Safety Health and the Environment  (SHE)

SHE Shines !

When the sun is shining or it is bright daylight most horse riders do not think it is necessary to use lights when riding.   In the Summer months it is a common misconception that lights on horse riders are not needed and often riders go out without any artificial lighting at all.  Unfortunately, all too often this is the time when lighting is most needed; Consider the difference a single cloud passing in front of the sun can make to the light ! a bright sunny day turns into a half light in an instant and particularly from the side, approaching an intersection, a horse rider becomes much harder to see.  Think about when you ride from bright sunshine into a shadow or under a bridge, your eyes take a moment to adjust and you do not see as well, this is the same for all road users and you need to make sure you are lit up to be seen. In addition, do you know exactly when the light will fade naturally in the evening ? as the Solstices approach daily variations in what time dusk arrives can be as much as 5 or 10 minutes, over the course of a week you can see variations of upto 1 hour, even though this happens every year and has happened for centuries it always seems to take horse riders by surprise.  During the Summer months lighting is as critical as during the Winter. 

 SHE is the One We Love the Most

Riding horses has always been one of the most popular and enjoyable childhood activities and its popularity today continues to grow fast amongst all age groups.  While the safety messages about wearing a helmet and using bright florescent clothing when riding appear to now be understood and observed by the majority of horse rider, most fail to be aware or the difference between active and passive safety.  Reflective material is important but it provides passive safety, remember, reflective material requires someone else to shine a light onto it to work properly. Lighting is active safety, lights, particularly when flashing, continually say "see me" to any other road users or observers in the area.

Just stop for one second and ask yourself what active safety products you use when riding ? 

SHE is Always There

Lights are not just for the Winter! In the summer a dark rain cloud coming overhead can change the light to render a horse rider virtually invisible ! You ride under a bridge or maybe ride down a leafy lane on your way back to stables.  What could be better than riding off the road into woodland.  Do you get off your horse to turn your lights on when this happens ?  Do you even have lights on you ?

SHE is Irreplaceable

Once we have destroyed the environment it is gone.  Batteries in most lights are not just expensive (Pedalite battery free Anklelite and Baglite products can often pay for themselves in savings in batteries in one season) but they contribute to the 22,000+ Tonnes of batteries that are tipped into UK landfill sites every year