finding horses in the dark!

[TenderlyLovinglyByAGoat]

torches are useless, unless perhaps I can find fluorescent things to stick on rugs - what do you do?

I think we had more lighting nearby before, and a much much smaller field.

[Earthdog]

Mine come charging up to me because they are expecting nuts! Very easy to find as they nearly knock me over :-)
You can get those really high powered torches with amazing beams, they go right to the bottom of the field.

[RandomMess]

I was going to say surely you take a treat with you?

[Carrotsandcelery]

Do you have a Costco near you? They have those absolutely massive, rechargeable torches.

Reflectors on rugs would help too.

You also get flashing lights for dog's collars at this time of year. Could you attach a few to the d rings or similar on their rugs?

Try training them to expect something delicious that they don't otherwise get if they come.

[TenderlyLovinglyByAGoat]

I don't generally take food into the field because we share it with others, who are already friendly enough!

Will look for high powered torch, do not understand why I chose so many navy or dark grey rugs, why?

[TenderlyLovinglyByAGoat]

would quite like to plait battery operated fairy lights into their manes

but rugs cover most of neck, so maybe just forelock?

[Carrotsandcelery]

You could fashion a fetching winter scene on their rugs with some to this

[BlondeBatgirl]

I had a really high powered torch. They are good but dont last for long, and you have to be really careful about shining it in the horses eyes. my mare was not impressed!
I also bought reflective bands and put them round her legs. works if theres no mud
You can buy reflective field safe headcollers, didnt bother with this as she had a white face!
God I hate winter with horses!

[FreddieMercurysBolero]

Glow in the dark paint? Maybe paint a U.F.O on the side of the horse?

[BlondeBatgirl]

This was the only one I could find! Depends on how accident prone your horse is!
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-FLOURESCENT-PADDED-HEADCOLLAR-MAKE-YOU-HORSE-SEEN-/170421672037?pt=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item27adec5865#ht_500wt_1054

[TenderlyLovinglyByAGoat]

head collar looks good but not sure about turning them out overnight in one, maybe if it was leather (but then wouldn't glow in dark?)

I foresee some happy evenings with children, reflector strips and my 47650000 rugs

they can be out of sight in daylight, field goes on and on and downhill and round a corner and out of view - think it will possibly feel so much less idyllic when it's minus ten and freezing fog and slippery ice on mud than it did when we moved in at start of June . . .

[Carrotsandcelery]

Can you fence off a section of it in the winter or will it just end up churned up and like a festival site if you do?

[tethersend]

I have no idea what the thread's about, but just wanted to tell you that this is the best thread title EVER.

It's like Fleetwood Mac's difficult fifth album.

[TenderlyLovinglyByAGoat]

I don't know, was assuming I would just have to organise my life a bit so I feed/ride them before dark (assuming can get away with once daily visit of course) - but I suppose in depths of Actual Winter they will mostly be round the hay thing or standing forlornly at the gate?

[Carrotsandcelery]

[TenderlyLovinglyByAGoat]

is it? better than my 'aibu to dye the pony pink' ?

[tethersend]

Honestly.

I have never seen a better thread title.

[TenderlyLovinglyByAGoat]

cool

might have to do small cartwheel, if that doesn't overstimulate me before bedtime

[paso]

i'd go for reflective tape sewn onto rugs which you can get from most haberdasheries. then rather than a hand held torch, i like the l.e.d ones that you wear on your head, they keep your hands free and also not quite as dazzling for horse. treats might be good so long as you don't end up getting mugged in the dark!

[mousyfledermaus]

mine was whistle trained by the previous owner. only he came to me when I whistled.

[horseynewmum]

Head torch about £9 from argos. You can see what you doing and keep hands free. Very bright. Can't live without mine last yr

[TenderlyLovinglyByAGoat]

bit of me wondering whether I should have just left him out there, the hooligan

I like the idea of decorating the rugs with tape - used to have v helpful hat, think it was a present from horseware Ireland, with lights in the peak. No good for finding horses but gives rough idea of where you are going at least.

So that's tape, high powered torches and head lamp thing on shopping list. (also brakes, manners and ability to relax)

[CMOTdibbler]

Our pony comes when called, but dh is sporting a head torch from now on to do evening hay (annoyingly, dpony is in field with only one other, but who comes in at night - so unless we want to feed both we have to wait to go up until after he goes in)

[Haggyoldclothbatspus]

When I got my old beast in from the field, I used to catch her, whistle loudly and discreetly slip her a treat. The others didn't see, and she very soon learned to come belting over!
You have my sympathy, I used to spend bloody hours in the pissing down rain and raging gale, tramping round a 13 acre field trying to find a small black pony! I'd usually slog round the whole boundary, only to discover that she had been creeping along behind me the whole time! She would then look at me as if to say "ooh! I didn't realise that it was me you were looking for!"
I also second the reflective head collar, the field safe ones have Velcro fastenings and replaceable rubber rings.
Wearing a head torch and looking for the reflection of their eyes would also work, but you have to be careful, I did this once and found myself trying to put a head collar on a rather annoyed cow!

[startail]

Food nuts rattled in a paper sack work wonders for in lamb ewes, couldn't believe how quickly they arrived at the gate in the pitch dark.

[BlondeBatgirl]

Haggy That made me chuckle :)
I also recall trying to find my shetland in the dark one year,(no torch, no moon!) then getting freaked out because I thought someone was following me, turned around and fell over the little bugger!