LED floodlighting for outdoor arenas and lunge rings
For outdoor riding arenas, DIN EN 12193 gives three levels: 100 lx for training and recreation, 200 lx for mid-level competitions and 500 lx for top-level sport. Also important are tall masts against glare, enough light on rider and horse, an evenly lit surface and consideration for neighbours.
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Send an enquiry for outdoor arena lightingWhat matters on the outdoor arena
Glare: tall masts
The higher the luminaires are mounted, the lower the risk of glare.
Light on rider and horse
Enough vertical illuminance ensures that judges, trainers and spectators can see rider and horse well.
Even surface
The horse's eye adapts only slowly to different brightness levels, so the surface should be lit without dark zones.
Gentle switching and dimming
Sudden switching on dazzles horses strongly and can spook them, so the light should be raised and dimmed again slowly.
Consideration for neighbours
The light is directed onto the arena so that as little as possible spills beyond it. For illuminance at the window, the LAI guidance gives guide values by type of area and time of day.
GR ≤50
Glare rating, strictest level
10 no glare90 unbearable
Low-glare for rider and horse
A horse sees around 340 degrees and easily spooks at sudden changes at the edge of its field of view. We therefore match mast height, tilt and optics to the arena and ring in the lighting calculation.
- Mast height
- Tilt
- Optics
- Gentle dimming
Light by playing level
| Average illuminance | Playing level | Lighting class | Uniformity | Glare rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100lx | Training and leisure riding | Class III | U 0.5 | GR ≤ 55 |
| 200lx | Competitions at medium level | Class II | U 0.5 | GR ≤ 55 |
| 500lx | High-performance sport | Class I | U 0.7 | GR ≤ 50 |
What do the values mean?
Lux tells you how much light reaches the pitch. Uniformity shows how evenly it is distributed, and the glare rating how strongly the floodlights cause glare.
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Illuminance (lx): How much light falls on a surface. 1 lx equals 1 lumen per square metre. For sports facilities, the average horizontal illuminance on the playing area is usually given.
Uniformity (U): Lowest divided by average illuminance. The closer the value is to 1, the more even the light.
Glare rating (GR): Assesses how strongly floodlights cause glare at outdoor facilities, on a scale from 10 (no glare) to 90 (unbearable glare).
Frequently asked questions
How many lux does an outdoor arena need?
Under DIN EN 12193, at least 100 lx for training and recreation, 200 lx for mid-level competitions and 500 lx for top-level sport. Uniformity is 0.5, and 0.7 in the highest class. The glare rating GR must not exceed 55, and 50 in the highest class.
How much light does a lunge ring need?
licht.wissen 08 gives no separate values for the lunge ring. A useful benchmark is training on the outdoor arena: 100 lx at a uniformity of 0.5. It is best to switch the ring as a separate group, so that light is on there only when it is in use.
How many masts does an outdoor arena need?
That depends on the size and surroundings of the arena. One example lights a 65 × 30 m outdoor arena with eight floodlights at a 12 m mounting height to 150 lx. For your arena, we calculate it using the floodlights' light distribution data.
How quickly should the light come on?
More slowly than for people. A technical article on lighting in horse keeping suggests first switching gently to the brightness needed for safety, then dimming up at 5 to 20 lx per second. When switching off, it is dimmed down in the same way.
What applies to light towards the neighbours?
The benchmark is the guidance of the Bund/Länder-Arbeitsgemeinschaft Immissionsschutz. In residential areas, the guide value for illuminance at the window is 3 lx until 10 pm and 1 lx afterwards. In individual cases, ask your pollution control authority.
What applies at a competition if the power fails?
Where emergency lighting is required, licht.wissen 08 gives for riding, indoors and outdoors, 5 per cent of the illuminance of normal operation for at least 120 seconds. This allows the event to be ended in an orderly way.
Send an enquiry for outdoor arena lighting
Location and contact are enough. We will get back to you with an initial assessment for your pitch.
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