Be Seen – Be Safe!

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Did you know? Wearing luminous and fluorescent items when riding can give vehicle drivers a valuable THREE seconds extra ‘reaction time’ that could save the life of both you and your horse! To put it into context those three seconds are equivalent to a car, driven at 30 mph, travelling the length of a full size dressage arena!

The majority of horse owners work full-time to be able to afford their animals, and so have no option but to exercise their horses either early in the morning, or late in the afternoon. When the days are shorter this means riding out in the half-light, and riding a dark coloured horse in dark coloured clothing is courting disaster.

According to British Horse Society figures, there are around 3,000 accidents on the roads each year that involve horses. These figures include a number of fatalities. However, a common misconception is that when a fatality occurs it is only the rider or horse that is killed. In some cases the driver and passengers join them. Imagine a horse weighing up to 100st coming through your windscreen at 30mph………. So what should you do to be safe on our country roads?

Well, Rule 215 of the Highway Code states that drivers should “be particularly careful of horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles especially when overtaking. Always pass wide and slowly. Horse riders are often children, so take extra care and remember riders may ride in double file when escorting a young or inexperienced horse or rider. Look out for horse riders’ and horse drivers’ signals and heed a request to slow down or stop. Take great care and treat all horses as a potential hazard; they can be unpredictable, despite the efforts of their rider/driver”.

In essence a driver just needs to courteous and tolerant of other road users…oh and stick to the speed limits of course!

Horse riders need not feel too smug as they are to blame for a fair proportion of accidents on our roads. Riders should always wear Hi-Vis when riding even in bright daylight as over hanging trees can cast a dappled shadow that acts as perfect camouflage. There are many Hi-Vis items on the market now for both horse and rider such as Hi-Vis sheets for the horse, jackets/tabards for the riders, Hi-Vis bits to add to the bridle, tail and martingale, plus hat covers and hat bands– the list is endless and there are new products coming onto the market all the time. However it is a proven fact that Hi-Vis leg-bands are seen first by motorists because they are moving as the horse walks along.

There is no law that states riders must wear any of these items but it is in their own interest to do so and not just because drivers will see them on the road sooner. Riders can also be seen sooner when riding off-road. Research with the MoD showed that aircraft can see a rider in Hi-Vis gear up to half a mile sooner and so they can avoid flying over riders and, in the event that a rider falls from their horse and is injured, wearing Hi-Vis clothing enables the emergency services to see the rider lying in countryside.

Just like drivers, horse riders should refrain from using their mobile phone whilst riding to concentrate fully on the road and please, please, please give the correct hand signals. Drivers are not mind readers.

Drivers; please remember that although horses don’t currently pay road tax they have a right to use the road so please give due consideration – it could be your daughter on that horse.

Horse Riders; you are responsible for your own safety and the safety of your horse so always wear Hi-Vis, don’t ride in the dark or fog, never ride more than two abreast and always be courteous to drivers.

DON’T FORGET – BE SEEN AND BE SAFE!

‘Trifec Rider’ High visibility waistcoats £8.50