Riders have been advised to wear pink hi-vis gear at this time of year so they remain visible when hacking beside fields of rapeseed.
Equestrian clothing company Harry Hall has reminded riders that yellow safety equipment will not show up as brightly as usual, owing to the prevalence of the yellow crop.
“With over 630,000 hectares of land made over to oil seed rape in the UK, it’s now a major crop,” said Harry Hall editor Lucy Higginson.
“But it’s a really good idea to be visible wherever you are out riding, which you certainly will be in Harry Hall’s pink high-vis gilet — this is one environment where yellow does not help so much!”
Meanwhile, road safety has been highlighted this weekend in Machester.
Mounted police officers and British Horse Society (BHS) representatives offered advice on road safety around horses in the city centre earlier today (28 May).
The Dead Slow Road Safety Event, a joint initiative between the BHS and mounted police, took place at Albert Square.
In 2014 a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) mounted officer was involved in a road accident.
PC Wendy Townley and her horse, Steele, (pictured above) were hit by a car on Christmas Eve.
A vehicle collided with Steele’s back legs. This caused him to be forced backwards onto the bonnet of the car and smashed the windscreen.
Steele was then flung forwards 10 feet on to his knees, falling on his side, while PC Townley was thrown off.
Fellow police horse Crackit and his rider PC Emma Whittenbury managed to evade the impact, but were “severely shaken”.
PC Townley and Steele have since made a full recovery and have inspired colleagues to help improve conditions for riders on the roads.
“It’s something we’ve been particularly affected by,” GMP mounted officer PC Cassandra Barratt told H&H.
“There have been so many other near-misses that we wanted to take action.”
Alan Hiscox, Director for the BHS, added: “It’s fantastic to see the recovery of PC Townley and Steele, but too often road incidents can cause life-changing injuries or unnecessary deaths.
“This has got to stop. With Greater Manchester Police’s support we aim to make the roads safer for horses and riders in the region.”
