Arena Schooling in the dark...

[Lyle]

who has or would school a horse in the evenings/very early mornings on an arena without lights? I'm moving yards to somewhere without lights on the arena and there may be the odd night per week that I might find myself needing to school after dusk. I would make these sessions more transition/stretching based and most likely wouldn't canter. I know horses hoon around in the dark, and have good eyesight, so am I being utterly mad?

 

[Cowpony]

I've done it once, when I couldn't get into the arena with lights. One end of the unlit arena benefitted from the light spilling over from the lit one, but the other end was dark. I stayed down the lighter end but it wasn't great, especially being on a spooky Welsh horse! But somebody else on the yard regularly used to exercise her horse in the field in the dark. The only problem she has was being followed around by a fox sometimes! Depends how well your horse copes with unseen noises etc I guess. If the horses in the paddock next to our arena get left out a bit late they can hoon around a bit and it's very unnerving being able to hear galloping hooves but not see where they are coming from!

 

[kassieg]

They do midnight hunts in ireland !
Horses can see a lot better than us!

I ended up in that situation a few times this winter as the storms knocked the lights down & I would start riding in the light but it would sometimes get dark before I had finished my session, she was always fine I knew there was no bad parts of the school to worry about so it was ok

 

[Cowpony]

I was riding a horse in a lit arena once, cantering towards a jump when all the lights went out! Luckily he stopped.

 

[Pigeon]

Yep I used to do it all the time before we got lights for our arena. Never had any problems, w/t/c, though wouldn't jump or do pole work.

 

[TarrSteps]

I've done it a fair bit and never had a problem. I think you either have to know the area or leave it pretty much to the house though, as you can't risk making the horse choose between your aids and his safety. But in a space you both know with reliable footing etc, have at it.

In some ways mixed light situations are more difficult for horses. They see very well in the dark but their ability to adjust between light levels is not nearly as fine tuned as ours. So riding from a well lit area into the dark and back is actually more likely to make a horse anxious. Also, many horses are naturally more tense at dawn and dusk, when their instincts tell them to be more careful. I had one that was almost unridable in fading light but I regularly rode him in the dark

 

[Wheels]

I did it at least 3 times a week from January to a couple of weeks ago. Made sure the arena was free from poles and any other equipment and off we went. There is faint light in most places and when the skies are clear you can actually see pretty well.

I stuck to walk and trot work, in hand and a bit of lunging.

 

[Blythe Spirit]

I have tried on occasion when the rain got in the light fittings and blew the fuse. TBH i found it hard to ride really forward and as horse is slightly timid it was a bit of a visious circle - ok as excercise pretty useless as schooling. But you may be braver than me!!

 

[Patterdale]

I don't have lights or a school, so I ride in the fieldin the dark. Horse manages to navigate his way around his turnout field at night ok so I figured it would be the same ridden. It is

 

[loobylu]

All the time over the winter in fields and schools. Even if you start by working on walk/trot/halt trans then your achieveing something and working your horse.

 

[zaminda]

I used to ride in the dark all the time, my mare was actually better, as not as inclined to try and run off. At the time, she was in full race training, and tended to be very strong in daylight.
My ex had to bring his horse back into work in the dark on one occasion, she was simply to fresh to ride with lights, and behaved much better in the dark, which as she was coming back from serious injury was very helpful.

 

[MandyMoo]

Never had any problems, w/t/c, though wouldn't jump or do pole work.

same horses can see better than us!

 

[JFTDWS]

I used to do it loads. Still ride in my field after dark sometimes. No problem. But mine are native / small / reasonably sensible!

 

[Sol]

In a school, no problem. Did come off once when someone nearby was walking their dogs (at about 9pm?!) & a dog ran up to the gate loose just as we rode past. (bareback too probably) Doh xD Wouldn't be so keen in the field due to the fact it's not very flat, but often school past sunset before it's pitch black.
Lunging in the dark is odd though, especially if it's dark enough that you can only see about 4ft of rope! (don't advise this... not very productive!)

 

[Lyle]

Excellent replies, thank you everyone!

horse in question is fairly green, although very doughy and quiet! He won't need exercise as such, just a bit of simple schooling to keep things ticking along. Like I said, happy to keep it to walk/trot with transitions, stretching and basic lateral. Might keep to cantering in the daylight for a while! It's a new yard so I hope they don't think I'm too strange ��

 

[BBP]

I do all my riding in the dark in winter, full schooling sessions, lunging, loose schooling, never had any problems (well, apart from seeing black pony in the dark, I can feel a little seasick at times!). Pony is a loony in winter if I don't work him fairly hard, so dark is the only option I have! Just can't jump or have poles laid out.

 

[GreyCoast]

I spend most of the year riding in the dark. Got a head torch ($30 off ebay for a super bright one) so I knew where I was going as I ride in a field and both my horses just have to cope. My spooky gelding does better in the dark as he can't see things to spook at. My daylight vs night rides aren't any different to each other, even on my green horse. Plus, head torches are great for finding the horses in the paddock and checking them over.

 

[chocolategirl]

who has or would school a horse in the evenings/very early mornings on an arena without lights? I'm moving yards to somewhere without lights on the arena and there may be the odd night per week that I might find myself needing to school after dusk. I would make these sessions more transition/stretching based and most likely wouldn't canter. I know horses hoon around in the dark, and have good eyesight, so am I being utterly mad?

Is the YO happy for you to use the arena in the dark? If there was to be an accident would you blame the yard? On our yard, on H&S grounds, we are not allowed to use the arena in the dark 😳