Those who turn out/get in in the dark

TJ&Ozzie

TJ&Ozzie

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15 September 2011
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Colchester, Essex
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I am having my winter paddock re-seeded this autumn. It's right by my house and stables so well lit normally. However with the re-seeding my turn out for this winter is going to be a 5 min walk up our unlit driveway. My
horses go out at 6am and don't come back in till 6pm. Dark both times in the
winter so my walk to the field is going to be dark and dingy!

Can anyone recomend a good head torch or similar for my journeys?
 
I have to walk up and down our lane with my two in the dark sometimes, which is unlit. I don't know what head torch we use, but I use one of those flashing tabbards too to get driver's attention. It really works. And as much reflective stuff as you can get. Your eyes actually get used to the dark though.

The horses initially were freaked out by the head torch, so don't just go down in it first time you go to catch them in the dark or you may end up having them gallop around the field!
 
Sounding like a head torch is the way forward then. Cars won't be a problem as it's only the farm house and farm cottages on our drive. Good tip about not going down with it on! Sort of thing that would send mine silly too!
 
I love my head torch for turning out/ bringing in! I got it from B&Q for around £10 and it has done tthree winters. It takes triple a batteries rather than circular batteries so easy and cheap to replace!
 
I can't remember the make but I know its a doggie one- a friend of mine has a torch built into a baseball cap- that way there's no slipping over your eyes, and it was really flat and not bulky or heavy, and you can even change the batteries on it unlike most tiny ones. Might be worth a look.
 
Don't use a torch!!! Sends the horses utterly bonkers. I am so fed up of not being able to get near mine becuase of people wandering around with head torches on!!

Your eyes adapt very quickly, I can pick my horses out by the star/moon light when I walking up to the field.
 
I'm always up in the dark in winter, but don't use a head torch. I think it must effect my horses night vision cos he constantly trips over things and walks into me if I use one. Once your eyes adjust its very rare that it's so dark that you literally cannot see a thing. I do use a torch for finding the horse tho!
 
Not sure on the make but I got a great headtorch from Millets - fairly rugged as it's for camping and has survived being dropped numerous times!

However...as other people have said, tend not to actually catch the horse in it. Mine doesn't go loopy, but think it must be too bright when I look at him in the dark. Tend to use it to make my way round the yard and have it on just in case, but can always see by the time I get to the field without it.

Best thing for me is getting a roll of reflective tape and adorning the rugs so I can find the beastie in the dark...and work out which one is mine :)
 
Go into a walking/outdoors shop and get one of the nice light weight LED ones. I have a cheap one from tesco for doing the dogs and it's heavy and annoying. It won't die tho and I won't replace it til it does :o
 
I find the torches make it worse. Just let your eyes adjust - I've been know to close my eyes for 10 seconds and then when I open them again I see better.
The horses can see fine.
Head torches and torches on my phone make my horses spook and I can't catch them. I think it's also difficult for them getting the bright light in their eyes.

Do many cars come down the road you have to walk down? I would use for safety with a hi vi if their is.
 
I really couldn't be without my head torch in the winter. I desenditised my horses to it and they are perfectly fine to catch. I do however have an infra red light on it which I use a lot rather than the normal bulb, mostly to stop flies and midgies flying at the white light. Mine is a petzl, has 2 different brightness settings which gave good enough light to muck out when we lost power for a week plus the infra red bulb which gives off good enough light to walk about without blinding the horses
 
Ive got a duracel one which is fabulous as mine live out on 8 acres down a private unlit lane its very necessary! It has lots of options for one light,2, full beam and red and the horses are fine with the red as it suits their eye type :)
 
I use a PETZL one too, they really are the best!, its bright and lightweight takes aa batteries, i got it from Blacks the outdoor shop - theyre not the cheapest on the market but they last and are worth the extra- mine lives in my glove box year round and i cant count the number of times its been a life-saver!

Also turnout rugs with reflective strips on them are wonderful! i did have a pair of neon orange and reflective silver overreach boots- only for turnout- they meant i could just shine my torch and pick out my boy in his 11 acre field in the dark! the terror has managed to ditch them somewhere and they still havent appeared- so i will have to invest in another pair before winter methinks!:D
 
I use an LED Lenser and love it
Recommended to me by the coast guard who use them for night searches
I also put some high viz patches on rugs so if the buggers are hiding in a corner, one sweep of the field with a torch finds them for me:D

I couldn't live without a headtorch when it gets dark
 
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