Who hacks in the dark?

[Flowerofthefen]

I'm lucky to have off road hacking straight out of the yard. I work 8.30 til 5 so see my horses in the dark mainly in winter apart from lunch time. I did hack in the dark round a sugar beet field at the old yard but only a few times. If you hack in the dark what do you wear and horse wear? Lights etc?

 

[Esmae]

I used to ride in the dark, but in the very early morning. 5am. No traffic then. I didn't bother with lights. He could see okay and I have good night vision. Was lovely, nobody about, no traffic. Bliss. If you are off road directly then maybe no need for lights, unless it is a route that walkers might use for the dog etc. In that case maybe a stirrup light for their benefit rather than yours.

 

[JFTDWS]

Good head torch, and I did put reflective gear and lights on the pony. It’s lovely hacking in the dark. Lots of wildlife and fewer humans - especially fewer dogs.

 

[Jenko109]

Have done. Same as above, early mornings. No lights.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Yes I have on quiet roads with appropriate lighting and hi viz

 

[Dam1]

I used to hack around the local wood/park after work in the week once or twice a week. I rode 100yds or so on a quiet one track road then straight into the park. I had a flashing torch around my neck and then graduated to a vest with a flashing light back and front. This was many years ago though and there wasn't much in reflective gear available so you had to be inventive (hence the flashing torch hanging round my neck lol) never had any problems bar whipping my face on a lowish branch and nearly frightening a dog walker to death on a misty night as he thought I was an apparition.
I used to really enjoy it but I did have a reliable non spooky horse. He did object a bit at first to the shadows from the torch but soon got used to it x

 

[pistolpete]

Done it in the forest in Spain a few times. It’s lovely. So quiet and horses have good night vision. If I was alone I’d usr a head torch and hi viz and maybe an extra torch for back up.

 

[RHM]

I hack on the moors in the dark in winter. I don’t have to go on any roads luckily. I have a head torch and wear hi vis just so any dog walkers can see me, though I rarely meet anyone. My horse can obviously see and knows all the paths so I just leave her to it. I just walk though.

It is bloody spooky though particularly when the wind picks up! I try and convince people to come with me when I can!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

If you do, please put on hi vis and ensure you both also have something reflective on - so someone can see you.

A 20 something yr old came off last winter when riding out in the dark about 6pm. Horse came home, it took another 3 hrs to locate her as tho she had decked horse, she only had a hat cover which came off as she crashed into the undergrowth and was knocked out. SAR were called out, she did go to hospital as had 2 severe breaks.
Horse had apparently tripped in trot, barrelled over and ejected rider, no blame, just an accident.

 

[Caol Ila]

Not anymore. I hacked at dusk a fair bit last year, with horse lit up like a Christmas tree. Never had any issues. But yard took offense for some reason, made up a new rule about hacking in the dark, then threatened me with eviction if caught doing it again. Yeah, that was nice.

 

[lynz88]

This is giving me confidence to do it on nights that are decent!

 

[TheresaW]

When I lived down south, and had Epping Forest on my doorstep, I hacked in the dark every night with Dolly in winter. I never used a headtorch, as the shadows it threw freaked me out, but my eyes did adjust. We did know the tracks like the back of our hands though.

Always hi-vis, and had a flashing tabard and stirrup lights for the very tiny bit of road work we had to do.

 

[SantaVera]

Used to when I lived elsewhere. Loved it.wish I still could.

 

[Vodkagirly]

When I had off road hacking from the yard, I used to wear a led vest. Hose had a clip on led on his breastplate and a tail one in case we parted company.
Walkers/cyclists often commented how bright it was but couldn't work out what it was from a distance so slowed down.
If you have the right hacking, it's quite enjoyable

 

[Pedantic]

Headlight on Bridle, flashing reflective top, red flashing bike light platted into horses tail, and flashing dog collar on my outside leg, can't not be seen.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

When I lived down south, and had Epping Forest on my doorstep, I hacked in the dark every night with Dolly in winter. I never used a headtorch, as the shadows it threw freaked me out, but my eyes did adjust. We did know the tracks like the back of our hands though.

Always hi-vis, and had a flashing tabard and stirrup lights for the very tiny bit of road work we had to do.

I used to hack in the dark in Epping forest as well years ago it was only a 5 minute quiet road to get there.

I don't do it anymore though.

 

[Pedantic]

 

[paddy555]

I used to ride in the dark each night after work on Dartmoor.
hi viz for you so the rescuers can find you. High vis somewhere on the horse so if you come off you can find your horse. Head torch but don't use any lights unless you absolutely have to you don't want to distort the horse's vision.

We used to go miles in the pitch dark. Horses become very responsible in the dark. When you can't see anything you enter the horse's world. You become superflous. He is the one who can see. Enjoy it.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

It's so great to hear a lot of you do it and really enjoy it!! I always ride in hi viz, all year round. Horse has a reflective sheet and I've got a reflective breastplate somewhere. Best thing to do is give it a go and see how we get on!!

 

[timefort]

We do a fair amount of nighttime wandering, but yard goes straight onto our fields or off road hacking. Our in hand get-up but our ridden version isn't much different. She has head and chest lights, plus red lights facing backwards on roller/ saddle and stirrups. If I'm riding I also have lights on my boots. I'd like a bigger light on me in case I came off but worry that Id do myself damage by landing on it. I am decked out in hi Viz.

 

[humblepie]

I used to and others at our yard do with head torches round field tracks.

 

[FitzyFitz]

I used to hack in the dark all the time. Had very little roadwork (only 30mph estate roads) but met lots of walkers, joggers and cyclists.
Never used a head torch as I found the wobbling a bit nauseating and the pony didn't like it much. I also only had flashing lights on the rear and on my stirrups, rest were static as otherwise it made it hard to navigate and bothered my pony.
One thing I tried to do was use weird light colours so people didn't mistake us for a cyclist and come zooming past. I did have red LED's on the back as thats standard, but everything else was green (stirrups, hatband, collar on the pony) the idea being that people would DEFINITELY see us from miles off but would have no idea what we were so would approach carefully. Worked a treat, although we got some comments about our UFO appearance
I did also have plenty of reflective on so occasionally a jogger would come round a bend with a 1000 lumen headlamp and give themselves laser eye surgery.

Now I live very rurally and it's quieter during the day, and black as pitch at night so I don't tend to ride after dark. Would certainly need a headtorch on anything but the clearest nights.

 

[Cragrat]

I regularly hack in the dark. Plenty of hi-viz, on me and the horse, even if I'm off road in case we become separated. Absolutley no head torch because it wrecks night vision for me and the horse, but I do have LED's on my hat and tabbard.

 

[Boots*McGruber]

My friend and I have been to the woods in the dark. Friend had a head torch so we rode by her light but I got too far in front of her and my pony vanished! He was definitely still there but I couldn’t see him for a bit We didn’t realise we’d gone to the woods on a Halloween event evening too… spooky.

 

[TheresaW]

I used to hack in the dark in Epping forest as well years ago it was only a 5 minute quiet road to get there.

I don't do it anymore though.

I think we possibly passed each other at times

 

[CastlelackSportHorses]

We hack in the dark in my yard, we normally go together as its safer in numbers as we only have road hacking, and even though roads are quiet and everyone around knows we are loopers theres still the odd car that doesnt know us!
Horses are actually very content to hack in the dark. Plenty High viz and a light facing behind is ideal.

 

[nikkimariet]

Yes as I can get off road, it’s only a short loop but no traffic or people. I don’t wear a head torch as find it disorientating. My eyes adjust after a few minutes. Reflective sheet + LED light strips on me and horse.

 

[Cocorules]

I go out early in the morning off road and it gradually gets light. I don't in the pitch black, but it isn't often that the cloud cover is enough for that.

 

[Squeak]

I haven't hacked as much recently but used to frequently with a head torch. For hacking in the dark or dusk I found this invaluable as it picks up even the faintest light and is really really fluorescent and shows from the front, back and side and shows the shape and size of the horse too:

Weatherbeeta Reflective Wrap Around Exercise Sheet

The WeatherBeeta Reflective Wrap Around Exercise Sheet is a waterproof and breathable exercise sheet with 210T polyester lining featuring all over reflective material, that reflects the light when it hits the fabric making it ideal for riding in poor visibility. Features: Waterproof and...

gsequestrian.co.uk

 

[ecb89]

My only issue with hacking in the dark, is even if you are lit up like a Christmas tree, drivers aren’t expecting horses to be out and it can catch drivers off guard.