Wearing high vis is essential for both you and your horse whether you’re hacking on the road or exploring bridleways. It is important that you can be easily seen from as far away as possible (and from the sky) all year round. The easiest way to achieve that is putting high vis clothing on yourself and using high vis gear on your horse too. Make sure that you stand out for all the right reasons when out and about as we guide you through buying the right kit.
The British Horse Society recommends that as a minimum riders wear a high vis jacket or tabard, and horses should wear leg bands. Ideally you want to use more than this though, every single time, and it’s a good idea to vary the colours you use as certain colours can be seen better at different times of year. There are now so many more products available to help you be as visible as possible when riding on the roads, there’s no reason not to add a few more bits to your horse’s wardrobe. We’ve rounded up a selection of the latest gear available below:
Shop for high vis for horses:
Equisafety Multi-Coloured Mesh Quarter Rug
A lightweight, highly breathable mesh rug with an extra large tail flap, the Mesh Quarter Rug is designed to keep your horse cool in the summer and it deters flies from bitinweathg. Two Velcro straps at the front ensure a secure fit to the saddle.
Colours: Pink/ orange, yellow/ orange, pink/ yellow
Sizes: Show pony, pony, cob, horse, X-full
RRP £49.99 Purchase here
Weatherbeeta Reflective Wrap Around Exercise Sheet
A showerproof and breathable exercise sheet that features all-over reflective material, making it ideal for riding in poor visibility. It also boasts touch tape closures.
Colour: Silver/ black
Sizes: XS – XL
RRP £94.99 Purchase here
Equi-Flector Saddlecloth
Made from a reflective fabric with high visibility trims, this saddlecloth makes the user more visible. A WickAway stay dry lining actively transfers moisture away from the skin. The saddlecloth also features touch close retaining straps and hardwearing girth guards.
Colours: Yellow, orange, pink
Sizes: 15-16in, 17-18in
RRP £46.99 Purchase here
Equisafety Multi-Coloured Neck Band
This wipe clean neck band is easily adjusted using the touch and close fastenings underneath the chest that ensure a good fit. Available in one size and adjustable to fit.
Colours: Pink/ orange, pink/ yellow, yellow/ orange
RRP £23.99 Purchase here
Equisafety Multi-Coloured Leg Boots
Lightly quilted boots that can be worn over brushing boots or directly on a horse’s legs, these are held in place by two extra wide adjustable Velcro straps that won’t come off.
Colours: Yellow/ orange, pink/ orange, pink/ yellow
Sizes: Pony, horse
RRP £18.99 Purchase here
Equisafety Acoustic Horse Ears
High vis and reflective, these are anatomically shaped around the ears for comfort and fit. Noises are absorbed by micro-foam, thus increasing the horse’s relaxation. These are made from a soft satin, breathable sporty mesh and bound with a webbing.
Colours: Yellow, orange
Sizes: Pony, horse
RRP £32.99 Purchase here
Equi-Flector Fly Veil 
Keep your horse visible and free from troublesome flies with this veil. Avoiding fiddly straps, the fly veil is designed to fit neatly under a bridle. The stretch ears benefit from fleece padding around the ear hole seams for comfort.
Colours: Yellow, orange, pink
Sizes: Pony, cob, full
RRP £10.50 Purchase here
Parsons Rump
A simple and effective design that’s perfect for summer riding. It incorporated fluorescent webbing and Reflexite tape to ensure you’re clearly visible. Quick and easy to attach to your saddle and much lighter than an exercise sheet.
Colours: Yellow, orange, pink
Sizes: Pony, horse
RRP £19.75 (pony size) £23.75 (horse size)
V-Bandz “Combi Brite” Deluxe Legbands
Fluorescent and reflective protection. These legbands can be worn on their own or over boots. The top surface of the legbands are wipe clean for convenience, although they can of course be machine washed. The tapes are sewn onto a quilted material which means they are very comfortable for the horse to wear.
Colours: Yellow and orange, yellow and pink
Sizes: Pony/cob, cob/horse, xfull
RRP £13.50 Purchase here
Equisafety Reflective horse neck band
Fully adjustable by touch and close fastenings underneath the chest. One size from 14hh-17.2hh. Fits from size cob upwards.
Colours: Yellow, orange, pink
Sizes: One size
RRP £21.99 Purchase here
Woof Wear Club Reflective Club Brushing Boot
Lightweight, easy-to-fit boots that are simple to use every time you hack. The straps are both hi vis and reflective, helping your horse to be seen while riding on the road.
The Reflective Club Brushing Boot has all the tough credentials you would expect from Woof Wear and features Woof Wear’s durable secure-grip hook & loop.
The Reflective Club Boot is part of Woof Wear’s Hi Vis Collection.
Colours: Yellow, orange, pink, lime
Sizes: Extra small – extra large
RRP £31.99 Purchase here
V-Bandz mesh quarter sheet
A breathable sheet that’s made from a lightweight mesh that won’t make your horse sweat. It attaches to your saddle to hold it securely in place.
Colours: Yellow, orange, pink, pink and yellow, orange and yellow
Sizes: Pony, cob, full, extra full
RRP £31
For more information: v-bandz.co.uk
HyViz Bridle Set
This three-piece set fits neatly onto your bridle. It is fluorescent with bright silver retro-reflective tape for additional safety and clear visibility. One size fits all and they attach to the bridle with touch-tape fastenings. They are easy to wash or wipe clean.
Colours: Orange, pink or yellow (one size)
RRP £7.99 Purchase here
Hy Equestrian Hi Viz Leg Bands
These bands fit neatly around your horse’s legs or over boots. Fluorescent with silver retro-reflective tape for safety. These durable leg bands have a mesh lining to prevent your horse getting hot, and fasten with two strong velcro straps.
Colours: Yellow, pink or orange
Sizes: Pony or Cob/Horse
RRP £11 Purchase here
Golly Galoshes High Viz Gaitors
Golly Galoshes not only keep your horse’s legs and boots clean and dry but their reflective and fluorescent versions also offer great visibility when out hacking. Because Golly Galoshes are breathable, waterproof they can be worn comfortably over your horse’s boots or on their own. Golly Galoshes provides the driver especially with a high visibility peripheral vision movement – already proven to be of importance.
Colours: Yellow, orange or pink
Sizes: Pony, Cob or Full
RRP £25-£31 Purchase here
High vis for horses: why it’s not just for riders
I’ve found ensuring my horse is sporting high vis as well as myself helps make us extra visible and I’ve noticed drivers passing with more care when I do so. My gelding can have quite high head carriage (think giraffe) when he spots something spooky or interesting, so sometimes I worry my high vis vest is obscured by his fury head when drivers pass us who are travelling in the opposite direction. For this reason, I like to make sure he is wearing a high vis breast plate. If it’s a dull or rainy day I’ll also put on his high vis exercise sheet, and for longer rides leg wraps as well.
