Who hacks in the dark?

Yes, I do otherwise I'd barely ride in winter. All off road hacking as not sure I'd want to encounter traffic!l in the dark.

Pony wears LED legwraps, lights on his high viz breast plate, LED browband, high viz or Mercury exercise sheet with a light on the back.

I then wear high viz light up running vest over the top of a high viz jacket, a headtorch on hat & both stirrups have lights too.

I mean, it's not a classy look but we are super visible - I often meet runners and dog walkers that tell me just how visible I am!
 
I was going to do this at one point when Bails could only be hacked as we were on a very straight and long road immediately out of the yard but didn’t have the courage in the end. Instead I used to ride round the yard ten times which was 1 1/2 mins a lap.
 
ecb89 said:
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.
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Provided you avoid blind bends, with enough lights, this actually works in your favour. Drivers can’t make out what you are and brake first, then work it out.

Even the people who would speed past horses in the day would slow down at night, when I used to do it.
 
JFTDWS said:
Provided you avoid blind bends, with enough lights, this actually works in your favour. Drivers can’t make out what you are and brake first, then work it out.

Even the people who would speed past horses in the day would slow down at night, when I used to do it.
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Actually that is a very good point and tbh I hadn’t thought of that.
 
Yes I used to carry on hacking all year round. Mix of on and off road. Headtorch for me and him, neckstrap light for him, flashing led silicone armbands on arms and ankles for me, armbands threaded onto nylon dog collars round his fetlocks for him, and flashing led armband plaited into his tail. White lights at the front, red at the back. Can't count the number of drivers who slowed and waved, and wound the window down to say they saw us from yards away.
 
ecb89 said:
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.
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Exactly this. I met two horses out in the dusk and rain the other evening. One had some hi viz on and, even as a rider myself, it took me some seconds to work out what I was seeing. The other rider had nothing on and I didn’t see her until I was practically upon them 😮.
 
I did quite a lot last year... we also have off road hacking from yard so would quite often take them out in that. In bright moonlight I can school in the arena. Also not a fan of a head torch however I did go on a short bit of road once so hi-vized me and horse to the eyeballs and wore lights, red at back, white in front. This short bit of road actually always has a lot of bikes and dog walkers at night, which I met of few. I think if you do it 'right' you can be morse visible than a bike, however it seems to be more taboo than go for dog walk etc in the dark.
 
We did get stopped once by a cyclist who commented that he slowed up and got off his bike as he couldn't work out what was coming towards him. I'm not sure he was expecting my cheery "well my lights clearly worked then" 🤣.

I don't wear a head torch as I don't want to blind the horse. She has the torch on her browband and chest so that she can be seen. I was initially concerned that they might upset her / destroy her dark vision but she doesn't object to either being on, nor does having them on / off affect spookiness etc
 
timefort said:
We did get stopped once by a cyclist who commented that he slowed up and got off his bike as he couldn't work out what was coming towards him. I'm not sure he was expecting my cheery "well my lights clearly worked then" 🤣.

I don't wear a head torch as I don't want to blind the horse. She has the torch on her browband and chest so that she can be seen. I was initially concerned that they might upset her / destroy her dark vision but she doesn't object to either being on, nor does having them on / off affect spookiness etc
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Ridden 3 different horses with head torch fitted on the Bridle, it tends to light up where they look, never been a problem.
 
I wouldn't ride in the evening, but I would consider setting off in the dark in the morning as I know it will only get lighter! This morning at 6:30am it was gloomy, misty and very peaceful. I rode 1/4 mile on quiet country road (hi-viz on me and pony but no lights) and then on green lanes.
 
In the mornings I will get up early and set off in the dark and get back in daylight but no, I wouldn't set off in the dark in the evening and I definitely wouldn't ride on the roads in the dark - even lit up like a Christmas tree.
Far too many idiots in daylight hours without darkness validating their ignorance.
 
I used to ride round the farm in the dark. The farmer thought it was hilarious that he could see me from about 1/4 mile away, I just thought all my flashy lights were doing the trick! I can't find the full picture but I bought loads of Aldi flashing armbands for cyclists and Bobbi had them over boots, joined together round her neck and in her tail. I had them on arms, hat and sometimes round my boots. Basically we were lit up like a Christmas tree.
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Just read through this thread for some inspiration... Lately with the time change and the shorter days, I've been thinking about trying to walk my horse in my dark to/from the indoor. It's only about a five minute walk one way and he definitely knows where we are going. Most of the walk is lit by street lights but there are some sections that are completely dark.

He's a good boy but can be quite looky and spooky, so I don't want to scare him and have some kind of stupid accident. Back home in the States, I always had an indoor arena attached (or in close proximity) to the barn so I really have not been in a situation like this until now. And if we were out in the dark, it was typically to load/unload and everything would have been lit up around us. He's okay with headlamps around him but I've never put anything light and/or flashing on him before. Also he's almost done with his suspensory rehab at the moment so I have been cautious, therefore we might just wait until next year to give it a try. What do you all think?
 
I rode out last Friday eve. I left in the semi dark. It obviously got darker, I was in the woods, it was really creepy! Coming back across the field there was a herd of deer!! Horse was really good but I'm not sure I would go in the woods in the dark again!! I'm not too far from a housing estate with street lights but I don't want to get shouted at for riding in the dark by the residents. I'm currently using the school each week night but it's already getting boring!
 
airliner said:
Just read through this thread for some inspiration... Lately with the time change and the shorter days, I've been thinking about trying to walk my horse in my dark to/from the indoor. It's only about a five minute walk one way and he definitely knows where we are going. Most of the walk is lit by street lights but there are some sections that are completely dark.

He's a good boy but can be quite looky and spooky, so I don't want to scare him and have some kind of stupid accident. Back home in the States, I always had an indoor arena attached (or in close proximity) to the barn so I really have not been in a situation like this until now. And if we were out in the dark, it was typically to load/unload and everything would have been lit up around us. He's okay with headlamps around him but I've never put anything light and/or flashing on him before. Also he's almost done with his suspensory rehab at the moment so I have been cautious, therefore we might just wait until next year to give it a try. What do you all think?
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I would pop a bridle on, hat and gloves for yourself ,with a head torch. Give it a go. I would keep the head torch on even when your under lights as the only time my boys jumps a bit is when I turn mine on!
 
Flowerofthefen said:
I rode out last Friday eve. I left in the semi dark. It obviously got darker, I was in the woods, it was really creepy! Coming back across the field there was a herd of deer!! Horse was really good but I'm not sure I would go in the woods in the dark again!! I'm not too far from a housing estate with street lights but I don't want to get shouted at for riding in the dark by the residents. I'm currently using the school each week night but it's already getting boring!
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It won't feel as creepy next time as you'll know what to expect. I wouldn't worry about deer. Keep on keeping on.
 
I did find that J, who can be spooky in daylight, is actually very good at night. It's almost like she mentally just "gets on with it" whereas in daytime there are things to gawp at. The only time she's spooked in the dark was when we got ambushed by a herd of deer which was rather understandable. My only concern is that if the worst does happen then we might be harder to find - hence we are both bedecked in hi Viz and lights. All if which is to say, I'd give it a go - I love our evening strolls and (for us) it's more fun than endless circles in the school.
 
I hack 5 minutes once a week on quiet roads to an indoor school lit up like a Xmas tree! Silver reflective coat, riders eye headtorch, body torches front and back, horse hi viz ears. No problems at all but it does spook people when they’re not expecting you :-)
 
I ride with a headtorch in the dark a lot this time of year. I work full time and don't have an arena, so if I didn't I wouldn't ride much during the week.

We're on a farm with all off-road hacking so I consider it pretty safe, although there's always people that think you're bonkers.

Last year I took on an obese mare and had an 8 week plan to get her hunting fit. A lot of that was done in the dark! When the moon is out I find I don't need a headtorch either, it's very peaceful.
 
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