The Benefits of Blue Light Therapy for Horses

“Like humans, horses need light for more than just vision. Special cells at the back of the eye respond to blue wavelengths of light. As sunlight is naturally high in blue light, this serves to regulate internal rhythms throughout the horse’s body. This system, called the circadian system, controls the activity of nearly every cell in the body, ensuring the body clock stays in tune with the daily light-dark cycles.”

The lengthening days of spring have long been connected with increased fertility, greater muscle response, improved coat condition, mood and general well-being. The length of time horses receive light and the quality of light are key factors to consider when distributing light to horses. By imitating the qualities of sunlight of a summer’s day and seasonal changes in lighting, spring can be brought forward and autumn delayed, that the period of peak performance associated with summer hardiness is extended. This ensures your horse maintains its best condition inside and out all year round.

Blue Light Therapy for Expecting Mares and Improving Fertility

A mare’s natural reproductive period coincides with the long light-filled days of summer.  The desire to breed mares early in the year means that many foals are born at a darker time of year, this has consequences for breeding efficiency. Often, early foaling mares experience longer gestations, have smaller foals and can have trouble cycling post-foaling.

“New research presented at the Equine Symposium of the British Society for Animal Science’s 2021 Conference showed that pregnant mares fitted with blue light masks that extend natural day-length in the final 100 days of gestation had shorter pregnancies, earlier post-foaling ovulations and more mature foals at birth.”

Barren mares should be fitted for blue light treatment approximately 70 - 75 days in advance from their cycle, ideally between the 15th of November and the 1st of December, and pregnant mares 90 - 100 days before their foaling dates. For optimum results the mask should remain on until the mare is scanned back into foal.

How Light can Effect Your Horse’s Coat

The duration of sunlight and environmental temperatures both change over the course of the year and regulate the extent and density of a horse or pony’s coat in different seasons. Artificial lighting is often used to help optimize coat growth such as heat regulation when in training and visual aesthetics for the show ring.

SPRING : Horses that have been exposed to a shortened winter day-length are reactive to long day light treatment in the spring to transition to a summer coat. This process can be brought forward by using an Equilume Light Mask. Using an Equilume light mask, a horse will completely shed out it’s coat and produce a summer show coat in approx. 6 to 8 weeks. Additional warmth in the form of blanketing will aid this process.

SUMMER : In order to prolong the summer coat, day length must be maintained at 16 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness, from the summer solstice onwards. There is a 1-month period after the summer solstice where extended day length can be applied in order to maintain a summer coat.

FALL : Horses that have been exposed to the natural shortening of day length for more than a month after the summer solstice will start to transition to winter coat growth. Starting light treatment at this time will often be too late to reverse this transition, so they will need approximately 6 weeks ‘rest period’ to allow the winter coat to develop. After this, long-day light treatment can again be applied to begin the transition back to a summer coat.

WINTER : Horses that have experienced a period of short autumn/winter days (6-8 weeks) and grow a heavier coat are responsive to artificial light treatment. After 6-8 weeks of a long-day length (16 hours of light, 8 hours of darkness) the coat will shed early to a summer coat. Additional warmth in the form of blanketing will aid this process.

Know the Difference : Equilume Cashel Light Mask, Equilume Curragh Light Mask and Equilume Belfield Light Mask

The Equilume Cashel Light Mask delivers 15 hours of blue light daily and specifically designed for the performance horse. This fully rechargeable Light Mask is the perfect solution for ensuring that your horse stays in the best health and condition whether stabled, on the road or at pasture. 18 month lifespan with a charging interval every 7 days and is ideal for horses who have limited turnout options and poorly lit stables. Single eye cup can be replaced.

The Equilume Curragh Light Mask was designed to provide horses with a timed, low-level blue light therapy. Scientifically validated and veterinary evaluated, mobile blue light therapy provides owners the benefits of ease of management, and horses the freedom of natural behavior and improved health. This program runs daily from 4PM to 11PM and has a 4 month lifespan, single eye cup can be replaced for following season.

The Equilume Belfield Light Mask is for seasonal single use only and not reusable but is ideal for breeding purposes for both mares and stallions. Stallions benefit with increased fertility while it can advance breeding season for mares and optimizes foal birth weight. Lifespan is 5 months and blue light program runs daily from 4PM - 11PM.