Would You?......ride on the roads at night?

No way, people do it down the lane where I live (well young girls from the riding school/livery yard up the road) obviously at that age you don't see the dangers quite as much as you do when you get older, what if your horse spooked and escaped from you, how in gods name are you going to track it down in the dark, how would you feel if it ran out in front of someones car, you could kill somebody let alone your horse, well your increasing the risk so much more in the dark should I say.

I don't like it, but other people choose to then thats there choice.
 
Can I just point out that if you ride out on the roads after lighting up time (or before sunrise) you are legally obliged to carry lights (not just LEDs actual lights) showing white to the front and red to the rear.

High Viz is of course essential but the law says you must have lights and if you ride on the road without you are comitting an offence.
 
Nope, no way, never!!

I value my life, the lives of my horses, and those of other road users far too much to do something so selfish.
 
I think you are all very fortunate to be in a situation where you have an option. I dont!!! My horse goes out looking like a christmas tree, for 200m. Am I really so selfish?
 
I wouldn't but then my horse is only rising 4 so i don't even go out in the day without company at the moment! I think if you do though it is just an accident waiting to happen!
 
No not on the road, but yes, round and round an empty field in walk and trot.
Put yourself in the position of a driver, they do not expect to see horses in daylight let alone the dark, no matter how well lit or hi vized.
Please don't.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, meant to add that roads are 30mph and fully lit with street lights not coutry lane types......if that makes a difference?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea no problem, have done last 5 years, vizzed up and his headlight on, suburban roads and pitch dark on bridleways, if there is a full moon even manage a steady canter, oh it's dark is just another excuse not to ride for some people, if I "want" to ride I will, if I,m too nacked after work and cant be bothered I wont, weather and light dont really come into it, I must admit I have ridden less this winter as it has been so miserable, so I must be getting soft.
Fitted a headlight onto two friends horses and ridden out in pitch dark, no problems, and a friend at another yard rides whatever with stirrup and tail light with viz with no problems either.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Nope, no way, never!!

I value my life, the lives of my horses, and those of other road users far too much to do something so selfish.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto this. I think cyclists in the dark are barmy, never mind riders.
 
No no no. another 4 weeks time it will be light til 6 bring it on!!!! though i try not to be on the roads on the horse at commuter times! (am and pm) as motorists tend to be on automatic and are either thinking "get to work get to work" or "get home whats for tea?" and dont notice horses etc til it is too late!
 
No - whatever the reason - no. i wouldnt ride anywhere, even bridle paths, if i couldn't see what was around either. How do you know there is nothing dangerous on the ground for the horse to step on? Glass, sharred metal etc thats been dumped?

I've been caught out once as it was getting dusk and that was bad enough!
 
I have done, but it was on the Surrey Hills in 2002 (I think
grin.gif
) when my TB found the Horse Flies unbearable during the day, so we went up over Holmbury Hill (we did cross one road
cool.gif
) and in the dusk had the best ever ride, cantering around 'Horse Fly free', it was exhilarating
blush.gif
 
Nope, never. Just don't fancy it myself and I think my horse would be a plank (she is bad enough in daylight!) but if it is safe and you have the right high viz, lights etc then have nothing against those who do.
 
I have seriously considered it round our streetlit loop. When you don't have a school or off road riding & have an eventer to get fit needs must. Never actually got round to doing it though. Have ridden in dusk plenty of times.

Don't need to worry about it now though as work OK'd me to do flexi hours today
laugh.gif
. So I will be starting later & riding before work in the morning til the clocks change then starting early & finishing early. It's light here just after 8 now.

Also just incase it's of any use I got a flashing tabbard off ebay for £5. Great if you get caught out by mist etc. It's great.
 
I do, well kind of and think it is very situation/location specific tbh. I ride early mornings bout 7am, sort of half light normally, streetlights still on but not dark. Dress like a xmas tree and only have to go down one lane to then get off road access and normally meet 2 drivers, both of whom are going the same place I am with their dogs so expect to see me but I am sensible if I hear cars coming etc. It is light then when I come back

If anyone is interested I wear: fluor and reflective noseband, neck band, leg bands, ex sheet, hat, vest, gloves. A horseware flashing red led vest, A bicycle red light behind and a white head light (should take a pic really!)

I would prob also ride down our main village road that is lit road, it is quiet at that time in the morning and has a 30mph restriction with cameras.

I wouldnt ride round our estate road as it is too bendy, unlit, lots of people going to work not paying attention.

Its the option I take to keep my pony fit in the winter so we can do stuff at weekends and he gets a bit stiff if not ridden, we have no arena (and minimal lighting) so this is better when the field is very wet and have had a lot more road problems in daylight.

Nic01 the flashing tabards are great, I wont hack out in the afternnons without mine on, just incase you get stuck or it starts raining I know that once everyone has there lights on their cars as a driver you tune in to looking for lights.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I did when I was a kid, I cringe when I think about it!!!

I got a 'stirrup light' for Christmas when I was about 12 which had a very dim white light facing forwards and an even dimmer red light facing backwards; I strapped it to my right boot and rode around in the dark on the roads (all residential roads lit by street lamps) at every opportunity, even waiting till it got dark to ride!!

I never came to any harm but I'm not sure that's an endorsement.............!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I did the same about 30 years ago. A motorist did stop and ask me if my name was death.
 
no way! But I do know some people who do!

They live in my village. Most nights at around 11-12pm I hear 2 riders trotting their horses down the road past my house. They wear NO hi-viz or lights...and we don't have any street lights....it is pitch black except for the moon. I have no idea how they see where they are going. And a couple of times I have been driving and nearly hit them when I went around the bend slowly! Idiot people!!!!!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
no way! But I do know some people who do!

They live in my village. Most nights at around 11-12pm I hear 2 riders trotting their horses down the road past my house. They wear NO hi-viz or lights...and we don't have any street lights....it is pitch black except for the moon. I have no idea how they see where they are going. And a couple of times I have been driving and nearly hit them when I went around the bend slowly! Idiot people!!!!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Now that is stupid
mad.gif
 
Yes, I used to regularly. Only way they'd get ridden during the winter!

We were stabled directly opposite a very large well-lit housing estate that was so speed-bumped you couldn't drive more than 20mph (whole area's a 20mph restricted zone anyways)By joining all the different estates together we could easily ride for an hour (at walk) without once leaving the 20mph restricted zone. We were very careful to stay off the main roads.

We used to dress up like Christmas tree's (flashing leg bags, tail bands, flashing tabard, flashing band the whole lot) and I actually really enjoyed it. Horses weren't in the slightest bit bothered and if you rode late at night it was quiet and peaceful.

Where I am now we have miles and miles of off-roads hacking and do occasionally ride at night. However the roads are too fast to consider riding on them at night.
 
I have been once or twice caught out and ended up riding down the last bit of well lit street before the lane in the semi-dark, luckily I always wear reflectives, it's not something I would like to repeat as it's an accident waiting to happen IMO.

The teenagers at the yard ride out down the bridlepath and also on the housing estate which is well lit in the dark, they wear hat lamps, tabards, reflective exercise sheets and bridle kits and are actually more visable on the dark bridleway than the streets which are lit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top