Red lights for riding at night?

Bulldawg

WKR
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Messages
928
Location
Minnesota
How do you feel about using a green or red light while on horseback? I'd like to have a light I could use to see the trail when I need to be looking for deadfall and something's right in front of me, or just working around the stock at night. I don't know if red or green are both ok or not.

Thanks guys
 
Joined
Sep 5, 2012
Messages
682
Location
Gypsum, CO
I use the regular white when I have to otherwise I go dark, I have noticed if I flip on and off here an there the horses notice the white light but never had a green or red to test


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
2,243
I've been trying to use my red light for hiking when I expect animals to be near but I don't enjoy it. It sort of messes with my depth perception and I end up stumbling and making more noise. I am a little deficient in my red-green color vision spectrum though. In any case, I end up going back to the white light. Also, mine isn't bright enough to clearly see anything more than a few feet away. I have no stock experience with headlamps either way.
 

yama49

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
163
Location
british columbia
Spent a few hrs in saddle at night, i use white light could b dangerous not being able to see branches, rivers etc JMO
 

cowboy300

WKR
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Messages
751
Location
Western Colorado
Most red light modes on a headlamp are pretty dim for seeing very far in front of you riding. I found the best red option is regular white light with a red lense cover. I use a 511 brand model from Sportsmans that works pretty good. I personally carry 2 headlamps for horseback hunting a dedicated red and a white light. Red and Green preserve you and your horses night vision and still allow you to see oncoming branches/deadfall/trail changes. With the red cover I can pop it off fast if I need instant white light. When the moon is out I generally ride without a light depending on the terrain. When hunting/guiding I regularly ride 3 to 5hrs a day in the dark.
 
OP
Bulldawg

Bulldawg

WKR
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Messages
928
Location
Minnesota
Most red light modes on a headlamp are pretty dim for seeing very far in front of you riding. I found the best red option is regular white light with a red lense cover. I use a 511 brand model from Sportsmans that works pretty good. I personally carry 2 headlamps for horseback hunting a dedicated red and a white light. Red and Green preserve you and your horses night vision and still allow you to see oncoming branches/deadfall/trail changes. With the red cover I can pop it off fast if I need instant white light. When the moon is out I generally ride without a light depending on the terrain. When hunting/guiding I regularly ride 3 to 5hrs a day in the dark.

So you guys think a green light works as well as red? as far as not blinding your horse?
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Messages
733
Location
Eastern Washington
I ride with a red light on so I have a warning on low hanging branches. On the color spectrum, you lose red before you lose green, so green is better for "brightness" compared to red. Horses are supposed to be color blind, so the color shouldn't matter to them but it will take your eyes longer to readjust to the dark when you shut off a green light than it does with a red light.
 

cowboy300

WKR
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Messages
751
Location
Western Colorado
I dont think red or green matters to horses/mules, at least I haven't noticed a difference. I have never used anything but red but some of our hunters have used green quite a bit.
 

mntnguide

WKR
Joined
Apr 27, 2012
Messages
427
Location
WY
Id use Red over white 100%. The bright white will screw with a horses depth perception. Some horses it really bothers, others maybe not. But when working around stock or looking for branches etc..I use A petzl with a red lense the flips right down. . Otherwise, i usually always ride with my light off and just keep my head tipped down..Thats when you learn to trust your horse and know the feeling of being on the trail or not. The only times ive rode for extended periods with my red on is going into entirely new country with no trail and when there is absolutely no moon or visibility, otherwise i just prefer to let me eyes adjust to the dark.
 

MesaHorseCo.

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
401
Location
Colorado
Sounds cheesy but a pair of clear safety glasses can be helpful depending on what country your in. Horses can see at night, anything else is just for our own comfort or feeling of well being.
 

Brooks

WKR
Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Messages
643
Location
New Mexico
Might just be my horses but we use regular white light headlamps going down some very rough places when packing out and it gets dark . Never have had a problem at all but I have rode with guys in the dark that won’t use them. I shine it right down in front of the horse....now I’m talking rank, rough places in the dark.
 

MesaHorseCo.

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
401
Location
Colorado
Might just be my horses but we use regular white light headlamps going down some very rough places when packing out and it gets dark . Never have had a problem at all but I have rode with guys in the dark that won’t use them. I shine it right down in front of the horse....now I’m talking rank, rough places in the dark.

It seems like flipping it on off on off or flashing it all around is what messes with them. Leaving them on in a generally focused area or off altogether seems best. I must admit that although I do it, I’m not the biggest fan of night riding. I’ve had more than one 1 a.m. arrival back at camp or at the trailer and after that long in darkness I’m sure ready to get the off the darn horse.
 

Brooks

WKR
Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Messages
643
Location
New Mexico
I leave the light on and try to just watch where we’re going. I don’t like riding at night but seems like every time I pack out an elk if we start any time after noon we end up in the dark. I packed one out last year and didn’t get back to the trailer until 1am....things happen.
 

MesaHorseCo.

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
401
Location
Colorado
I leave the light on and try to just watch where we’re going. I don’t like riding at night but seems like every time I pack out an elk if we start any time after noon we end up in the dark. I packed one out last year and didn’t get back to the trailer until 1am....things happen.
Haha yes. Things definitely happen. Often. 😉
 
Joined
Jul 27, 2020
Messages
6
In every outfitter camp I’ve guided in, its red light or no lights. Red lights don’t effect you, or your horses night vision. Whether it spooks game or not is just something you’d have to take with a grain of salt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

caleb_22

FNG
Joined
Jun 18, 2020
Messages
14
I do a lot of coon and hog hunting at night on horses and mules. The terrain is typically very rugged. I only use white lights and dont have any trouble with my animals.
 

T.R.

FNG
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
8
Horses fall into the same group of "dichromate vision" animals as coyotes/predators/etc. I would use red just because it won't mess with their vision but it will help you see. Can read more on it here: Predator Hunting Lights Article

Based on this, seems like red is better than green too.
 
Top