I always prefered to use as little artificial light as possible. Not
only will you and your horse see better if you allow your eyes to
adapt to darkness, other riders will not be able to spot you by your
light! If you're going to be riding along roads at night, reflective
tape or reflective vests are a good idea.
I always carried a light when competing at night, but I seldom turned
it on except to verify a turn or check out a hazard. I used a small
penlight powered by a couple of "AA" batteries so as to not destroy
my night vision, and always carried a spare.
I always thought it was rude for other riders to come by shining
headlights or large flashlights. Causes harsh shadows and destroys
the night vision of those who are trying to ride without lights. The
worst of all is to ride behind someone while wearing a helmet light
-- the harsh shadows bouncing around will drive them crazy!! Well,
there is one other thing that is even worse -- to turn around to
check something you just passed, and shine your light right in
someone's face!!!
A good idea is to put some chemical "glowsticks" on the horse. One
or two on the breast collar put a soft light on the ground, dim
enough to not interfere with night vision. Be sure the glowstick
does not shine in the horse's eyes. Glowsticks on the back of the
saddle or the tail, though, cause glare for following riders and
should be avoided.
Remember that it takes time for your eyes to adjust. If you start
out with a bright light, and then turn it off, at first you won't
see a thing -- but if you start without the light, and have given
your eyes time to adjust, you'll be surprised at how well you can
usually see. Your horse has much better night vision than you do,
you can trust him even when you can't see yourself.
I have been known to canter down a thickly wooded trail where it was
so pitch black I couldn't see anything at all -- the black cat in a
coal bin a midnight. That can be tense ... you keep expecting your
horse to duck under that low branch ...
--Joe Long Rainbow Connection Arabians PC/LAN Manager home of Kahlil Khai Calhoun Community College AERC Hall of Fame horse jlong@hiwaay.net 11,475 miles completed