High vis gear is a wardrobe essential to help keep you and your horse safe when hacking. There’s a whole host of kit you can buy to make yourself more visible, whether you’re riding on the roads or on bridleways.
For the past four months, our testers have been putting different items of high-vis gear to the test. They have assessed each item for fit, effectiveness and value for money.
We also viewed the items (worn together) from the driver’s seat of a car to give an overall verdict. This testing was carried out on a private road and the horse and rider were approached from in front and behind. The driver commented on what was noticeable to them from their perspective behind the wheel.
Each item of high vis for horse and rider is given a mark out of five for fit, effectiveness and value for money. This gives an overall score out of 15.
Weatherbeeta Reflective Quilted Gilet
RRP £59.99
Colours: High vis pink, high vis yellow
Sizes: XS – XL
Fit: This quilted gilet is a great fit and true to size. It’s well-shaped which makes it look nice when you’re wearing it. The gilet is comfortable and warm without being too bulky. 5 stars
Effectiveness: The hi-vis material and reflective tape make you stand out — drivers appeared to see me sooner when I was wearing this gilet. 5 stars
Value for money: A good price for a comfortable and effective reflective gilet. 4 stars
Total score: 14
Weatherbeeta Reflective Wrap-Around Exercise Sheet
RRP £89.99
Colours: Silver/ black
Sizes: XS – XL
Fit: This fitted my two Thoroughbreds well but when I tried it on another, chunkier horse, I couldn’t get the chest strap done up. It would be great if this were adjustable as the rug fitted well otherwise. 4 stars
Effectiveness: Traffic approaching from behind definitely appeared to notice us and slowed down. The material shimmers in sunlight and when light hits it, it glows silver. It’s proved to keep my horse dry in some heavy showers too, and it doesn’t slip. 4.5 stars
Value for money: Pricey, but it does seem to get you noticed. 3.5 stars
Total score: 12
Weatherbeeta Reflective Single Lock Brushing Boots
RRP £47.50
Colours: Pink/ silver, yellow/ silver
Sizes: Pony – full
Fit: Well-shaped brushing boots made from a soft, flexible material. Three wide straps hold the boots securely in place. 5 stars
Effectiveness: The pink strike pads are visible but they don’t stand out that well. The straps have reflective material that’s only really visible from the side. As a brushing boot they offer a good level of protection to the inside of the lower leg. 3.5 stars
Value for money: Good as a brushing boot but could be more affective as a piece of high vis gear. 3.5 stars
Total score: 12
Weatherbeeta Reflective Ear Bonnet
RRP £15.50
Colours: Pink, yellow
Sizes: Pony – full
Fit: The fit is satisfactory, but the ears could be a bit longer for my horse. It stays in place well and fits neatly under the headpiece. It is also thin enough not to add any bulk over the poll area. 4.5 stars
Effectiveness: Not really sure how effective this is — the reflective material is only on the edges of the bonnet. It did keep flies from annoying my horse on warmer days. 3.5 stars
Value for money: A good value ear bonnet; I’m just not entirely sure drivers noticed it. 4 stars
Total score: 12
Overall verdict
When all these items are worn together, horse and rider are clearly visible. The only item that wasn’t instantly seen from the car is the ear bonnet. The pink gilet and the brushing boots were noticed first when approaching from the front and behind. The exercise sheet was noticed but didn’t stand out as well on the day we did our testing (a cloudy, dull day).
