Reflective gear...

[QuietTiger]

Don't know if other riders have seen the polite range of reflective gear, but driving down our country lane this afternoon, I had to pass a rider wearing a "Polite" reflective waistcoat. It certainly made me slow down because she looked like the police (I always do for horses anyway), but I've been looking for something effective to stop the lunatics who scream past my horse at 90mph catch the attention of drivers and I was really impressed with the riders reflective gear. Apparently it has police endorsement and approval.

Did a search, found the website and spent far too much money it's this Equisafety

Thought horsey folk might be interested. (I don't own shares in the company or anything like that, I'm just sick of being driven off the road when I'm riding).
QT

Ooh yes, I've only recently bought a really nice hi-viz waistcoat but I'm still considering getting one of the 'Polite' ones as I've heard really good things about how effective they are. Someone at our field has got one and she noticed a big difference in drivers' behaviour. They were slowing down a lot further back than usual. I suppose they have automatically slowed down before they register that it isn't actually a police horse up ahead.

Only works if you have a 16HH+ well built horse rather than a 13.2 show pony

In all seriousness though, they do seem to work.

Reflective is my favourite topic! it should be compulsory! Any brand! I find it really disturbing how many riders don't/won't wear it! My DD isn't allowed off the yard without vest, martingale, hat band, those glove cover thingies and a full set of boots! [paranoid parent emoticon]
The roads around here are full of total twunts! She had one miss her stirrup by an inch the other day! Good job she was riding out with my friend, I'd have gone postal!

Have never seen those before, they look great. I don't know where my yellow stuff is since we moved, they had boots, martingales, exercise sheets and tail things - pretty redundant as hardly ride on roads any more but I like the idea of pretending they are police horses. Until they freak out at a carrier bag or something.

You must wear bright things even off-road you know. I had a bright orange riding coat years before hi-viz was thought of which I bought after a friend came off her horse on the Downs. The horse came home without her so they had to send out a helicopter which took ages to find her lying unconscious as she was all dressed in dark colours. Could have been nasty if she was bleeding to death or something. I know they have heat-seeking equipment and stuff now but even so it's better if you can be seen.

I got one!

Always wear it and don't care if those that are too cool to wear life saving hi viz mock me. It works a treat. Particularly as my nag is black.

No driver can ever say they didn't see me as I hack in the works - leg wraps, neck band, tabard & hat band for me and even got fly fringe as horse has high head carriage. I wear it all year round too.

All my reflective gear arrived today - it's fabulous and VERY bright! I was like an over-excited school kid and rather suspect my fat tub of horsey lard elderly boy will be in shock when I ride him in it tomorrow! He'll look just like an extremely fat police horse!

The zipped pockets on the tabard are mega!! Sad I know but it saves my mobile sliding down the inside of my jodhs!

Yes i've just invested in some bits too - l think it's a fab range and really makes people think twice when zooming round the country lanes!

I love it!

Just a bit of info in case people hadn't realised it - the pink hi-viz colour is ineffective if someone has certain types of colour blindness.

I know most of the girls on my yard like the pink versions but because my DP is colourblind and can't see that colour as hi-viz I am sticking to my yellow versions - I look like a damn Christmas tree on foggy/dark days - with my flashing tabard and headlamp - hell, I don't like to take any chances!...which means I'm definitely going to check out the link provided by the OP - thanks.

I did once read a letter in Horse and Hound from someone who was driving down a country lane and saw a rider in yellow hi-viz so slowed down. It was only when he got nearer that he realised there was another rider there too in pink hi-viz. That letter made me decide to stick to yellow. I wonder if there are certain weather/light conditions where pink is actually better though?

I think it's great and they really do work - however the price is a bit ....

We wear the 'polite' tabards and they do generally slow down the traffic. A complete twat overtook us today though, at about 50mph, towing a trailer with a horse on board! To make it worse, we were about to turn right, were indicating, and in the centre of the road ready to turn! You'd have really thought he would have had more sense, and poor horse being driven like that!

OMG - my horse is totally kitted out in pink Hi-viz - now worried it's not as effective as i thought, and it's cost me a fortune to buy!

OMG - my horse is totally kitted out in pink Hi-viz - now worried it's not as effective as i thought, and it's cost me a fortune to buy!