Reflective Horse Gear

What should you consider when riding on road or in the dark?

As soon as you get on your horse and go hacking, every rider becomes a road user. Whether you are riding on road or off-road, you and your horse must be clearly visible to other road users. Your horse should also be visible independently. If you should accidentally separate from your horse, for example after a fall, your horse will be alone. Therefore, you should definitely invest in luminous and reflective items for both rider and horse.

A hi-vis waistcoat or a hi-vis harness in a bright colour with reflective stripes gives the rider the required visibility when he or she is illuminated or in twilight. Breeches with reflective print on the leg are advantageous. In addition, a boot light on the left leg that shines forwards and backwards is required in road traffic. When riding, the colour of the boot light is not specified, but yellow light is most visible to the human eye. A hat light that provides you with light on a hack is also advisable.

The same applies to the horse: it should be clearly visible from all sides and also independently. For riding on road or in the dark, an exercise sheet in a bright colour with reflective stripes is therefore recommended, and the same applies to the legs, whereby you can buy reflective boots or LED boots in our online shop. A hi-vis neck strap or a hi-vis breastplate offers visibility at the front. LED tail and mane clips or a hi-vis tail bandage are ideal for the tail.

Why is it important to use sufficient items for yourself and your horse in poor visibility?

Unlike horses, humans can barely see in the twilight and darkness. Car drivers, cyclists or pedestrians can therefore only recognise you and your horse at a short distance. Depending on how fast other road users are travelling, they may fail to see you, resulting in unwanted collisions.

Luminous and reflective items make you and your horse clearly visible to third parties at a greater distance. This enables them to better assess the situation and overtake you at a safe distance in a suitable spot. Visibility therefore means safety for all parties.
In order to maintain safety in the dark for all road users, hi-vis items are recommended for horses, riders and also dogs.

We distinguish between luminous items and reflective items. While reflective items only reflect light when they are illuminated, luminous items produce light on their own. A combination of both is best.

You can find more information about riding on road or in the dark in our guide to hi-vis items. Here we also give you recommendations on which hi-vis gear you should definitely invest in for yourself as a rider, your horse or your dog.

How can you draw attention to yourself and your horse on road or in the dark?

First of all, it is important to have the necessary equipment for horse and rider:

• Hi-vis waistcoat
• Hat lamp
• Boot light
• Hi-vis exercise sheet
• Hi-vis boots
• Reflective or luminous tail bandage
• Hi-vis breastplate or luminous neck strap

It is also important to get your horse accustomed to hacking at night. Many horses can become nervous when they have to leave the yard as soon as it gets dark. Introduce yourself and your horse gradually to hacking in the early twilight. This way you can enjoy hacking during the darker months without compromising on safety for yourself and others.