Google “equestrian apps” and you are bombarded with options — everyone from vets to trainers has jumped on the app bandwagon. And unless you know what you’re looking for it can be overwhelming.
To help you navigate this exciting world we’ve picked some of our favourite apps from across the disciplines, which are currently available via iPhone/iTunes App Store (iA) and/or Android Market (AM).
Competition
CourseWalk (iA: £6.99, AM: £6.59) allows you to upload full course details and a map, plus distances, terrain, photos of fences etc, then keep records or share.
Cross-country (iA: £5.99) records cross-country courses, showing fences, waypoints and timing markers for accurate riding to time. Photos, audio and video help all riders visualise and memorise the course and you can also share the courses. Used by leading riders, trainers and course designers worldwide. Create a course map for event organisers with the CourseDesigner add-on. CrossCountry Lite is available free and provides pre-recorded course maps with photos, videos, audio and notes available to download from the CrossCountry app website. Friends can also email and share a course they have recorded. It does not require phone reception or internet once a course is downloaded.
FEI EquiTests 1 (iA, AM) lets you try out a free sample of the FEI young riders individual competition test. There is also FEI EquiTests Dressage (iA: £6.99, AM: £6.30); FEI EquiTests Eventing (iA: £6.99, AM: £6.30) and FEI EquiTests Para (iA: £6.99, AM: £6.30).
CleanSports (iA, AM) is free from FEI, designed to update riders on the FEI CleanSport prohibited substances database — boring but essential.
Training
Horse hub (iA) is free and provides access to a variety of equestrian content, including training audio and video tips provided by some of the world’s best riders and trainers.
EquiTempo (iA: £1.49) has a metronome utility that matches the tempo you want to maintain when riding, helping you develop a consistent and rhythmic tempo. Plug into an arena sound system and change tempo to suit movements.
101 Dressage (iA: £13.99, AM: £12.39) is a popular collection of dressage training exercises.
101 Schooling (iA: £13.20) gives you quick access to easy-to-follow exercises, which include all the information you need to ride the movement correctly.
Hoofa Doofa (AM: £0.99) allows you to track your ride, see how far you have gone, how fast and see your route on a map. The app also allows you to automatically send a message to your ‘ride guardian’, if you fall or get into trouble (stop) and the message will show your exact location.
Track my Hack (AM) lets you ride and record your hack and share your route with friends.
Stable management
Ask The Vet (iA: £3.99) taps in to the expertise of Horse & Hound’s experts to bring you the answers to the most demanding questions. Only available on iPads.
Horse Budget (iA, £0.69) helps you keep a track on your equestrian spending.
Stable Mate (iA, AM) is free and automatically creates a calendar of events, appointments and reminders to make it easy for you to keep your horse’s essential healthcare needs on course.
EquineVet (iA: £2.49) offers an extraordinarily extensive amount of health information, including the 10 most common equine illnesses you need to be familiar with.
Horse Side Vet Guide (AM: £3.04) offers veterinary advice.
Safety
PRP Rescue (iA, AM) is a free pay-on-use horsebox breakdown and recovery service using GSP.
Rescue Me (£15 per year) was launched by PRP Rescue Services and is designed to help locate riders who have fallen off and may be injured.
Alert5 (iA) does what it says on the tin — it alerts up to 5 people from your contacts list with your exact location stating you need urgent assistance if you get into trouble out riding.
Racing and betting
William Hill, Betfred, Paddy Power, Coral, Victor Chandler, the Tote and Betfair (iA, AM, BlackBerry) all have mobile betting apps, but visit their websites for download details as they vary between iPhone App Store and Android.
Racing TV and Racing Post (iA, AM) both have excellent horseracing industry apps; for general racing app details visit www.attheraces.com.
Betting calculators are available from Bet Calc UK (iA: free) and Bet Compute (iA: £1.99) and are very useful for working out multiple betting. Oddschecker (iA) is free and one of the best-known odds comparison sites, aimed at serious punters.
Events
Badminton Horse Trials (iA, AM) keeps you up-to-date with all the news, views and gossip from one of the world’s most prestigious horse trials for free.
The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (iA, AM) is also free and will bring you all the latest news, results and competition details direct to your iPhone — it will even keep a note of your car park row number for you.
Hickstead (iA, AM) provides live updates for competitors and visitors and includes an in-built map that gives you traffic updates and directions straight to the event for free.
Ascot (iA, AM) is designed to be your free on-course raceday guide providing you with up to the minute odds and racing information.
Do you have an equestrian app you can’t live without which isn’t listed here? Tell us about it via the Facebook comments below…
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