# Night riding



## HorseOfCourse (Jul 20, 2009)

So I was laying in bed thinking ' they should invent a breastcollar with built in headlights.

Do they have any products like this?

I think whoever created them could make a killing!


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## Stakie (Jul 11, 2011)

I wish. Know of reflectors but not headlights.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Lights will just ruin your night vision. I love night riding and never use a light, just remember your horse sees much better at night then we do. Doesn't hurt to take a light along for those really really pitch black nights. Failing that, they do have LED lights meant for strapping around your head and I bet you could attach it to a breast collar.


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## Domino13011 (Aug 10, 2009)

That would be pretty cool, never heard of one though. Just get one of those coal miners hats. That would work too right?:rofl:


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## Trails (Jan 28, 2009)

There is at least one company that makes lights that fit on breastcollars. The mounted S&R team I served on had them. You were able to angle the light down on the trail so that they didn't cause night vision issues with horse or rider. They were spendy I remember that but unfortunately not the name of the company.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Our BO will do moonlight rides on nights with a full moon if enough people "buy in" on it or he has a special request from a customer. They do it without lights (except flashlights in case someone needs to potty or whatever) and on rather rocky, mountainous trails and have yet to have anyone injured or any horses injured. 

As Darrin said, having "headlights" will kill your night vision and your horse's and would do more harm than good.


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## Thyme (Sep 4, 2010)

Yea horses have great night vision, I have gone on a accidentle mountain midnight ride and the horses hiked down no problem even though I couldn't even see the horse I was ridding!
If you want a little light for your benefite, buy a red light flashlight, they are used in planitariums and such becuase they wont ruin your nightvision (learned that in Astronomy)


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## cowgirls4 (May 25, 2011)

WOW, That would be COOL! maybe you should invent them!


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

One could get a headlamp and attach it to the horse's browband. That way, the light would go everywhere the horse looks as they turn their head.
I have seen some headlamps that have a clip, to clip onto hat brims. I just don't know if they would be powerful enough.

I use caving lights, similar to these. I just never thought to use them while riding.

Caving Lights


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

During hunting season in the fall, I frequently ride in the dark. Getting to a hunting spot before sun up or returning late after sunset.

Get one of those LED head lamps, Put it in the red or blue light mode so you can see branches before they hit you in the face and then ride. The horses can see well enough that they don't need any light.

One year a fellow had shot a moose and we rode into the area to retrieve it. We arrived just as the sun set. Butchered the moose, loaded it in the panniers and I lead off riding my gelding and leading the the other two horses. I found I was better off to leave the light off and just let the horses follow the trail. It was a black night, heavy timber, the horses had only been up that trail once on the way in. So I was timid about just turning them loose. But as they headed for the trailer, I would occassionally hear their hoofs pass over the small foot bridges along the trail, I would see the occassional square cut end of a log letting me know that somebody had cleared a dead fall off the trail. These little signs comforted me to know the horses were staying on the trail. They walked right back to the trailer and stopped.


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## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

We have little flashing red LED lights that you can clip on your saddle or breast collar.
They are mainly so other people notice you. We have to ride close to the road sometimes. I usually bring a little flashlight for me to see with. For the most part though I don't need it.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I used to know a guy that kept flashlights ducktaped to his saddle. He lived in Florida, and it is too hot to ride in the day in the summer there. I have thought about trying it, but I never have. I figure the lights will scare my horse. I try to get back before dark.


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## Ebzeenah (Aug 3, 2011)

We ride at night most of the time - it is kind of a necessity here in the deep south. They sell headlamps in the camping section at Walmart. They are attached to a strap that fits nicely around your helmet (and you should especially be wearing a helmet when you night ride). Horses do see well in the dark, but humans don't so using a headlamp will help you see potential trail hazards such as a gopher hole or a cactus that even your horse's night vision won't register. The lamps usually have 3-4 settings on them. We then put red blinkie lights on the back of our helmets so that we can be seen from behind as well. That is particulary helpful if you have to ride along side of a road for any distance. Just remember that even a well trained and seasoned horse will be a little mory jumpy at night. I'll be interested in hearing if anyone gives it a try!


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

We ended up out riding too late one time where we had to ride on a gravel road in the dark. A car came from the other direction with it's bright lights on and swerved at us. We had to run for the ditch so we didn't get hit. Afterward, we went and bought some cheap flashlights that also glowed and flashed in color.

I've heard to not use a bright light at night because it hinders the horses sight. If you feel queasy, you should hang a light under the horse that illuminates the ground but won't interfere with the horse's sight.

I have thought about getting one of those led cap lights to try out. There are those blinking lights that joggers use which might work too.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Painted Horse said:


> Get one of those LED head lamps, Put it in the red or blue light mode so you can see branches before they hit you in the face and then ride. The horses can see well enough that they don't need any light.


This is what we do, too. Trust your horse to take care of you and just have a low light for those branches. Full moon nights are great...you don't need anything and the 'mood' is wonderful.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Maybe this fall or winter we can take a full moon ride in the woods at Tyrrell Park. That would be fun!

Horses do have a great sense of direction. This spring we went riding in McKinney Roughs and had rode twice in the heat for a little over 16 miles. Biscuit was getting tired and decided trotting wasn't going to cut it for him any more that day. The other two horses took a left hand turn at a trail that ended on another. Instead of following them, Biscuit turned right! Then a little off center of the trail was a sign telling me they went the wrong way! Biscuit knew the trailer was down the right side not the left! LOL Biscuit is a smart boy who knows his way around so if I ever get lost in the dark I will let Biscuit have his head - he will get me back to the trailer!


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## Indigosblue (May 9, 2011)

like some people have said, using red lights will not reduce your night vision by much. I once spent the night at an observatory and they had red lights indoors so that when you went back outside to stargaze it wouldn't mess up your night vision. It also takes about half an hour for your eyes to fully adjust to the dark, all of which has to be restarted if you look into bright (white) light.

Horses also tend to have a longer adjustment time to dark light, their eyes are mainly for daylight and dusk/dawn use. If you suddenly use bright lights your horse will take longer than you to get back the "night vision." that said, they still do see better than us poor humans in the dark. I think adding red lights to the breastplate or maybe your helmate is a great idea for night trail-rides.

Moonlight is also awesome... has anyone noticed that your shadow is MUCH sharper in the moonlight than in the sunlight? It's really cool!


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

i like having breastcollar lights to illuminate the ground and a red light on my helmet to keep me from being attacked by low-hanging limbs, etc. the lights being under her head don't seem to affect dreams' night vision at all but they give me an idea of the terrain, so i can follow her movement a lot better.

i just use electricians tape to attach the lights, as it stays put (even when wet), but cuts off easily.

us in night gear:


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

At a barn I used to ride at, I'd often ride in the arena at night (but not trails as getting to them required going down the road and I didn't fancy getting run over). There were lights but you had to plug money into a machine to make them work, so I just rode in the dark because I'm cheap. The horse knew exactly where the rail was anyway and there was usually enough light pollution from the city that you could see pretty well. We'd done night rides on trails with cliffs in Colorado and trails without cliffs elsewhere. Horse has never put a foot wrong. Had the following exchange with the barn owner though when she caught me out riding in the dark:

BO: The rules say you have to ride with the arena lights on.
Me: Why? 
BO: Because it's dangerous.
Me: Why is it dangerous? We can see fine.
BO: The horse will spook at more things in the dark.
Me: She's not spooking. See, she's as relaxed as she always is.
BO: She won't be able to see the fence or the edge of the arena and might crash into it.
Me: *blank stare of 'you really did just say that?'*

She left us to our night riding anyway.


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## CanyonCowboy (Apr 30, 2010)

Some other thoughts: There are lots of different Mountain Biking lights that work very well. Night Sun has one of the strongest, with the battery in a "water bottle". The Night Sun also has several settings for light intensity to save battery. When I did ultra-distance road riding we used a cheaper bike light with lantern batteries wired so they would last all night.

Some thoughts about head mounted lights: When biking I always preferred both a head lamp and a static mount. The problem with head lamps is if you look away you lose focus on what is in front because the light moves. Also, there are times you need to be aware of what is right under you, while you are looking ahead. Head lamps also throw some pretty heavy shadows that my mare thinks are scary.

I haven't used it, but I ride Ortho-flex and found this on their site (Tack, Accessories & Parts):

*Trail Light: LED Light, mounts on Breast Collar:*
*"Super Nova" LED casts 180 degrees of light, for no shadows to spook the horse. **Velcro attaches to breast collar, universal fit.*
*4650**Universal fit with switch, switch on w/o dismounting, attaches easily. 180 Degree light coverage.*
*$60*
*







*


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## Shenandoah (Aug 9, 2010)

I went out tonight with the almost-full moon. Didn't use lights of any sort, even in the dense woods. We finally have gorgeous weather! If I didn't have to work tomorrow, I would have stayed out another couple hours.
Back at the barn we have a dim light for untacking the pasture horses (barn horses have a well-lit area). I didn't hose him off today since it's cooler, but on warmer days I use a headlamp if I'm doing it in the dark.
I just like using natural light as much as possible, though. There are only a couple branches that worry me on the trails, so I try to prepare for them. As a kid I used to gallop through the woods at night. I knew exactly how many steps between branches, and could do it even in the pitchest black (remote Colorado mountains, so black was really and truly black). I now have no idea how I did that, though. Now I jump if a leaf hits my helmet - LOL.


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