It may look like a bit of disco bling for the equestrian set, but the Tail Lights Rider Safety System has a very serious purpose. According to Michigan-based Tail Lights, thousands of horses and riders are injured and killed each year in collisions, so it's come up with an LED lighting safety system for horses.

A more compact version of the previous Tail Lights Pro, the Tail Lights Rider System is based on a very simple concept. It consists of front and tail units with LED lights to warn any approaching motorist that there's a horse on the scene. The front unit, which is diffused so as not to effect the horses' vision, consists of a badge that clips to the breast collar or to the rider when bareback riding. Meanwhile, the tail unit is made of four strands of LED lights streaming down from, not surprisingly, the tail. The tail unit attaches to the base of the tail using a proprietary wrap.

The system is controlled by a handheld remote that allows the rider to turn the lights on and off, set the light pattern, change the colors, or adjust the brightness. The tail unit can be adjusted to various colors, including pink, green, and red.

Tail Lights is currently running a Kickstarter campaign through December 10 to raise US$18,500 for tooling and production. Pledges for the Tail Lights Rider System are available for US$155 and if the campaign works out, the company says its existing production capabilities mean that it can ship in December.

Founder and CEO Sami Gros runs through the system in the following pitch video.

Source: Tail Lights