to be safe and seen on any country road – or bridleway this summer.
Fluorescent and reflective items may include:
- Gilet or bib
- Hat band
- Chest strap
- Exercise sheet
- Wrap around boot covers for the horse
- Gloves
And the list goes on!
Equisafety Ltd have a vast range of items for both horse and rider that will not only enable them to ride out comfortably throughout the warmer months, but will help them be seen.
Visit the Equisafety website by clicking here.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.