Riding at Night with Solar Lights

There is no better feeling than being able to ride your horse, but many times there are roadblocks to achieving this as regularly as you would like. Work commitments, summer – hot, hot days and winter – not enough sunlight to name a few. Don’t worry an affordable solution is at hand. Have you ever considered solar lighting for your arena/work area? This is certainly an affordable option and one well worth considering.

Many question – ‘is solar the way to light up my arena?’ Well, solar flood lights haves seen innovative designs happening and nowadays do have a high light input. Many make the mistake of trying to do this themselves and is always best to talk with a professional who can give you the best advice and rather than wasting money buying the wrong lights.

What are the benefits of solar lighting?

• Independent power source; ideal for remote locations
• Smaller financial commitment at installation including lights, solar panels and poles
• No ongoing power or fuel costs
• All wiring is contained at the light pole
• Not affected by power outages
• Reliant on sufficient UV light to charge the batteries (models are available with up to 36 hours’ battery storage capacity)
• Batteries will need to be replaced (every 1-5 years depending on battery type)
• The light output from each light head is limited to battery capacity and may not provide sufficient illumination for some users.

To answer the questions, (you are surely thinking about some right now) we approached BlackFrog Solar to tick off these for you.

BH: How many solar flood lights will I need for an arena?

BF: This does depend on the size or your arena and your illumination requirements. We always recommend a minimum of four to avoid shadowing. Four will provide an approximate equivalent of street lightening or an outdoor car park over a standard sized arena.

They also need to be positioned where they can receive maximum sunlight. If you are in a dusty situation be sure to clean regularly and rain will generally clean too.

BH: How do you mount these lights?

BF: Can mount on poles or on building facades at the eye level of the rider (2m – 2.5M) above the ground. (We recommend pole mounting at 4 to 5 metres with lights shinning down to reduce shadowing and bright light in the horses and your eyes) You need to be sure that there are no shadows which can spook a horse. Lightning should provide an even illumination over the total floor area

BH: Can I do this myself?

BF: Yes, that is one of the benefits of the solar – you don’t need an electrician and if you are having problems we are only a phone call away to help.

BH: If I wanted this on a remote is this possible as I would like to be able to turn on and off?

BF: Yes, this option is available and works just like your garage remote.

BH: How many hours of riding can I get from my solar lights?

BF: You can easily four hours or more use after a full charge.

Note: The light output from each light head is limited to battery capacity and may not provide sufficient illumination for some users. (Generally speaking, the more funds that are available, the better and brighter your lights can get) Arena lighting can range from 600 Lumen to 9600 Lumen. (5Watt Residential Lighting to 1000Watt Commercial lighting)

So you don’t have to miss out on that ride and how lovely is it to ride in the cool of the evening – far better than watching TV.