Equilume replicates nature's light to enhance horse health and performance

An Equilume stable light, designed to enhance and support the horse’s circadian system

© Equilume

An Irish based company is making waves around the world with their new lighting technology, leveraging cutting-edge scientific research that identified the light wavelengths that stimulate biological rhythms in horses. The Equilume Performance Lighting system comprises fully automated intelligent Stable Lights and mobile Light Masks, capturing the benefits of blue wavelength light to improve horse health and performance.

Considered the world leader in the research and development of light therapy solutions for the equine industry, the company’s flagship product, the Equilume Light Mask, has already revolutionised horse breeding by maximising mare fertility using biologically effective light while kept outdoors at pasture; enhancing natural behaviour while significantly reducing management costs.

Lighting and the performance horse

The new Equilume product line is specifically targeted at improving the health, welfare and performance of the stabled sport horse – with the aim to replicate the benefits of Nature’s environmental lighting cycle indoors. Modern management of our performance horses requires that they spend a large proportion of the 24 hour day stabled, unexposed to optimum daylight and frequently disrupted by light at night. This regime negatively impacts the horse’s body clock and can result in impaired growth, reduced immune function, unwanted behaviours and poor appetite and performance. Termed ‘circadian disruption’, this phenomenon caused by inappropriate lighting is considered one of the world’s primary human health concerns. The Equilume Stable Light was designed to counteract these problems and enhance equine health from the inside out, using a custom-designed system for horses.

“I love my light – not only did it make my creamy palomino golden and dappled last season I’ve also found it seemed to help speed up injury healing compared to my other stables which have normal lights.” – Skylea Lavers, QLD

Unique features of Circadian Lighting

The Equilume Stable Light was designed to support and enhance the horse’s circadian system (a.k.a. the body clock) and immediately acts to influence health, performance and welfare by naturally strengthening the horse’s internal rhythms. There are five key scientifically-validated features of this system:

Blue enriched daytime light: A vital component of the Equilume system is the blue-enriched daytime light that mimics the spectrum of natural daylight and boosts metabolism, alertness and appetite. Not only is the horse’s ability to fight infection and heal following injury strengthened, but research studies have shown that the blue light helps reduces the growth of bacteria and fungi in stables, a further bonus for respiratory health.
Red light at night: Dim red light or darkness is required to facilitate rest and recovery at night and permits the nightly rise in the circadian regulating hormone melatonin. The Equilume Stable Light utilises red light specifically tested in horses to allow the nightly rise of melatonin, but still provide sufficient visibility to carry out routine management tasks. Red light encourages horses to lie down more at night and has a profound calming effect, helping to reduce behavioural issues. Importantly, it eliminates white light pollution at night, the main culprit in impairing circadian rhythms and negatively impacting health.
Dawn/dusk transitions: Gradual, morning and evening light transitions mimic natural dawn and dusk conditions and greatly help to reduce stress in stabled horses. Horses are acutely sensitive to abrupt changes in lighting, so this function allows for a relaxed wind down to rest each night and a gradual increase in alertness levels each morning.
Circannual Programme: A custom-designed programme automatically regulates seasonal changes in day-length such that performance capacity is optimized throughout the year. Horses experience spring sooner and autumn later, extending the season of peak performance and ensuring they put on muscle and are in the best possible skin throughout the year.
Lighting consistency – At home and on the road: Designed with the busy competition horse in mind, the Cashel Light Mask was developed to complement the Equilume Stable Light and allows horses to travel to competition without interrupting their lighting regime. Providing 15 hours of precision blue light therapy each day, this comfortable headpiece can be recharged weekly and ensures that the positive benefits of light are maintained when competing away from home.

Cost Savings and Sustainability

From a management perspective, Equilume’s energy-saving LED technology means no more worrying about leaving the lights on, and overhead costs are reduced. This smart technology has an in-built ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the stable light output to reflect changes in natural light levels entering the stable. The more light entering the stable through windows and doors, the lower the energy required to keep the stable environment at the correct light intensity for optimum health. With a peak energy output of 50 Watts, the system significantly outperforms standard stable lighting fixtures. Plus, the system’s capacity to naturally enhance the horse’s health and strengthen the immune systemmay also cut down on annual vet bills.

Correct lighting impacts physiology at the cellular level

It is hard to believe that a lighting system can impact so many aspects of a horse’s health and welfare. To fully appreciate this, we asked Dr. Barbara Anne Murphy, Founder & CSO at Equilume, to explain;

“Normal indoor lighting falls significantly short on providing the optimum light spectrum for horses to function well. The Equilume Stable Light and Light Mask products were specifically designed to stimulate cells that drive strong, healthy rhythms throughout the horse’s body. The goal is to provide the horse with lighting that best reflects and mimics the benefits of the natural environmental day-night cycle. This is essential to generate and maintain circadian rhythms that ensure optimum health and performance. Our research results as well as feedback from clients are very exciting; horses thrive under this system – they put on more lean muscle, increase appetites, improve behaviour and focus during training sessions, coat condition blossoms and are healthier overall.”