It's probably pretty apparent that I will not be the height of fashion on the Centauride.
After a lifetime of wearing jeans for riding, I've finally gotten comfortable in my skin tight breeches because they will be infinitely more practical for my long ride. Boots, layers of tshirt, sweatshirt and jacket, and of course a helmet will complete the ensemble.
Since they'll all soon be dirt-and-Apollo's-hair color, they don't need to match.
But of even greater importance is Apollo's outfit. Not just the lovely and comfortable saddle and halter-bridle, but the parts that would appear to the casual observer to be decorative:
The bells and the reflective bands will both play a big part in both Apollo's and my own safety through the four years of riding.
The bells scare off deer and other critters that might spook the horse, so that the way is clear long before the horse and rider are in sight.
The bells also provide a comforting sound to horse and rider as they pass through new and potentially uncomfortable or frightening places.
Finally, at night the bells alert the human to their horse's movements (and when the noise stops, the human knows there's trouble afoot).
To help alert drivers and cyclists to our presence and hopefully to encourage them to drive slowly and safely around us, Apollo will be wearing reflective bands on his legs, neck and stitched to his saddle bags. I also will be wearing a bright yellow reflective vest.
These simple safety precautions will go the miles to help us both stay safe as we travel through forests and deserts, cities and wilderness.
After a lifetime of wearing jeans for riding, I've finally gotten comfortable in my skin tight breeches because they will be infinitely more practical for my long ride. Boots, layers of tshirt, sweatshirt and jacket, and of course a helmet will complete the ensemble.
Since they'll all soon be dirt-and-Apollo's-hair color, they don't need to match.
But of even greater importance is Apollo's outfit. Not just the lovely and comfortable saddle and halter-bridle, but the parts that would appear to the casual observer to be decorative:
The bells and the reflective bands will both play a big part in both Apollo's and my own safety through the four years of riding.
Jingle All The Way
Bells are often used by long riders and trail riders for many reasons.The bells scare off deer and other critters that might spook the horse, so that the way is clear long before the horse and rider are in sight.
The bells also provide a comforting sound to horse and rider as they pass through new and potentially uncomfortable or frightening places.
Finally, at night the bells alert the human to their horse's movements (and when the noise stops, the human knows there's trouble afoot).
Shine Like The Sun
The reflective bands are for road safety (with many thanks to EquestriSafe!). While it would seem that a 1,100 pound horse should be highly visible on his own, traffic accidents involving horses are not uncommon. And by this, I mean accidents where the driver is entirely at fault - not the accidents where the horses spook and run into traffic.To help alert drivers and cyclists to our presence and hopefully to encourage them to drive slowly and safely around us, Apollo will be wearing reflective bands on his legs, neck and stitched to his saddle bags. I also will be wearing a bright yellow reflective vest.
These simple safety precautions will go the miles to help us both stay safe as we travel through forests and deserts, cities and wilderness.
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