The Power of Light

For seasonal breeders like horses, longer spring days increase fertility, performance and overall well-being. Equilume’s blue light technology mimics the duration and quality of sunlight to strengthen the horse’s body clock, regulating these physiological changes. By rapidly transitioning a mare’s light exposure to 16 h of light during the winter months, breeders can bring forward the start of the mare’s oestrous cycles for early conceptions.  Breeders who choose Equilume have the freedom to keep dry mares stabled or at pasture until the mare is ready to be bred. Mares experience less stress and improved uterine tone when at pasture in a herd environment.

Long day blue light treatment should begin approximately 70 days in advance of desired breeding. This coincides with December 1st in the Northern Hemisphere or July 1st in the Southern Hemisphere. For optimum results, long day blue light therapy should continue until the mare is scanned in foal.

Contact a member of our team to calculate the recommended light activation date.

The horse’s natural reproductive period aligns with the light-filled days of summer. The desire to breed mares early in the year, resulting in foals born during darker periods, affects the mares breeding efficiency resulting in longer gestations, smaller foals, and post-foaling cycling difficulties.

This can be prevented by initiating Equilume’s blue light therapy to extend day length for pregnant mares during the last 100 days of pregnancy. As well as hormones that control reproduction, longer daylight hours, specifically the blue light wavelengths, drive and stimulate important growth hormones that allow foals to mature in utero and mares to produce more milk and good colostrum.

For pregnant mares, blue light treatment should begin approximately 90-100 days before their foaling due dates. For optimum results, the long day blue light therapy should be maintained until mares are scanned back in foal.

Regardless of the due date, light treatment should not commence before:

• Northern Hemisphere: November 15th
• Southern Hemisphere:  June 1st

Mares must be exposed to a short winter day length to optimally respond to a long day length.

Contact a member of our team to calculate the recommended light activation date.

Stallions are capable of breeding all year round, however, there are significant improvements in reproductive performance associated with the spring and summer months. Nature conveys the signal for the breeding season to start through the gradual increases in daylength in spring. Exposing stallions to longer hours of light during winter advances the perceived timing of spring and therefore the onset of reproductive activity. It is not only the duration of light exposure but also the quality and consistency of light and the elimination of white light pollution at night that matters. By providing the optimal light spectrum and duration, incorporating biological effective blue light, Equilume Performance Lighting advances and extends the season of optimum fertility for stallions, in addition to many other health and well-being benefits.

Light therapy should commence before 1st December (Northern Hemisphere) or 1st July (Southern Hemisphere) to ensure peak fertility and libido coincides with the busiest time of the breeding season. Stable Lights can be used all year round with fixed and customisable lighting programs.

Contact a member of our team to calculate the recommended light activation date.