Outdoor arena lighting - LED question

[DJR]

To those who chose to use LED flood lights for their outdoor ring, would you please comment with the wattage used, the number of lights & how they were configured, and the size of your ring?

I have a 100x200' sand ring and just had 4 poles installed (height around 17-18' above ground). The poles are 30' in from each corner on the long side, and my plan was to use 2 LED lights at 90-degree angles per pole to light up the ring. However, LED lights are expensive to buy (but cheap to run) so I don't think my budget will allow 8 x LEDs at this time. So I'm trying to ascertain how many LEDs I can get by with (the fewer the better) until I can afford more.

Thanks!

[DJR]

Update - a friend of mine says she used 120w LED lights around her ring. I went past a supply store locally and he thought that with the size of my ring and the layout of the light poles that 4 x 80w LED lights would be sufficient. Apparently I can get an 80w LED light from them on loan to give it a try on one of the poles at nighttime so I can see if it'll be sufficient, so I'll do that whenever their loaner is available again.

I'd still like to hear what worked for others here.

[Canyon]

Well, do you need enough light to jump, or just enough to see the arena fence? I got by for years with just one yard light along the middle of one long side. I liked the minimal light; I was just doing flat work. I saw a great horned owl take off many times from a cottonwood tree in the back pasture, which I never would have seen with bright lights.

[DJR]

Oh, sorry, I should have added that I intend to use the arena for flat work 90-95% of the time. I may do cavaletti or low grid work occasionally, but I can position the obstacles in the brightest areas of the ring if I do that after dark. I wouldn't be jumping a course after dark nor anything but very low stuff, if I jump at all. In the winter it would be 100% flat work on days when the footing/weather allows.

[texsuze]

Just FYI, here is some info on LED lighting from the International Dark Sky Association. They are primarily referring to outdoor commercial and residential lighting, light pollution, sky glow, and the detrimental effects of too much artificial light at night. But I thought you might like some interesting reading and things to consider relative to bulb selection and light positioning for your arena.

http://darksky.org/lighting/led-practical-guide

[DJR]

Thanks for that. I've read similar articles. I'd only have the arena lights on for riding, so an hour or so at most and not every night. The "white light" rating for the LED flood light I'm looking at is only 4,000 K which isn't too bad (better than daylight metal hallide).

[clanter]

LED lights are expensive to buy (but cheap to run) !

and have a longer expected lifespan so no need to get the electrical contractor out there with the bucket truck to replace lamps

[Wicky]

I recall reading that horses see quite well in dim light, so if darkness doesn't spook you, you should be fine with little light.

[Rosie B]

This is a bit off topic but I can testify to that Wicky.

I rode 3 mornings a week before work at 5:00 am in my (dark) outdoor arena from September of last year until mid-March of this year using only my headlamp and the moon when it was out. Bliss never had an issue. After the first week, he wasn't even the least bit tense about it.

It is more difficult to ride accurately though, but I counted strides on circles to help with that (each quadrant should have the same number).