Would you ride in the dark?

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LizScott

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As title really
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A friend and I spent a winter riding our horses at 5 in the morning in the pitch black as this was the only time to safely exercise around full time jobs.

We dressed up like christmas trees. Lot's of flashing lights on top of reflective stuff.

It was fine as we stuck to the village and only ever saw the milkman lol.

It was so cold though.
 
yes, not on the roads but I will go around off road hacking. It's not ideal but I like to keep D fit. Much better than not riding all week and then asking too much of her at the weekend.
 
I ride in the school in the dark, street lights nearby so enough light to exercise, just. Sometimes go for little canter round fields once my eyes get accustomed, neighbours probably think i'm mad
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Think from a drivers point of view . On country lanes at night you expect to see the on coming lights from cars in the other direction to give you a clue to slow down ( from round corners that is). No matter how much reflective gear you have your unlikley to throw light onto the hedge line to give warning. I think you can get some kind of horsey head lights that would make things safer. I think the mounted police use something like this - the only time I can remeber seeing them working rurally at night (no street lights) was at the solstice , stonehenge, a few years back. You could see them from space!
 
Yes I used to do it in winter and ride round a housing estate from the farm and back again with a friend, full reflective and flashing lights very brightly lit street lights too. It was not country lanes, that I think would be very dangerous.
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I had to hack to and from comps/training in the dark with my instructor in the car either infront or behind and me lit up like a xmas tree. I will have to hack out in the dark in winter to keep him fit but the villiage roads are dead at 5-6 in the morning, not ideal but I don't have many other options in winter.
 
I wouldn't ride on the roads in the dark full stop especially after my near miss today! Its dangerous enough as it is. I would ride in a floodlit school but thats it.
 
yup, I go round the field in the dark, school in it, lunge in it all in the dark (don't make him jump!) he is actually much less spooky than normal.

in the winter I go out on the road at first light (7am) while the street lights are still on but it is lighting up. in full dayglo and lights, do about 1/3 of a mile on the road and then off the road and by the time I come back half an hour later it is light. I wouldn't do this on every road, ours is very quiet, used for access only and I normally see 2 cars both belonging to dog walkers who are going to the same off road bit I am aiming for so they are used to seeing me.

horse wears fluorsecent bridle kit, sheet and leg bands I wear jacket and hat and gloves, rambo flashing red LED, flashing bicycle light behind and a headlamp in front.

With regards to cars seeing headlights, fair enough I do this too, but I could just as easily be cyclist with small lights or a dog walker.

I do pick my roads though, I wouldn't do it on the fast bendy one!
 
Yep, he has a headlight on his head and reflective hi viz and I wear a reflective tabard with red neons flashing, his headlight lights up where he looks so we can see where we are going.
 
Me and my friend ride every Wednesday night, all year round. We have little road to go on, with most off road. Plenty of high viz. Flashing tails etc. and have lights on our hats.

Spent a lovely bonfire night on the top of a hill watching all the fireworks going off around us. Horses weren't bothered in the slightest

Pedantic - I would love to know how you attach a headlamp to your horses bridle as when we talk to each other, or look at something the horses are in the dark!!!!!!!
 
On roads no. What's the point? It's far too dangerous and, as a driver you just don't expect to come across a horse on the road in the dark reflective gear or not. It's not safe. If I had immediate access to off road hacking then maybe I would if really needed to (I don't have a school so make do with weekend riding in winter) but to be honest, it wouldn't be easy would it - I would have to attach a torch to horses head or carry one so I could see where we were going!!!
 
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On roads no. What's the point? It's far too dangerous and, as a driver you just don't expect to come across a horse on the road in the dark reflective gear or not. It's not safe. If I had immediate access to off road hacking then maybe I would if really needed to (I don't have a school so make do with weekend riding in winter) but to be honest, it wouldn't be easy would it - I would have to attach a torch to horses head or carry one so I could see where we were going!!!

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I have headlamp and we have street lights, he needs keeping fit enough to hunt and do the odd SJ class at weekends, he is also getting older so needs to keep moving. He is not the sort that keeps himself fit. It is better light in the mornings than after work hence why I ride at first light (as street lamps start to turn off) a couple of times a week. I think the route I go is fine. but think it is different for every route.
I have no school either.
I would not ride the other horse out in the dark because I wouldn't trust it and I won't ride out if windy as it makes hearing cars difficult.
I used to drive car behind a friend- to go 300yds ish down road from competing which was fine until driver overtook car without realising anything was in front.
 
looks the same as I wear!

frank would be bound to spook himself with this moving light thing that moves with is head!
 
I'd never hack at night no. I have ridden in my paddocks at night before (in the winter evenings when I get back from work) but I have a floodlight, makes it a bit spooky due to the shadows everywhere but its do-able.
 
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