LED lighting in a riding school or arena in an equestrian center should not be overlooked; the Haras Nationaux have recommended several levels of average lighting to be maintained for this purpose.
Although they are not mandatory, think about the comfort of your members and your horses, offer them efficient and sustainable lighting in order to improve their experience of the practice while respecting animal welfare
Old halide or mercury lighting systems are more energy-intensive and less powerful than LED luminaires. In addition, these spotlights need about 5-10 minutes to reach their maximum light intensity, which does not allow them to be operational directly.
As you must surely know, LED spotlights turn on and off as soon as the on/off switch is activated. Coupled with their low energy consumption, this makes them an ideal partner for your equestrian facilities.
To find out everything about equine lighting and much more, find all our advice and technical expertise in our sports lighting guide.
The choice of LED projectors to install is not random. Indeed, in order to best comply with the recommendations of the French Equestrian Federation (FFE) and more particularly of the National Stud Farms, we carefully choose the lighting fixtures to install.
We are committed to providing you with the level(s) of lighting and light uniformity across all of your riding arenas and riding schools by providing you with a personalized solution according to your specific needs and desires. Well-controlled lighting will allow riders and horses to practice in the best conditions.
In carrying out our equestrian center lighting projects, we rely on the NF EN 12193 standard, governing the standards of sports lighting in general, on the recommendations of the National Stud Farms and on our expertise in the equestrian field.
The Satis range of LED projectors will fit perfectly with your equestrian arenas. With moderate lighting but a certain efficiency, this projector will respond to the problems related to the lighting of these infrastructures.
Although it is part of the low-power luminaires (between 50 and 200W) in our product range and the recommended lighting level for equestrian arenas is the same as that of the arenas, it will be perfectly suitable for the use of the latter.
Horses are animals sensitive to light, and equestrian arenas are intended for their education. It is therefore preferable to use less powerful luminaires in order to avoid disturbing or stressing them during their learning lessons.
The Satis luminaire range is divided into 5 powers: 50, 75, 100, 150 and 200W. With their luminous efficiency of 150lm/W, these projectors will adapt perfectly to the recommended lighting levels. Equipped with a protective glass, the LED modules will be well protected in a dusty environment.
In addition, in order to achieve uniform lighting across the entire area to be illuminated, it is possible to adapt very specific diffusion optics. To push adaptability to its maximum, they can also be oriented at different inclinations. These projectors will therefore distribute the light fairly in order to avoid the appearance of shadows on the ground.
The operating time of Satis projectors is calculated according to the L70 standard. This represents an average use of 75,000 hours.
In order to have high-performance luminaires throughout their use, we advise you to maintain your projectors well. Although the Satis is equipped with a protective glass in front of its LED module, it is advisable, in a dusty environment, to clean the projectors regularly.
No worries, even in the case of outdoor installation, these projectors are certified IP66, the humidity and dust resistance index, and IK10, the shock resistance index. Water, dirt and possible collisions will not pose any problem for the operation of the luminaire.
The lighting of an equestrian center depends mainly on its use. The French Equestrian Federation recommends a certain level of brightness, whether it is an outdoor path, a stable, a riding school or an arena, with respective levels of 25 Lux, 150 Lux and 300 Lux for the arena and arena.
According to our experience and our various equestrian projects, a lighting level of between 80 and 150 Lux is largely sufficient to light your arena or equestrian arena for regular training. For national competitions, the level of 300 Lux is recommended.
Equestrian centers have several areas to be lit: the riding schools, the riding schools, the paddocks, the stables and the outdoor paths. Each area requires a precise level of lighting to obtain good visual comfort without glare, both for riders and for horses.
As said earlier, the lighting of equestrian centers is not standardized but only recommended by the French Equestrian Federation and the Federation of National Stud Farms :
| Category | Exterior aisles | Stables | Rides | Careers |
| Recommended level | 25 Lux | 150 Lux | 300 Lux | 300 Lux |
For lighting uniformity, the FFE has not communicated a precise uniformity factor according to the categories. We then adapt the uniformity factor according to the client’s needs. Its value will be between 0.5 (training area) and 0.7 (competition area) in order to obtain a uniformity corresponding to their expectations. Uniformity is important in equestrian lighting, because horses do not appreciate variation in brightness.
Certainly, the federation and the national stud farms recommend high levels of brightness, but the experience and relationships we have with all the owners of equestrian centers show us that most of the time, the use of the arenas is closely linked to training.
Lighting levels are important in the context of national and/or international competitions.
What is important for good practice is to adapt the lighting to the main activity (dressage, CSO, endurance, horse ball, polo, etc.). Indeed, a CSO arena requires a greater uniformity of light than a specific arena for dressage in order to avoid shadow areas or light effects that could frighten the horses.
Speqtris Sport and its team will be able to advise you on the right ratio, level of brightness and uniformity to adapt and bring light to your arena. Do not hesitate to contact our teams!
The recommended lighting for an equestrian arena is 150 Lux for training and 300 Lux for competition. The lighting levels are low in order to ensure the visual comfort and well-being of the horses without compromising the quality of lighting. Indeed, it is in the arenas that equestrian competitions, show jumping races, pony games, etc. are held. It is therefore necessary to have better visibility than in other areas of an equestrian center.
Differences in light rendering :
70 Lux
100 Lux
200 Lux
300 Lux
Below are the typical arrangements for an equestrian career :
Type 1 layout
Type 2 layout
Equestrian arenas are recommended with the same level of light as equestrian arenas. However, since the use of arenas is focused on the education of horses, it is not necessarily necessary to have the same lighting as for arenas. With lower lighting, horses will be able to learn in a less stressful environment, which will promote their learning.
Difference in light rendering :
80 Lux
100 Lux
120 Lux
150 Lux
Below are the typical layouts of an equestrian arena :
Type 1 layout
Type 2 layout
The lighting of a club house is also important for riders and managers of equestrian centers. Having good visual comfort in this rest and work area is not to be neglected and we also offer “LED Panel” or “Hublot” type lighting to meet these needs.
For stables and paddocks, a maximum brightness level of 150 Lux and a “warm white” light temperature are recommended to avoid creating nervousness in horses and allow them to rest better.
A zenithal type lighting will be optimal to take advantage of the roof of the stables or paddocks and leave no shadows. For this, “LED Strip” type luminaires would be perfectly suitable for this use.
By replacing your old projectors and adding a VariBOX box, manage your lighting as best as possible and save energy (around 80% savings with an LED system and adapted lighting management!).
Control the lighting of your riding arena or riding school according to your needs and desires.
The brightness levels we recommend
Recommended options for managing an equestrian career
Equestrian center VariBOX – our additional recommendations
Other options can be added to it such as a programmable clock, half-field lighting, etc. Everything will depend on the specificities of your equestrian center. We will assist you in choosing these options thanks to the experience acquired from feedback obtained by equestrian center managers.
This pre-programmed box is ready to install and connect to your lighting to manage the light variation of the projectors and thus make them easier to use.
With over 13 years of field experience and achievements, we have designed here a panel of lighting layouts and installations according to each sport through our sports guide.
This tool will allow you to quickly find the photometric studies corresponding to your project and to define and propose the appropriate equipment for the desired lighting result.
