Hi-Viz Gear – a must have all year round

Hi-viz gear for horses and riders is a must-have. Whether it’s early spring, summer or winter, wearing gear that helps both you and your horse be seen is essential. Our article below looks at why it is so important to wear garments alongside what you can expect to find at the retailers.

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Why Wear Hi-Viz?

There are many more reasons why hi-viz gear should be worn all year round. In the summer, the bright lights cast shadows causing poor visibility for motorists when approaching a horse and rider on the road. In the spring and autumn, low sun shines on wet roads making it difficult for the driver to see what’s directly ahead.

Above: horse wears Equisafety Equisafety Polite Breathable Mesh Quarter Sheet available from GS Equestrian.

During the winter, weather conditions also change dramatically from one hour to the next, especially in the UK. From icy conditions to torrential downpours weather isn’t the only thing affecting visibility at this time of year. With daylight quickly disappearing, it’s easy to be out hacking only to realise it’s going darker earlier than anticipated. If you’ve followed our points above, you’ll already have your hi-viz gear on.

A good rule of thumb is to purchase hi-viz whenever you intend to use the road when not in a vehicle. This includes on horseback when riding a bike or on foot.

Hi-viz Gear Types

For the Horse

There’s a whole host of hi-viz gear for the horse and it’s imperative to be mindful of where you place it. An exercise sheet is good for all over visibility, boots for lower legs and a fly bonnet to help visibility from the front

Items you can expect to find:

• Waterproof exercise sheets
• Tail Guards
• Rein straps
• Leg wraps
• Brushing Boots
• Bridle straps
• LED flashing martingales
• LED flashing tail guards
• LED flashing tail lights

For the Rider

Luckily, over recent years, hi-viz gear has become more appealing, versatile and comfortable to wear. The different types available have also allowed for a colour preference and of course to set off that ‘matchy-matchy’ look.

Above: rider wears Horse in Training Air Waistcoat Yellow available from Naylors.

You can expect to find:
> Hat band
> Tabard
> Coat
> Gaiters
> Gloves (yes gloves!)
> Jodphurs with reflective strips (Mountain Horse have a good selection)
> LED Flashing wrist band
> Whip

….and then some.

Above: EQUI-FLECTOR Saddle Pad Yellow available from Naylors.

All products should include luminosity and reflective materials to optimise visibility. With so many innovative products to choose from, there really is no reason why riders shouldn’t be wearing hi-viz.

Discover great Hi-Viz gear in our guide here.