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Subject: Mounted search and rescue
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- From: tm'-fi <TFinkle@erols.com>
- To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: Re: [MSAR] Night Lights Test
- Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2004 16:14:42 -0500
Hi Terry,
Thank you for sharing your test procedures and results. One question, when you repeated test #2, did you also retest Test # 1 as a similar comparison during the second round of testing?
On another note, I know the "cone and rods" of a human eye is much different than that of a horse's eye. Because of these structure differences between the two, does any one know what effect (if any) that a soft red light has on a horse eye and to their night vision? I know from looking at different animals (including horses), when they are looking at my (red) light, the density of the reflection seems to looks completely different in nature than that of a "white" light that is shown in their eyes.
Thanks,
Tomi'
TROT Search & Rescue Mounted Team
State of Maryland
wwfarm wrote:
Although I have never seen a problem with properly adjusted low hanging lights effectingthe sight of horses, after some people showed a concern, last night I decided to do a test.Test StandardsI did the test in my indoor riding arena. Let me tell you it was dark. I believe it was veryrepresentative of a dark night with no moon light. The horse that I chose for my test wasone that I had only ridden once in the last six months. (I did not use my personal ridinghorse.) This horse had never seen these obstacles until the very time the test was started.
For test #1 with lights on I used a three cell maglite equipped with my special holder
(http://www.airscentinghorse.com/parts.htm) mounted on each side of my horse lower thanknee level pointed slightly forward and downward as described in my Night Lights Part ll. Mygoal was to cross a obstacle course, first with lights than without in order to determine ifcorrectly mounted lights effect the night vision of the horse.. (In both test when ever I reachedthe tire maze I did not rein the horse at all. I only encouraged forward moment with leg pressure.)Test # 1 Using correctly adjusted lights mounted low on each side of horse - Results
Ten inch log step over - one click
Six inch log walk over - cleared perfect
Weave through tire maze - cleared perfect.
Test # 2 No lights, after the horse had about five minutes in total darkness inorderto let his eyes adjust. - ResultsTen inch log step over - one click
Six inch log walk over - cleared perfect
Weave through tire maze - The horse stepped on a tire.I than repeated Test # 2 ( no lights) - I had the same results with the horse tripping over a tire.
Deduction -If the proper lights are positioned low on the side of the horse at a downward angle,they do not hinder the horses near by sight and in certain cases they may actuallyhelp the horses sight when it comes to difficult footing areas. I believe it is the sameas with people, if we held a flash light the sides of our head it would blind us but if we hold itlow and downward it helps us. I totaly agree with the others that a high held light like a handheld flash light or head lamp will negatively effect the horses vision and could temporary blind him.In many cases on a dark night the rider needs a consistent light source on both sides of the horse for searching and navigating.TER
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-
Re: [MSAR] Night Lights Test,
wwfarm, 03/04/2004
-
Re: [MSAR] Night Lights Test,
Paul Fleming, 03/04/2004
- Re: [MSAR] Night Lights Test, Jorene Downs, 03/04/2004
- Re: [MSAR] Night Lights Test, wwfarm, 03/04/2004
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Re: [MSAR] Night Lights Test,
tm'-fi, 03/04/2004
- Re: [MSAR] Night Lights Test, wwfarm, 03/04/2004
-
Re: [MSAR] Night Lights Test,
Paul Fleming, 03/04/2004
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