Bright Idea: LED tail lights

Do you ever ride on roads? Shara Rutberg shines the spotlight on a new accessory that could save your tail.

Four years ago, Sami Gros and her friend were riding her horses back from a trail ride in California when her friend and her horse were hit by a car.

“Since then, I made it my mission to create the best equestrian illumination system possible,” she says in her Kickstarter video.

So she did. After nearly four years of design and prototypes, she’s flipped the switch on Tail Lights. Not only can they save your life, they’re also super cool. Imagine glow-in-the-dark pas de deux or leaving a streak of light in your wake as you run barrels at dusk.

Gros started riding when she was five years old. She volunteered for six years on a Montana mounted search and rescue crew and worked as a head wrangler at guest ranch where she oversaw the care of 300 horses. Her concern for the horse’s comfort guided the development of the LED lighting system.

Tail Lights are composed of a neoprene wrap that attached to the top of the tail. A lithium battery about the size of a cell phone kept in a cantle bag fuels six strands of super bright LED lights for up to 15 hours on a single charge. Gros even took into consideration “swishing” factors as she determined the ideal length for the LED strands. The lights are encased in silicon, which not only weather-proofs them, it also prevents them from tangling in your horse’s tail.

The lights can be operated on three levels of brightness. Group Ride is the lowest setting. Solo Rider is medium, which can be seen for half a mile. On the brightest Emergency setting, the lights flash in a strobing pattern to help rescuers find you.

The lights come in a bunch of colors so you can completely customize your bling.

“We want to help you be visible and save your tail,” says Gros.

But she needs your help. You can contribute at varying levels at her Kickstarter site, where she’s trying to raise $100,000. She has 41 days left in the the campaign.

See them in action here:

Go Riding.

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