Cameras for Horse Riders

Action cameras for equestrian use — secure helmet and saddle mounting.

Cameras for Horse Riders

Hacking out on the road has become harder in recent years. Incidents of road rage towards riders have risen sharply, and horses continue to be killed and injured on UK roads every year. A hat camera will not stop a bad pass happening, but it gives you a clear record of what did — and that record is what turns “it was terrifying” into something a police force or an insurer can actually act on.

Our cameras were built for cyclists first, which means they are designed around the two things riders care about most: long battery life and footage clear enough to read a registration plate. Up to 7 hours of recording at 1080p, IPX66 weatherproofing for British weather, and mounts that fit a riding hat without adding noticeable weight.

Where should a horse rider mount a camera?

Most riders use a hat-mounted camera. It sits high, moves with your head, and captures whatever you are looking at — which is usually the vehicle causing the problem. It also keeps the lens well clear of your horse’s movement, so footage stays steadier than you might expect.

Chest mounts are less common for riding. They sit lower, so they capture more of the horse and less of the road, and they move more with your body at trot and canter. Some riders run a rear-facing camera on the back of the hat or on a body harness, which is the best way to record vehicles approaching from behind — often the most dangerous pass and the one you cannot see coming.

If you ride mainly on lanes with fast traffic behind you, a rear-facing camera is arguably more useful than a forward-facing one.

What to look for in a riding hat camera

• Battery life. A typical action camera gives you 60 to 90 minutes. That is not enough for a long hack. Look for a camera that records for several hours on one charge so you are not thinking about it mid-ride.
• Weight. Anything heavy on a riding hat becomes uncomfortable and can affect your balance. Under 120g is comfortable for most riders.
• Weatherproofing. You will ride in rain. An IPX66 rating covers rain, sleet and snow.
• Footage quality. 1080p is the practical minimum for reading a number plate. Higher resolutions fill your card faster without helping much at typical passing distances.
• Loop recording. Means the camera keeps going when the card fills, overwriting the oldest footage rather than simply stopping.
• Simple operation. You should be able to start recording with gloves on, without looking at a screen.

Reporting an incident

UK police forces accept rider camera footage through the National Dash Cam Safety Portal and force-specific schemes such as Operation Snap. Footage is submitted online with a written statement describing what happened. Separately, the British Horse Society asks riders to report every road incident through their reporting scheme, whether or not the police are involved — that data is what drives changes to road safety policy and the Highway Code.

If something happens, stop recording as soon as it is safe and copy the file off your SD card before loop recording overwrites it. Note the time, location and registration while it is fresh.

Horse Riding Camera FAQs

Will a hat camera capture a number plate?

Yes, in normal daylight conditions at typical passing distances. Our cameras record at 1080p or 2K, which is enough resolution to read a registration. How reliably it works depends on more than the camera — the speed of the vehicle, the light, the angle and how clean your lens is all matter. Keep the lens wiped before setting off, particularly in wet weather, as road spray softens footage more than the weather itself does. A rear-facing camera generally gives the clearest plate capture for close passes, because the vehicle is moving away from you and stays in frame longer.

How long will the battery last on a long hack?

Up to 7 hours at 1080p and 30fps, which covers a full day out for most riders. That figure drops to around 5 hours if you leave WiFi switched on and connected to the app, so we recommend turning WiFi off while riding and only connecting when you want to review footage. The camera charges over USB-C in about 90 minutes. Loop recording means it keeps running when the SD card fills rather than stopping, so you are not left unrecorded halfway round.

Will it fit my riding hat?

Our cameras use a Garmin-style quarter-turn mount that connects and disconnects in seconds, and a helmet mount is available separately. Because it uses the standard Garmin disc pattern, it also fits most third-party mounts you may already own. At 118 grams it is light enough not to become uncomfortable on a longer ride or to affect your balance. If you are unsure about fitting it to a particular style of hat, get in touch before ordering and we will tell you honestly whether it will work.

Is it worth having a camera if I only hack occasionally?

That is a judgement call, but most incidents happen without warning and on routes riders have used for years. The value of a camera is not in everyday riding — it is in the one occasion where a driver passes dangerously and denies it afterwards. Without footage it is your word against theirs. Riders also report that the visible presence of a camera changes some drivers’ behaviour, though we would not promise that as a benefit.

Can I use the same camera for cycling?

Yes. These cameras were originally designed for cyclists and work equally well on a bike. The handlebar mount is included, and helmet, saddle and car suction mounts are available separately. If you both ride and cycle, one camera and a couple of mounts covers everything rather than needing separate kit for each.