Anyone try it? I just ordered an inexpensive one from Amazon. I had one I was using to do chores (hayshed doesn’t have power and is dark) but it died.
It can be surprisingly bright here when there’s snow and a moon, but often enough there’s neither and it’s dark by 5:30.
Would love your thoughts or tips. The riding is low key fitness stuff, w/t as conditions allow.
I think riding with a headlamp would be distracting. But, maybe it would be useful to help quiet down my head movement!
Here is a thread from a few years ago about using small solar lights for night-time riding in an arena:
https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/around-the-farm/339496-riding-by-solar-led-lights-these-lights-are-pretty-promising-i-think
I’ve tried it and hated it. The bit of light you get makes everything outside the spotlight impossibly dark, and ordinarily if there’s a bit of a moon, my eyes adjust and I see better. I’d also like my horse’s eyes to adjust once, because I think they see better at night than we do. YMMV, of course. When I rode in the dark, I’d only go places I knew well, and never went on the road.
Headlamps come in varying brightness; you’d need one pretty bright to get much distance in front of you for a moving horse. Like the others, I don’t think it’s going to work better than just riding in the dark or with soft lighting placed strategically around an arena. But if you try it, suggest the brightest one you can find.
Ah boo, I really thought it would be a solution! I got the brightest one, 18000 lumens, compared to the 600 or so the other lamps offered. It won’t go to waste as I can use it for chores and trail running, I was just hoping for positive experiences!
Actually, endurance riders often do night rides with head lamps, lights on their breast collars, and glow sticks. If they can see well enough to stay on a marked trail, you’ll be fine.
I’d put it on a breast collar on the horse, if you really need the light. I run at night using headlamps, and even the good ones only illuminate 10-12ft or so in front of me. Up on a horse, most of that distance will be eaten up just by nature of your head being 10ft in the air, and anyway your horse’s neck and head will create a big shadow on the ground, defeating the purpose. And if its raining or snowing, that precipitation catches the light and looks really bright–it’s hard to see past.
Also be aware that it may increase spooky tendencies because it will cause the surrounding area to appear pitch black to your horse (where normally he’d be able to see that there are no horse-eating monsters nearby).
Well I just came in from chores and with as much snow as we have the dawn to dusk light actually reaches a fair distance. In the snow at least I might be ok.
Other option will be to just put lamps in all the house windows and do laps around the house! 
Luckily this guys is as bomb proof as they come.
If you’re on FB search for the group As Seen Through Horses Ears. There are lots of people in the North who ride all winter with headlamps and post videos. By North I mean far enough that they don’t see the sun for months.
Horses are highly adaptable and can adjust to the use of lights at night. Endurance riders have told me that green lights don’t affect horses night vision the same way red light doesn’t affect human night vision.
”‹”‹”‹”‹I have been riding at night for years and just started experimenting with lights in the last month. I found a light at the dollar store and tied it to the martingale yoke. Which works apart from the dark shadow directly in front when he puts his head low. :lol: I bought a second light and will try one on each side. The light has three degrees of light and I found the middle brightness best.
Thanks Redhorses! Great suggestions. My headlamp should come today, so I’ll get to try it out this week.
So horse’s eye’s don’t adjust as quickly to light and dark as we do (plains animals vs primates- this is why walking into a trailer or out of a dark barn into the sun can make them react/blink/stop). They see better than most people think in the dark. I personally have no issue flatting in the dark- the “leftover” light from the barn aisle and house is usually enough to do anything but complex polework/jumping.
I do feel bad when I flip the light on in the dark and he happens to be in his stall (it opens to the pasture). Lots of blinking and squinting.
The residual light would be fine, except anywhere the residual light falls isn’t ideal for riding. There’s an orchard, childs swing set, veg garden with supports, oak tree… you get the idea. Out front is a lovely large grassy area where it will be easier to do more than walk.
Anyway, I’ll experiment. Lots of great ideas in this thread and the other one linked, really appreciate it!
Well, it arrived and I tried it tonight. I was very pleasantly surprised! No weird shadows, really bright and the light had extensive reach. It was a good night to try it as there is lots of snow but thick clouds so no moon. Definitely money well spent and is really going to help with riding and chores this winter.
Can you share what light you got?
I tried to take a photo of the box but it wouldn’t upload. It’s just called Headlight, from Amazon. It was about $30 from the Canadian Amazon site and it 18,000 lumens.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
