How well can horses see in the dark?

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Blythe Spirit

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Last night - perhaps due to rain the school lights kept shorting out. As it was quite moonlight I rode in the dark in the lightest part of the school (a very surreal experience made me realize how much I see rather than feel!) My horse was rather reluctant to go forwards - unlike her - which may of course have been me riding a bit oddly. I have to say I don't fancy doing that again BUT if I cannot fix the lights I was wondering how feasible it would be to lunge or ride on moonlight nights? How well can my horse see in the dark?
 
well point to point was originally steeplechasing. So a race between churches (steeple to steeple) and traditionally was on a night with a full moon!
 
Ooo the new place where my boy is at only has an outdoor arena. There is one flood light and it makes the school look amazing. Sooo cant wait until I can ride my boy in there at night! I think they see pretty well. I have to walk up a dark lane with my youngster and he finds his way better if it is dark as opposed to when the light is on up the top and shines down!
 
I was going to post a similar thread! I've just moved to a lovely new yard but unfortunately they can't get planning permission for lights (yet the council allows the next door TA camp to be lit up like a christmas tree!) so I've been schooling in the dark. My more sensible horse has been absolutely fine in it, no problem at all. My younger one doesn't seem to be worrying about it either, but she doesn't like hearing noises coming from horses etc that she can't see.
 
They have much better night vision than us! However I just had a google out of curiosity and it says that it takes their eyes longer to adapt from a dark situation going into light and vice versa than ours do, so that could be the reason for a little spookiness :)
 
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