Fake sunrise among new equine technology schemes
Artificial daytimes, rug sensors and racing trainers were among the developments discussed at a tech conference
A NEW lighting system which creates artificial sunrises and sunsets to boost equine performance is one of a range of high-tech advances making waves in the horse world.
Equilux Lighting, which replicates outdoor light to benefit equine development, alertness in daytime and rest at night, was presented at the Horse
Tech Conference at the Royal Veterinary College on 18 October.
“My light is full spectrum and peaks in the same natural peak as daylight,” said creator Sam Murphy. “We create a sunrise and a sunset, so we lower and raise [horses’ level of ] melatonin as it would in a natural environment.
“The light dims and turns red at night. We can manage horses under the red lights and don’t need to turn on [other] lights if we want to check them.”
The system can be adjusted to “extend a horse’s season of peak performance” by changing the hours of “daylight”.
In January last year a study on two-year-old racehorses explored the benefits of the system.
The horses were on the same training yard and were divided into two groups; half kept on the Equilux system and the other traditional lighting.
Both groups of horses had the same feed, bedding and staff caring for them.
MAJOR DIFFERENCE
“WE found a dramatic difference,” said Mr Murphy. “When the fast work came, the group without the Equilux dropped away. The group with it made significant progress in the same weeks.
“The horses were distributed. By the time the [non Equilux light] group had had one runner, the other had six — that was significant but also, the six runners produced five winners.”
A training system that cost £20m to develop was presented.
The Kurtsystem, unveiled at Kingwood Stud in Lambourne in July, is designed to prepare young horses for racing without putting excessive strain on their bodies.
Each horse is harnessed into the machine and taken around a track at speeds between walk and 30mph, while the machine measures heart rate, blood pressure and respiration.
“There is opportunity to do lots of physiological measurements that will help with management of horses,” said Robert Curtis, technology consultant from manufacturer Kurtsystems.
At the back of the system is a control cabin with a driver, “able to deal with any problems”.
Mr Curtis added: “We have quick release buckles so horses can be let out in an emergency, the gates help control horses’ position and it’s impossible for them to fall and hit the track because of the way the girth roller is designed.
“The roller and monorail steel cable attachments are positioned and sized for weight-bearing so should a horse stumble, the roller will act as a support cradle, preventing lower limb damage.
“There are safety stop features [is well as] many others. It is very safe for both horses and humans.”
RUG SENSOR
ALSO among the items discussed was Horseware Ireland’s HorsePal Sensor, which can read a horse’s temperature and humidity to allow owners to make more informed rugging decisions.
The small monitor is attached to the inside of a rug and owners can check readings via a phone app, which allows users to compare data across days, and input weather forecasts.
The sensor was launched in the US this month and will be with UK retailers in the coming weeks.
Horseware CEO Tom MacGuinness plans to develop the technology to offer enhanced features, including monitoring pulse, respiration and movement.
“It will be able to send you information by exception,” he said. “When the parameters are between A and B, that’s acceptable, but when it goes above A you will get a notification.”
Horse technologist Phoebe Bright said technology is set to change the horse world.
“We can embrace these technologies and mould the way they are used,” she said. “Let’s look at how we can build on them in a way that benefits them and us.
“Jobs in the equine world will change; some disappear, some augmented by technology and there will be new jobs including teaching machines about horses and riders.”
‘We can embrace the technology and mould how they’re used’
PHOEBE BRIGHT