Posted 2006-10-28 11:10 PM (#50788) Subject: Anybody ride in the dark
Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah
This past month has been hunting season around here. Big game in our parts are most active at Sunrise and sunset. So we have to get to where we want to hunt prior to the sun coming up and come back to camp after the sun sets. So I have had the opportunity to ride in the mountains a lot in the dark.
Thursday I was late getting away from work. A friend of mine had rode into the hunting area earlier in the day, and I had promised to meet him. By time I got to the trailhead, saddled the horses and loaded the pack saddles, it was an hour or so after dark. It is about a 7 mile ride into the area where we had camp set up. The trail leads up a very narrow canyon. Only a little light came in from the stars. There was enough snow on the ground, The trail was kinda visable as a contrast of the packed snow and unpacked snow. Any way, 7 miles is a good hour ride on my horses. I enjoyed the ride and found my self talking to the horses a lot as we rode along and thinking that this was a way of life for folks a hundred years ago.
As I rode in, I though about why I only ride in the dark during hunting season. I remember seeing a fellow one summer evening pulling into a trail head as I was unsaddling. He told me that he enjoys night rides.
So question for others: How many others trail ride at night? For me trail riding is about seeing and enjoying the mountains. Since I can't see much at night, my only purpose to night riding is to get someplace, usually because I am late getting started. I use a small LED light that I put on my hat to give off a small red glow. Just enough to let me see branches before they knock my hat off. But hopefully not enough to night blind my horses.
Posted 2006-10-30 9:51 AM (#50816 - in reply to #50788) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Elite Veteran
Posts: 671
Location: THE GREAT NORTHWET, OREGON(THE REAL GODS COUNTRY)
I have ridden in the dark too while going hunting or getting to a spot.I used a red led head lamp that worked pretty good too.They say once your horse has gone on a trail they remember it.I think there is something to that.My paint seemed to know where he was going better than I did !
It is amazing how you can get used to the star lite and see pretty good,especialy in the snow.When I bring My horse back home He stands around and mopes.I think he gets as much enjoyment out of it as I do.Maybe it is mecause We have a tendancy to talk to them more when we are in the dark and alone.It makes for a bonding experience.
Posted 2006-10-30 10:09 PM (#50886 - in reply to #50788) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah
I find myself talking out loud to my horse more when I ride alone at night. Not so much that I think he understands me. But more because I know there are cougars and bears in the area and I don't want to surprise one.
It's a neat experience, I get a kick out of seeing the sparks come off the horses shoes. Which reminds me of a neat Halloween get I saw a couple years ago.
One of my neighbors got dressed up like the headless Horseman. Big black cape etc. He got on his black stallon and rode through the neighborhood at a good clip. Here comes this Big Black horse with what looked like a Huge Man with no head and big cape blowing out behind him and sparks flying of the shoes as his Foxtrotter trotted down the street. The kids all got a kick out of that.
Posted 2006-10-31 7:32 AM (#50892 - in reply to #50788) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Veteran
Posts: 209
Location: pensacola, fl
I use to ride at night all the time. I Loved it!! Now with a husband 2 kids and lots of critters to feed up theres not a lot of time to ride at night, but one evening while camping I decided to ride late evening and my mare was being... well... a mare!!(from hell) so I decided to keep going long after I was suppose to. It was a great experience for this particular horse because she had to rely on me for guidance in the dark.It was sooooooooooooo much fun, I enjoyed it so much, it reminded me of my younger braver days. When I got back to camp there was no one there, come to find out they were all out looking for me.(OPPS!!) I got the "you should know better speech") I have recently found a club in our area that does Moonlight rides on an annual basis, I think I'll join them on the next one.
PS. I always talk to my horse out loud. People at shows look at me funny but I don't care.
Posted 2006-10-31 9:51 PM (#50932 - in reply to #50892) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 303
Location: Grapeland, Texas
I love to ride at night. Down here in the summer that is about the only time you can stand to get out and ride.
When the moon is full it is so relaxing to get out and ride.
Posted 2006-11-01 5:34 PM (#50959 - in reply to #50788) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: high desert, CA.
We love to ride after dark! It makes the desert so nice and balmy, and since we don't run or even canter much as a group, our club does it several times in the summer and fall. We start with an early BBQ dinner, and then saddleup and go up the buttes and over to the wildlife refuge. The horse seem to even behave better at night, and seem to really enjoy the rides. As we get back to the park area where we usually assemble, we then untack, and build a small campfire and tell lots of lies, before loading up and trailering home.46 53
Posted 2006-11-03 4:50 PM (#51077 - in reply to #50959) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 524
Location: Lone Oak, Tx
Done a few night time endurance rides and I like them much more over the day time ones. Looking forward to doing 100 milers so we can ride in the dark, don't know that my horse would be looking forward to 100 milers...LOL.
Posted 2006-11-06 1:30 PM (#51177 - in reply to #50788) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Regular
Posts: 87
Location: Novato, California
Went on an amazing full moon ride last night to the top of Mt. Burdell. 20 miles north of San Francisco. We could see the Golden Gate Bride and all the city lights. The horses were perfect and didn't give a care about all the deer etc on the trail. We didn't bring any lights and let the horses navigate the whole way. They did a great job.
Posted 2006-11-08 1:31 PM (#51264 - in reply to #50788) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 391
Location: Columbia, KY
riding in the dark is kinda fun. I did endurance for years and many mornings would do conditioning rides in the dark before work. also on 100's you start out in the dark and usually finish in the dark. glow sticks on the saddle/breastcollar work well and I'd have a small LED flashlite that I'd turn on and off at intersections or anything questionable. I don't like head lamps cause the light will bounce all over the place when you ride and it's very distracting. it's also a good idea to have some type of reflective gear on you and the horse in case you'll be riding in traffic. horses can see very well in the dark and you'd be suprised at how well most of them do.
Posted 2006-11-23 9:26 PM (#51844 - in reply to #50788) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Regular
Posts: 50
Location: Colorado
As a former AERC'er I've finished some rides in the dark. I like riding in the dark, even though it is sometimes disorienting. I wear a helmet anyway and I keep an LED lite in my cantle bag for nighttime, because those low branches can be nasty. So can single tracks along steep dropoffs...
My husband and I also have hunted in the same situation you have, where we've had to return to a drop camp or even the main camp in the dark, especially bringing in a filled tag. We were up in the West Elk Wilderness (Colo.) a few years back, no moon but a clear sky. We were several miles in at the base of the Castles. It had snowed the day before, the sky cleared and the temp dropped down to single digits. Cold for Sept. which is usually warmer for archery season. My spouse got a bull down only an hour or so before dark, so after taking care of business and finally getting the quarters loaded, it was late and really dark. We rode out to the drop camp with nothing but starlight shining on the glittery snow to guide the way. Didn't have my headlamp with me. And to top it we rode right through a herd of bedded elk. They didn't panic at all as we were on the horses (I guess that was it). This is one of my best riding memories and look forward to riding at night in a situation like this again one day.
Posted 2007-02-05 1:32 PM (#55095 - in reply to #50788) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Regular
Posts: 50
Location: Delta Junction, Alaska
I ride all year long up here so a pretty fair amount is in the dark. I do tend to tie glow sticks to my horses during hunting seasons just to give that extra "dont shoot me" to them incase someone wants to shoot before thinking, also it makes it easy to peek out and check the line after I go to bed.
Posted 2007-02-05 4:41 PM (#55103 - in reply to #50788) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: high desert, CA.
I went to the Equine Affaire the other day, and when i came home, was soooo jazzed, I went and tacked up and rode at 10O'Clock at nite! The nite was perfect, and with an almost full moon, we rode till way past 2A.M. Saw lots of owls, some coyotes, and a lot of peoples durn dogs digging in the trash. Nice ride altogther..
She rode tall in the saddle till her blister busted!! LOL...
Posted 2007-02-05 7:52 PM (#55109 - in reply to #55095) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Regular
Posts: 50
Location: Colorado
AK Appys, I work with a lady whose brother and family live in Delta Junction. In fact I have an off topic question you may know the answer to about a book I am trying to find that comes from your part of the country. I sent it to your Inbox... if you don't mind...
Posted 2007-02-06 4:04 PM (#55139 - in reply to #50959) Subject: RE: Anybody ride in the dark
Regular
Posts: 92
Location: oregon
We used to ride all over the high desert. We have now settled in ORegon. Been here 10 years , love it. We lived close to the Mall of Victor Valley. That's when there were'nt so many people there.