Ever wished your horse could tell you when he or she is sick or ill? Especially when you are not around.......the latest available technology on the market from Equisense can do just this.

Using a wearable lightweight vest, your horse's heart rate, respiratory rate, perspiration, temperature and movement are all monitored in real time straight to your phone.

When the indicators of for example colic are present such as raised temperature, increased heart rate and breathing as well as rolling, an alarm is sent to you via the app so that you can get to your horse as soon as symptoms are found and in good time to get any neccessary treatment started.  As we know, the earlier the horse is treated, the better the chances are of treating with success.

Interested? Find more reading here.

As a technology lover myself I have always been interested in the latest gadgets that are available and now that I am starting to see these devices being made available for my horse, I am keen to see what they are all about.

I have put together a list of my top five, horse performance technology devices that have been designed to help with tracking training, fitness, lameness, fatigue warnings, heart rates and more. Whether you want to know when your mare is about to foal down or whether your half pass has been carried out on each reign in a balanced way, the technology can send this information to you using easy to read charts that will present on your smart phone. Most of these gadgets can track progress by showing you performance improvements over periods of time and real-time risk alerts arising from things like gait imperfections or a raised temperature. What more could you ask for?

Each gadget attaches to the horse in a different way, whether it is via the girth, head collar or bridle, each has a unique and easy way of being used during work or when at rest.

1. Equimetre by Arioneo, France (my personal favourite)

Who is it designed for?

Performance horses in competitive sports such as racing, eventing, show jumping and dressage.

What does it do?

Whilst the horse is in work, it tracks from the girth the following: respiratory rate, temperature, heart rate, outdoor conditions (weather, temperature), measures performance, compares to prior performance, tracks improvements, monitors the terrain/going, the distance covered, speed, pressure, acceleration and movement sequence;

This information is recorded as the horse works and is then sent to the app for review in a easy to read and understandable format that tracks and compares to previously recorded data enabling the trainer to easily assess improvements and changes in the horse.

How much does it cost?

Not yet known.

Where can I get one?

Available in 2017. More information can be found here
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2. Equisense Motion, France

Who is it designed for?

Competition riders in show jumping, eventing and dressage.

What does it do?

In a nutshell this software is designed to monitor gait in order to assess movement, fitness and lameness. You simply download the app, attach the sensor to your saddle using the leather attachment and track your training records via the app.

The software looks at the horses’ symmetry, direction, gait, elevation, rhythm, speed and work intensity assisting with developing balanced workouts that develop your horse to the best of its ability.
This app is also designed to detect gait anomalies and lameness early-on in order to ensure swift action can be taken when lameness presents. Another handy feature is the training schedule that you can share with your trainer to ensure everyone is on the same page.

How much does it cost?

GBP £259.00

Where can I get one?

Currently only available on pre-order here.
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3. VetCheq by PonyUp

Who is it designed for?

Competitive riders in all disciplines.

What does it do?

Allows monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate, respiration in a wearable device. The device sits inside your horses protective boots during work and connects with the distal or digital artery by light touch. Pulse information is transmitted to the device which is then turned in to data sets that can be easily read by the owner or trainer. VetCheq has a cloud application for sharing data with your veterinarian and can also be used to track fitness levels, monitor your horse during transport as well as at competitions.

There is also an alarm setting feature whereby you can set the device to alert you to any abnormal activity.

How much does it cost?

Not yet known.

Where can I get one?

By visiting their website here.

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4. Proteqqus – Nightwatch Headcollar, USA

Who is it designed for?

All horses for all disciplines. Could be particularly helpful during foaling and for remotely monitoring horses that are ill. However it does not have the ability to track during workouts.

What does it do?

A head collar with a built in device that monitors and assesses equine distress and wellness by tracking vital signs and behaviour. When a particular behaviour or symptom is detected by the head-collar technology, the owner is alerted via text, call or email.

It monitors heart rate, respiratory rate, activity, motion, location and posture whereby your horses’ vitals can be checked at any time day or night provided they are wearing the device.

How much does it cost?

$549.99 USD plus annual monitoring service contract and licence.

Where can I get one?

Click here. Only available on pre-order at present.

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5. SeeHorse, Canada

Who is it designed for?

All horse owners who want to be able to monitor their horses vital statistics on a day to day basis whether in work or at rest.

What does it do?

It is worn on the horses’ bridle or head collar and provides information via its helpful SeeHorse app for use on most smart phones. When connected, the device can keep track, monitor and send alerts relating to heart rate, temperature and respiration rates of your horse. The device can also track movement and activity and a useful addition for breeders is the foaling alarm.

This device will help you to track your horses’ fitness levels using the heart rate and respiratory rate monitors as well as its behaviour when you are not around. You will be able to check what your horse’s body is doing when you are not there, and allows the user to know when abnormal activity is detected which might prompt a visit to the yard or a call to your vets.

How much does it cost?

$499.00 USD plus monthly subscription cost.

Where can I get one?

You can visit their website and purchase one here.

In summary, these gizmos are expensive, but given the high risk of injuries in performance horses, I think its probably worth the investment. The technology is new and there are probably some bugs to work out, but give it 6 months and these new products will be in full flow with any kinks all ironed out.

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