Actually, I prefer to build up that old night vision! The more often you
rely on it, the better it gets! I can manage a brisk walk even without a
moon in the woods, and good, open dirt road surfaces can be trotted when
theres some light. When I rode frequently in the dark, I always kept a
light on me for emergencies (checking it before each ride) and just in
case fog settled in, but never found it necessary to use it in transit.
I had a friend that was overly dependent on a flashlight, and one night
dropped and broke the thing and was afraid to move. She had no clue how
to navagate in the dark and couldn't trust her instincts - or her horses!
It took her hours to get back to the ranch on foot.
Lightless night riding may be intimidating at first. Once you adjust to it,
though, the light becomes a blinding annoyance.
Later - Linda
Gilroy, California