Riding on roads in the dark?

J

Jingleballs

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Does anyone do this?

I'm talking very quiet, unlit, country roads, single lanes where there is hardly any traffic whatsoever decked out in hi viz from head to toe?

I've never done it but know people who do as they have limited facilities for schooling during winter.

What are peoples thoughts on it?
 
nope never would. its scary enough hacking in the daylight
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No, ESPECIALLY on country roads. Historically, people drive faster down lesser roads at night (don't ask me why!) and they would NEVER expect to meet a horse and rider, so it is an accident waiting to happen. Hacking around a village/town with lighting might just be OK, pure darkness, no way.
 
What if you were being acompanied by a car/quad and were only on the road for 10 minutes?

The road in question leads to the yard and pretty much no where else.
 
Nope, I have hacked round the block/up the drive 3/4 paths and 1/4 road, but with the light of floodlit school on the road bit, and with bumps along the road and grass verge. But it really isn't a proper road, just a drive,which we walk up to take the horses out to the field anyway, would I go any further than that? No.
 
As a bobby I would ' book' anyone I caught doing this for their own safety! Jeez, the lanes may be quiet but there's many a drink driver that uses them as a shortcut, no way
 
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if you are wantimg us to agree and say go ahead then sorry-if the horse bolts or something then you run the risk of having a bad accident!

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I'm not wanting anyone to agree with me - I'm simply asking for opinions.
 
I have never ridden in the dark in a school, let alone along a road. As anyone who knows me personally myself and my partner, and our horses all wear hi viz when we go out for hacks.
Although I do have some equipment which have lights and/or reflectors as well I would not choose to ride along roads or any lanes no matter how quiet they seem in the dark.
My own view is that it is simply not worth the risk to my horses , me, my partner and anyone else who may be on that road.
Whilst most of us riders are extremely careful and vigilant on the roads, the same cannot be said of all vehicle drivers. To put a horse and rider in a potentially dangerous situation ie riding on a road in the dark is both fool hardy and selfish in my opinion. I say selfish because even though we may not all have the same admiration for all vehicle drivers, most do have respect for us horse riders on the road and as such we should afford them the same. Personally I could not live with myself if I chose to ride a road/lane in the dark and my horse spooked and caused an accident which caused a critical injury or even the death of an adult, or even worse a child.
I also state selfish because I feel that is what I would be by taking the risk with a very large animal on a road in the dark which may or not be lit, purely for the purposes of my own gratification.
If riding hours are reduced by dark nights drawing in then I would suggest either making the most of weekend riding, or else hiring out floodlit menages/indoor schools and transporting the horse to be ridden there ( if not available at the rider's yard). If all else fails then grit teeth and wait for Spring!
Not having a rant at you btw just stating my own reasons why I would not ride on roads in the dark.
 
No, no, no, no, no. Country roads are more dangerous than busy roads.

I think it is dangerous for horse and rider, no matter how much hi viz stuff is worn, but above all else, you have a choice whether to endanger yourself; the poor sod who hits you because they didn't see you in time, doesn't have a choice whether they hit you and may have the death of horse and/or rider on their conscience, in their nightmares, for the rest of their lives.

Would never do it.
 
The reason people drive faster on unlit country lanes, at least this is my feeling, is that they can see if a vehicle is approaching them because they see its headlights. This doesn't apply on lit roads.

Therefore they feel that they can drive at speed and in the middle of the road in safety, so the presence of a horse,no matter how much high viz. it's wearing, simply wouldn't enter their heads.
 
NO. iv never, ever done it- and never will.
i have fallen out with many people on my yard as they think it is perfectly ok to go around the fields in the dark- even when they cant see any potential rabbit holes!!

could you live with yourself if there was an accident involving you, your horse or someone else?

just dont!!
 
No.. Are you willing to risk your and your horses life? Roads are dangerous enough in daylight let alone in the dark. No.
Small country lanes are often worse too, as no one is expecting anyone to be on the roads so often drive a lot faster.

In the end it's up to you, it's your horse. But I would NEVER ride in the dark, or atleast on the roads. I have ridden in the field at the farm but would never ride on roads.
 
only an idiot would do this, quiet unlit country roads would be the most dangerous places to do so as well, you would be better off in a fully lit town centre.
i was travelling home from the yard last week, when i almost hit a horse and rider doing just that.....hacking down an unlit lane in the pitch black, the rider was wearing a hi-viz jacket but as she was almost 6ft off the ground on a 16.3 ish horse that jacket was not in my best line of vision, car headlights light up the road not the sky.....the horse was dark bay with no reflectives at all. legs bands would have been sensible, thank god i wasn't speeding, yet alot of vehicles that use that lane do.....the mouthful she got from me is rather unrepeatable on a family forum!!
 
Absolutely not. I think country lanes are worse as people drive a lot faster on them. Very bad idea to ride in anything other than during the day and in good weather conditions IMO. Roads are dangerous enough as it is, dont see why anyone would encourage an accident.
 
No way. I live in the countryside and try to avoid roads like you describe there in daylight with high vis, nevermind in darkness!

Aside from the obvious traffic hazards, what if you have an accident - even with you and horse wearing head to toe high viz the dark is hardly a good time to be found if you need an ambulance. What if horse bolts and gets onto a main road? again, even wearing high vis there is less chance of him being seen before its too late, and as others point out, less chance of him being EXPECTED.

No, no way, nada, not a chance of me being found doing that, I don't care how short it is.
 
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