Lighting for Horses & Equestrian Sports
Light has a strong influence on horse behavior
The horse is a flight animal by nature and in constant observation of its surroundings. Uniform and good illumination ensures an overview and prevents potentially frightening situations.
The horse's original habitat is the steppe, flooded with daylight. As a result, the horse naturally has a high need for light, which increases the well-being of the animal.
Horses see differently
Horses are naturally shy animals whose survival strategy is constant observation of their surroundings. Disagreements, or sudden changes in the environment, awaken the primal instinct of sudden escape behavior.
As with other prey animals, the horse has excellent wide-angle vision and typically sideways eyes. Without moving your head, you can almost see all around.
An unhindered perception of the environment - evenly lit and without large shadows - demonstrably contributes to the balance of the animal.
Twilight vision is very pronounced in horses, but the horse's eyes need much longer to adjust to differences in light. Shadows or patches of light can be irritating, or especially shy away from young animals when they suddenly go from light to dark (or vice versa).
Type of lighting
An uniform, color-true and flicker-free illumination of the riding arena is particularly important. As a steppe animal likes the horse neutral white to daylight white light. This prevents the release of melatonin (sleep hormone) and promotes concentration in horse and rider.
The light source must be waterproof, adjustable and easy to connect.
It is therefore advisable to pay attention to the following information:
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Color rendering Ra/CRI >80
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approx. 5000K color temperature
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Flicker free
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At least IP65 (dust and water protected)
Glare
In order to reduce glare, it is advisable to observe the following rules:
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The higher the lights are mounted, the less glare there is.
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Very few and very bright floodlights are more dazzling than several well-distributed light sources.
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The correctly selected beam angle guarantees that the light reaches where the light is needed.
- Hall lights 90° (POWER DISC)
- Outdoor spotlight 60° (BEAM) or asymmetrical (FIELD LIGHT) -
Asymmetric outdoor lighting is efficient and directs the light away from the assemblage point towards where it is needed. This guarantees better light output with reduced glare.
Illuminance lux
The optimal brightness guarantee comfort for humans and animals!
According to the EN 12193 "Sports facility lighting" standard, we distinguish between the following classes:
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Class 1
High-performance competitions & high-performance training / Spectators: Great viewing distance -
Class 2
ium-level competitions, performance training / Spectators: Medium viewing distance -
Class 3
Simple competitions (usually without spectators), general training, general school and leisure sports
Interior
Halls for riding, show jumping and dressage
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Class 1: 500 lux
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Class 2: 300 lux
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Class 3: 200 lux
Outdoor area
Places for horseback riding, show jumping and dressage
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Class 1: 500 lux
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Class 2: 200 lux
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Class 3: 100 lux
Lighting Planning
Good light is not expensive!
A modern one and energy-efficient LED lighting significantly reduces operating costs and can be amortized quickly. We'll help you!
My lighting plan
We are happy to help with the appropriate calculation of the required light. For an initial assessment, we need the information on the use (type of work) and the dimension:
