Guide to equestrian hi-vis wear for horses and riders

Advert: December 2024

As you’ll know, from reading our article about the importance of hi-vis for horse and rider, it’s vital to make sure you’re seen while out hacking (on or off-road).

Although it’s crucial to be seen while riding in the darker mornings and evenings of autumn and winter, it’s still important to be visible in all other weather and light conditions. As such, having high-quality high-visibility wear is essential for both horse and rider safety. 

Discover some hi-vis inspiration by checking out our 15 recommendations for products designed to enhance the visibility of you and/or your horse…

• Hi-vis jacket.
• Hi-vis tabard.
• Hi-vis waistcoat.
• Hi-vis hat band.
• Hi-vis gloves.
• Hi-vis arm/leg bands.
• Lightweight hi-vis exercise sheet.
• Waterproof hi-vis exercise sheet.
• Multi-coloured exercise sheet.
• Mercury exercise sheet.
• Hi-vis leg bands for your horse.
• Hi-vis brushing boots.
• LED breastplate.
• Hi-vis fly veil.
• Hi-vis saddle cloth.

Hi-vis horse riding jackets and tabards

One of the simplest ways to improve the visibility of both you and your horse is to wear a high-visibility waistcoat, tabard, or jacket. Whichever you choose, we highly recommend opting for hi-vis wear that has fluorescent and reflective properties.

Hi-vis jacket

The HyVIZ Reflective Waterproof Riding Jacket is a wonderful example of a riding jacket that’s both stylish and practical! From being CE marked and certified to EN1150, to boasting handy zipped pockets, this jacket is great to wear in all weathers. Plus, this versatile jacket offers a flattering fit, promoting elegance as well as enhanced visibility, thanks to its silver reflective tape.

Hi-vis tabard

As well as being CE marked and certified to EN1150, this HyVIZ Reflective Waistcoat is perfect for summer, thanks to its lightweight, breathable fabric. Along with the helpful zip fastening, this garment benefits from a pocket – useful for carrying your phone, or some horse treats! An additional safety feature of this fluorescent, reflective tabard is the print on its back that reads ‘PLEASE PASS WIDE & SLOW’, to encourage others to pass your horse safely.  

Hi-vis waistcoat

For a comfortable yet smart waistcoat that offers hidden pockets large enough to carry keys, phone, and treats, look no further than the Equisafety Air Red & Orange Waistcoat! The clever design of this waistcoat allows you the freedom to wear as many or as few layers as you’d like, making it ideal for use throughout the seasons. And, this waistcoat is machine washable – making it easy to keep clean and maintain visibility. 

Hi-vis accessories for horse riders

Any hi-vis accessories you wear while adventuring with your horse can complement larger items, like hi-vis waistcoats and reflective exercise sheets, to enhance your visibility.

Hi-vis hat band

A great way to enhance your visibility above hedgerows while riding on the road, to allow cars to see you sooner, is to add something reflective to your riding hat. The Shires Equi-Flector Hat Band is bright and hi-vis, available in a choice of orange, yellow, or pink. This hat band’s rubberised strap and elastic insert also help to keep it securely in place.  

Hi-vis gloves 

Not only does a pair of fluorescent, reflective riding gloves improve your visibility, they’re also useful for communicating with drivers, e.g. when signalling you’re about to cross a road. Thanks to their fluorescent design with reflective detailing, the Hy5 Reflector Riding Gloves are great for riding and leading in low-light conditions! Plus, these riding gloves are available in sizes ranging from ‘extra small’ to ‘extra large’.

Hi-vis arm/leg bands 

Along with being CE marked and certified to EN13356, HyViz Elasticated Arm/Leg Bands are a great option for a versatile accessory that’ll improve your visibility while riding or leading. With double-stitched panels that won’t fray, these arm and leg bands can be cut to size if needed, meaning one size fits all. You can choose to wear these items on both arms, both legs, or an arm and leg facing traffic if using them while riding on the road. 

Hi-vis exercise sheets

Making sure your horse is highly visible, when riding on or off the road, is vital throughout the seasons. However, it’s unlikely that one exercise sheet will be suitable for both boiling hot summer weather and freezing winter temperatures. So, it’s helpful to get our horses exercise sheets to wear throughout the seasons, to keep them as comfortable as possible while also ensuring they’re easily seen.

Lightweight hi-vis exercise sheet

For an exercise sheet that’s made using a lightweight mesh fabric, making it excellent for riding in the summer months, check out the Equisafety Polite Mesh Quarter Sheet! Not only is this exercise sheet highly breathable, it also benefits from a large tail flap, to help deter flies from bothering your horse. Additionally, this exercise sheet reflects sunlight, which doesn’t just enhance visibility but keeps your horse cool, too.

Waterproof hi-vis exercise sheet

If you live in the UK, it’s highly likely you’ll end up having to exercise your horse in the rain. So, having a waterproof exercise sheet to hand, like the Woof Wear Hi Viz Yellow Exercise Sheet, can help your horse stay dry in wet weather. As well as having a 300D waterproof outer layer, this exercise sheet has a soft cotton liner with wicking action, to enhance your horse’s comfort levels while they’re exercising.  

Multi-coloured exercise sheet

Sometimes, it can be difficult to decide between the wide range of colours when choosing hi-vis wear for your horse. So, opting for a product like the Equisafety Multi Coloured Horse Summer Sheet is a fantastic way to improve your horse’s visibility using more than one hi-vis colour! By using a multi-coloured exercise sheet for your horse, you could lessen the chances of colours blending into the background, which could, in turn, improve your horse’s visibility.

Mercury exercise sheet

‘Mercury’ is a silver-grey fabric that benefits from advanced reflective properties, meaning the fabric is illuminated when lit up by vehicle headlights. Thankfully, Mercury fabric is now available in exercise sheets for horses, such as the Equisafety Mercury Horse Exercise Rug. Alongside its incredible reflective ability, this Mercury rug is made from soft-touch, lightweight fabric that’s 100% waterproof!

Hi-vis accessories for your horse

Adding fluorescent, reflective accessories to your horse’s exercise wear is another way to enhance their visibility while out and about. 

Hi-vis leg bands

Putting leg bands on your horse, whether on their own or over brushing boots, is a useful way to help them stay seen while out riding. HyVIZ Reflective Leg Bands are made from fluorescent material, with reflective tape that enhances visibility all year ‘round. These leg bands are both breathable and secure, thanks to a mesh inner lining and strong Velcro straps.  

Hi-vis brushing boots

To combine protection with enhanced visibility, you could choose brushing boots for your horse that are reflective. Woof Wear Reflective Club Hi Viz Boots don’t just provide protection for front or hind legs via a padded PU strike pad, they also benefit from reflective straps. Plus, these boots are available in sizes ranging from small pony (10hh-12.1hh) to extra full (16.3hh+) – meaning, your horse’s legs can be protected and visible, whatever their size!  

LED breastplate

The British Horse Society (BHS) recommends dressing yourself or your horse with lights when riding on the road, if possible. The Equisafety LED Rechargeable Breastplate for Horses has 66 bright white LED lights with different settings, such as flashing patterns or constant light, for enhanced visibility any time of day. As well as being strong, thanks to two-inch webbing, this breastplate is soft and easy to adjust. 

Hi-vis fly veil 

For an accessory that blends improved visibility with comfort, the Woof Wear Hi Viz Fly Veil is made using a soft, technical mesh fabric and 360° reflective binding. This fly veil doesn’t just avoid pressure points, it also benefits from a generous cut behind the ears that makes it suitable for all bridle styles. Additionally, this fly veil is part of a wider hi-vis collection, so all of your horse’s hi-vis accessories can match!

Hi-vis saddle cloth 

Another way to ensure your horse is seen while out and about with them is to dress them in a hi-vis saddle cloth. The Shires Equi-Flector Saddlecloth is perfect for dark nights or low-light conditions, thanks to its reflective material complemented by fluorescent trims. This saddle cloth also benefits from a WickAway lining that helps keep your horse dry and comfortable, along with a contoured shape to enhance comfort over their withers. 

For further advice and information about helping your horse stay happy and healthy through every chapter of their life, please explore our horse advice guides and horse blog!

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