A camera for horseback riding: POV footage without a helmet mount.

1. Helmet cam, body cam or camera glasses: what each one films

Every equestrian camera thread comes back to the same three options. They film different things, so the right choice depends on what you want to watch back afterwards.

Choose glasseswhen you want the ride to look the way it felt — the view between your horse’s ears on a trail, a hack along a field edge, the approach to a fence — and you would rather not fit anything to your helmet. Choose a helmet or body camera when the footage is the point: a full lesson to review frame by frame, a show round to send to a trainer, or a cross-country course from start box to finish. Our smart glasses vs GoPro guide covers that split in more detail.

2. Wearing camera glasses under a riding helmet

The appeal of glasses for riding is that the camera is in the frame on your face, not on the helmet. The arms run along the side of your head below the shell, the same way ordinary sunglasses do. A few checks before your first ride:

1. Put the helmet on with the glasses already on.It should sit exactly as it does without them — level, snug, harness done up as usual. If the arms lift the helmet, press into the harness or push the helmet off its normal position, don’t ride in them.
2. Add a retention strap. A sports strap that loops over the ends of the arms keeps the frame on your face if your horse spooks or you land a fence harder than planned. We suggest one for anything faster than a walk.
3. Check the peak. A long helmet peak can sit in the top edge of the camera view. Record ten seconds standing still and look at it on your phone before you mount.
4. Know what we don’t claim. We make no safety or impact claims for any OXIVUE frame. They are camera glasses, not protective eyewear, and they do not change what your helmet is for.

3. Hearing your horse and your instructor

Riders often worry that a wearable will cut them off from the arena. OXIVUE frames use open-ear speakers: they sit beside your ears, not in them, so your instructor’s voice, your horse’s breathing and hoofbeats, and traffic on a road hack all stay audible. That is the main reason glasses suit riding better than earbuds.

• Music on a long hack:keep the volume low enough to hear what’s around you.
• Calls: the M14 has dual microphones with a bone-conduction mic for wind, and is rated 7 hours of calls (4 hours of listening). The M08 is rated the other way round, 7 hours of listening and 4 of calls.
• Translation runs through the free HeyCyan app on your phone and needs a connection. The translated audio is heard only by the wearer; the other person reads the reply on your phone. Useful at an overseas clinic or a riding holiday, not on horseback.

4. How to film a ride from the saddle

The camera points where your head points, not where your eyes look. That shapes every habit below.

1. Start the clip at a halt. Capture is a deliberate touch on the temple, so start recording before you move off and stop once you are back at a walk. Keep both hands on the reins when it matters.
2. Look up and through the ears.Riders are taught to look ahead, and that happens to be the best shot: the horse’s ears frame the trail or the next fence.
3. Tilt your chin if you want the neck and reins in shot.Eyes alone won’t move the camera.
4. Expect movement at faster gaits. Your head moves with the horse. The M14 uses electronic stabilisation (EIS) and the M02C dual stabilisation, which smooth small shake; they do not turn a gallop into a tripod shot.
5. Mind low sun. A small sensor handles sun straight into the lens badly. A sun lens keeps you from squinting, which also keeps your head steadier.
6. Film moments, not the whole ride.Recording is the heaviest draw on any camera frame’s battery, and we don’t quote a continuous-recording time. For a full round, use a helmet or body camera.

All three frames shoot 8 MP stills. The M14 records video in 1080p at 30 fps to 4 GB of onboard memory, with Wi-Fi transfer to your phone after the ride. We don’t publish a video resolution for the M08 or M02C, so we don’t state one. More on framing in our POV glasses guide.

5. Which OXIVUE frame for which ride

Checkout prices for a single pair. Prices checked 2026-10-05; checkout price may change. Two or more pairs are 50% off all eyewear (two M08 come to $149 in total). Free US shipping applies from $99, so each of these qualifies on its own.

• M08 sunglasses for sunny trail rides. The entry frame, on a full-tint sun lens for bright bridleways and open country. It has no published water rating, so leave it at home on a wet day.
• M02C for trail rides when the weather turns. The same two-lens idea with an IP65 rating for rain, dual stabilisation for walking and trotting footage, and the “Hey Cyan” assistant, which can describe what you are looking at. Choose the clear or photochromic lens for an indoor arena.
• M14 for faster riding. A one-piece wrap shield built for motion, with stabilised 1080p and IPX4 against sweat and showers. It is the one to pair with a retention strap for canter and gallop work.

Every model side by side is on the comparison page. If you ride and hike, our smart glasses for hiking guide covers the same frames on foot, and smart glasses for sports maps every frame to an activity.

6. Barns, shows and other people

• Ask before you film at a show. Organisers and venues set their own camera rules, and they can differ between a schooling show and a rated competition.
• Boarding barns are shared spaces. Other boarders, grooms and instructors may not want to appear in your clips. Say when you are recording, and stop if asked.
• Consent can be a legal question. Recording people — especially their conversations — may require their consent depending on the state, and a barn or lesson yard can have its own policy on top. See recording laws by state.
• Road hacks: start and stop recording at a halt, not while you are managing traffic.

Shipping, refunds and warranty. Free shipping from $99. US orders typically arrive in 5–9 business days; international orders take 9–14 business days. OXIVUE does not offer refunds except for an order damaged in transit, which is replaced or refunded. Faults after delivery are covered by the 2-year warranty through repair or replacement. No OXIVUE frame supports prescription lenses, and none has a display.

Frequently asked questions