Horses being ridden in the dark, on unlit country road.

I will admit to leaving the yard before it is completely light in the mornings, hiviz on and trot 100 yards to a little used lane. But riding at night in the dark is a no no for me and a very dangerous pass time for all concerned.
 
I rode out this morning before it had come fully light. Horse had on a flourescent exercise sheet on with reflective strips, I had a flourescent tabard on with a reflective "caution" on the back (similar to a police sign - the reflective bit is in blue). I also had blue flashing bands on both arms (ebay - search for tri-lites) which are fantastic - I used to use them for cycling at night on dark country lanes and they don't half slow drivers down as all they see is a blue flashing light until they get closer. Friend had her pony in pink reflective wear and also had a white light to the front and red to the rear. Our lanes were deserted, as we expected, but if a driver hadn't seen us flashing like christmas trees, then they don't deserve to have a driving licence.
 
ok if its done properly and dependent on your location.

During the winter I frequently go out when its still dark in the morning and come back in the daylight

BUT I have only one short lane to travel before getting off road.
I usually see 2 drivers.. who are going to said off road to walk their dogs.
we look like a christmas tree because we wear:
Horse: hivis exercise sheet, leg bands, breastplate, noseband
Me: tabard, hat (with reflective strip), flashing LED tabard, rear bicycle light, front headlight and 2 flashing bands on my legs..

TBH I suspect that we are more visible then than we are in full sunlight!
 
ester said:
ok if its done properly and dependent on your location.

During the winter I frequently go out when its still dark in the morning and come back in the daylight

BUT I have only one short lane to travel before getting off road.
I usually see 2 drivers.. who are going to said off road to walk their dogs.
we look like a christmas tree because we wear:
Horse: hivis exercise sheet, leg bands, breastplate, noseband
Me: tabard, hat (with reflective strip), flashing LED tabard, rear bicycle light, front headlight and 2 flashing bands on my legs..

TBH I suspect that we are more visible then than we are in full sunlight!
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WOW - i think we need a picture of this!

I don't ride in the dark but do use hiviz in the winter months and darker days or bad weather.
 
lol I've always been in too much of a rush to get to work to bother getting a pic, well that and mum would shout if I got her out of bed to take one ;).

Won't be doing it currently as horse is in somerset and I'm in wilts but was the only way I could keep him vaguely fit and healthy in the winter when the field got too wet to ride in.

I am the sort of person that takes hi vis hunting for the hack home ;) :D
 
I would never at night, there is too much traffic but often have at 5am when there is nothing about and one can see headlights for miles which gives you plenty of time to get off the road to a safe place to let the odd car pass.
 
This sort of stupidity makes my blood boil TBH; anyone (like me) who's been unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident where some git goes into your horse in broad daylight (thankfully horse & myself were OK) knows only too well how easily things can go wrong.

To ride like this in poor light without any hi-viz is plain madness IMO, and the people concerned obviously have callow disregard for not just their own safety - and that of their horses - but other road users as well. WTF is wrong with people??? One can easily purchase a little hi-viz/reflective bib at my local ironmongery shop for well less than a tenner - so that's not breaking the bank, nor is it difficult is it??

IMO stupid horse-riders that do things like this give us all a bad name, and not only that, are a rampant danger to themselves and everyone else - and their poor horses are very likely to be involved in a very nasty collision if they go on like this. At best its irresponsible, at worst downright dangerous.

In my view, the police would be well justified in giving them suitable advice and asking them to stay off the roads until they can make themselves safe.

grrrrrhhhhhhh!!!!! Not funny either, if you consider what could (and probably will, unfortunately) happen.
 
I don't ride in the dark unless I have taken longer than expected and then I tend to hurry back on the cycle path if possible and will have worn hi vis if being late back is likely, no hi vis when properly dark is asking for trouble.

Sounds like they were coming back from hunting? I'm sure you can fit some high vis in a pocket somewhere...
 
I encountered exactly the same a couple of weeks ago. Lady in black on black horse on unlit narrow NSL road, (coming out of Menston near Leeds). I flashed all the cars I encountered coming the opposite way to warn them. Shame the rider didn't take any action herself.
 
We have this debate on here every year, nothing wrong with riding in the dark, but it depends where it is, how sensible your horse is, and how confident you are, I have ridden the last 8 years in the dark, sometimes pitch black and thick fog along the river, he has his headlight on so lights up where he looks, and reflective Martingale, I have a reflective flashing top and a leg light, I ride in street lit area's when coming off the river etc, I use the cycle lanes anyway light or dark, I have paid enough towards them, riding out in a full moon is magical with the large Owl flying across etc and having a canter as well.

If your struggling with your riding confidence, go out in the dark, next time you ride out in daylight it feels a piece of cake.

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In the event of an accident if your horse is correctly lit and you are wearing full hi viz as is the horse, would you be negligent for riding in the dark. I don't mean if the horse caused an accident other than if it did, would you be more negligent in the eyes of the law than if it had happened in day light.
 
The other night 7.15pm, I come round the corner near my house and come across girl riding a dark bay horse and up against a hedge so was hard to make out what it was at first, she was wearing dark clothes, no hi viz/lights/reflectors and not even wearing a hat!!!!

The mind boggles!!!
 
If you are correctly dressed, and horse of couse, which I think has to include lights like a bicycle, then for short distances on the road it is OK - but drivers are simply not expecting a horse out in the dark, and because when driving at night we tend to rely on seeing lights coming in the opposite direction to know when there is traffic about. To come round a corner in a car, in the dark and then suddenly see a horse could be a frightening experience for a driver.

As for going out in the dusk/dark without any hi-viz - they need prosecuting by the Police. It is all very well to say, with contempt, "I don't want to look like a christmas tree" but that was fine 50years ago when roads were less busy, but it is a different world now.
 
Orangehorse said:
If you are correctly dressed, and horse of couse, which I think has to include lights like a bicycle, then for short distances on the road it is OK - but drivers are simply not expecting a horse out in the dark, and because when driving at night we tend to rely on seeing lights coming in the opposite direction to know when there is traffic about. To come round a corner in a car, in the dark and then suddenly see a horse could be a frightening experience for a driver.

That as may be, but I do rather think it the drivers problem.. you are just as likely to find a dog walker (without torch) or a cyclist (with or without lights ;) ) on the lanes I use. However. As a driver myself I am aware on how much I rely on lights for information in the dark. Hence sticking to the white to the front red to the rear rules (although my vest is like pedantics and has red to the front.. not sure why they don't make them with blue or green)

As for going out in the dusk/dark without any hi-viz - they need prosecuting by the Police. It is all very well to say, with contempt, "I don't want to look like a christmas tree" I actively try and look like a christmas tree at times ;) we have a fairy lights numnah for the season and everything :D
but that was fine 50years ago when roads were less busy, but it is a different world now.
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FW, you can certainly buy tail lights and stirrup lights (though they aren't that great IMO). I wear a headlight myself as Frank is less keen on having control of that than pedantics boy :)
 
No idea monkeybum, just a guess if they were in tweed - I don't go hunting :-) might have been a show that went on til 5.30 with a two hour hack home?

If I was riding on quieter roads I would quite like to do what you do pedantic, but I get the heebeejeebies just going to the field to feed in the dark!
 
I often meet people riding out in the dark, often with no hats or on the phone and riding with one hand, idiots.
I used to ride on the very wide grass verge in the dark, but that was in the early 1980s when people used to respect horses.Wouldnt do it now.
 
Funnily enough I have just today sorted his headlight out ready for the nights, it's an Energiser from B&Q £9.98, have to get the right one so the cable ties fit through underneath the hinge, some types are too tight and break, need to get a cheap red clip on light from the cycle shop, I clip it onto my half chaps for my outside leg.
 
Even with lights on, however many, its still a no no in my eyes to ride on the roads.

A small lane to get to off road riding yes, but anything else no.
 
I have a 1km stretch of road to get to off road hacking. It's mainly straight and the few times I have returned at dusk I rarely have seen a car. I haven't done it yet but I'm thinking about trying it with all the christmas tree gear on. Probably go out in daylight and come back in dark the first time to see how the pony is. I have ridden her in the dark at home and she is fine tho.
 
Have it all the time on the lanes by my yard. STUPID, STUPID BIATCH (incidentally the same silly cow who is disrespectful to other riders and will not thank drivers for slowing down rude, ignorant cow) CONSTANTLY rides her horses in the dark with no reflectives, hi viz or lights of any description. The woman is an utter moron who doesn't give a damn about her horses or the safety of other road users and gives ALL riders in the area a bad name due to her selfish and dangerous behaviour, she is one person I would have no sympathy for if she fell off and cracked her head.
 
I've ridden on the roads and tracks in the dark for over 25 years as I generally ride at 6am all year round. I find the cars slow down a lot more when I'm out in the dark than they do when I ride in daylight.

I wear ridiculous amounts of reflective gear and lights and a few drivers have even stopped and commented on how visible I am. I have a light on my hat, my arm, my leg and a flashing tabard. I then have a reflective noseband, martingale, leg bands and a tail guard on my horse.

The downside to all this is how long it takes to tack up in the mornings!!
 
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