Equine-Bright™ technology is the first lighting that addresses the combined visual requirements of the horse and rider. It is also a major safety factor that can prevent accidents and avoid stress. Until the development of Equine-Bright™, facility managers, trainers, and riders were forced to compromise on light quality with generic fixtures like metal halide, halogen, high pressure sodium, and LEDs. None of these fixtures specifically address the unique nature of equine vision within the context of human interactions. Moreover, a lack of understanding about how horses visualize the world has led to poor design decisions for stables, barns, and competition venues including race tracks.

When we glance at a high intensity light like an LED and get lingering dots in our vision we say to ourselves, “Oh, I just looked directly at an LED… the dots will go away soon.” When a horse does the same thing, the reaction is fear and stress over the temporary visual impairment. This is only one of the many reasons we developed Equine-Bright™ with our exclusive BRIGHT-TECH® system. Horses have highly unique vision that is particularly well suited for low light levels. The biological emphasis upon rods within the retina gives horses the ability to distinguish objects at dusk and in the dark. This sensitivity makes horses susceptible to being startled and disturbed by extremely bright light. This is why recent use of LED lighting in equine settings has proven problematic, causing nervous reactions among horses from excessive glare.

Although LED is the most popular new lighting for energy efficiency, it displays the greatest propensity for flicker. Their high frequency flicker is associated with major human health issues that include strobe epilepsy, migraine headaches, nausea, impaired visual acuity, poor concentration, sleep disorders, mood swings, eye strain, and a lack of eye/hand coordination. There is no reason to believe horses do not suffer from the same consequences. Our lighting solutions deliver the light horses need for maximum visual acuity without disturbing glare like LEDs and conventional high intensity lighting.

The Equine-Bright™ design rapidly diffuses and disperses light from the fixture to drop the perceived and dynamic intensity at the light source. Unlike an LED that may be comprised of many extremely intense diodes, the large format bulb spreads the intensity over a wider area. Workers, riders, and horses can directly view an Equine-Bright™ fixture safely and without discomfort. Equally important, a horse can turn its head 180 degrees through the light field without becoming startled or apprehensive. This means a horse can move from monocular to binocular vision without encountering sudden lighting intensity.

The eyes of ungulates like horses, are unique because they use a reflective membrane called the taptum lucidum that intensifies low light levels. When designing an artificial light for these species, it is critical to avoid high directional intensities from a light source like LED elements. This can actually damage the retina. An LED’s high glare is inherently uncomfortable and stressful for these animals. Ultra-Tech™ Lighting has designed a set of industrial water resistant fixtures specifically for horses within indoor environments.