Can you see me now?

Riding in the open, along streets or dirt roads can be a dangerous undertaking. If you and your horse are not visible at night, riding does not go without hazards. In some states, horses are considered a vehicle, which means that they have the right to be in traffic lanes and must observe traffic laws. Other states are considering or have already passed laws that require equine riders to have lights and reflective items on their person, carriage and horses. Be aware of the laws in your state and county when riding or driving after dark.

People ask how well horses see at night? The experts agree that horses see better than humans in darkness, however we must be aware of other things: distracted drivers, not being seen, speeding drivers are all a danger to anyone who rides in the evenings. No one wants to experience the loss of their life or their horse’s life, unfortunately it does happen all too often. Even with laws that require drivers to be hands free and not driving while drinking, equestrians and horses still lose their lives annually. Statistics are difficult to find, but social media is a harsh reminder when accidents happen, people post their opinions, and pictures and that’s when the discussions and arguments come to life again. I for one have enjoyed many a trail ride on a balmy night, but safety has always been a concern.

Can you see the horse & rider? There are 3 riders on Palomino’s

Maybe you can see them now.

Why not be more visible?

Here are some suggestions when riding at night so that drivers of vehicles can see you:

Wear light colored clothing
Put a reflector or flashing red bicycle light on the back of your saddle and breast collar
Wear a reflective vest, jacket or other reflective clothing of some type
Carry a flashlight & keep it turned on so people can see you coming
Have EquestriSafe reflective leg bands on at least 2 legs of your horse, reflective halter and reflective collar.
Stay out of traffic lanes whenever possible
Cross streets at lit intersections only

Carry a cantle or horn bag specifically for your night riding adventure with these simple to carry items:

Flashlight, glow sticks, bicycle light
Reflective vest or other form of lite reflective clothing
Reflective collar and leg bands

These things, and knowing the area in which you ride will greatly improve the fun you have when night riding. Enjoy your night rides.

But being prepared for evening riding is not the only area of your horsemanship where reflective items are needed. You may have guessed; I’m talking about your horse trailer.

Is reflective tape required on trailers? USDOT wording is this:

To help curb these accidents and increase driver safety, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), requires all semi-trucks and big rigs to be fitted with retro-reflective tape. The tape must be placed along the bottom and sides of any trailer weighing more than 4,536 kg / 10,000 lbs.

No, reflective is not required on your horse trailer if it weighs less than 10,000 lbs, however why would you not want to be seen? The difference between trailers with reflective decals and those without during evening hours is obvious.

Here is a trailer on the road with only lights. Here is a trailer with Reflective Decals.

Which one would you more likely see? The trailer on the right did not have lights on at the time of the photo, but as you can see that did not make a difference in visibility for this trailer. What would your trailer look like if you had lost your lights?

Here is another thought. Is your trailer black? Look at the white trailer, if you travel in foggy areas or would be evacuating in a smokey area, how visible would this trailer be? Can you see why having additional DOT strips or other reflective decals would be recommended for this trailer? Now look again at the pictures above and the trailer on the right (picture provided by Caution Horses.com)

What is your safety comfort zone? I personally see horse trailers as I travel that have very little to zero reflective decals on the rear doors. Reflective decals are inexpensive, available and can truly help to make you more visible when traveling. They come in a variety of discipline styles, black, red or white and sizes.