An innovative bodysuit that enables owners to watch over their horses’ wellbeing 24/7 is to be launched next year — after a Kickstarter campaign to fund it met with instant support.
Manufacturer Equisense hit its €50,000 (£42,000) target within a week of launching the crowd-funding appeal on November 21.
Designed to work in conjunction with a smartphone app, the “wearable tech” vest will enable owners to optimise their horses’ well-being, as well as sending alerts if the horse shows signs of colic or injury.
The initial version, which is scheduled to launch in Autumn 2017, collects data on time spent moving, and at each gait, distance travelled, time spent sleeping, heart rate, respiration rate and perspiration.
If the research and development goes to plan, a later upgrade for the end of 2017 will include analysis of body temp, agitation and time spent eating.
The Equisense Care will be fully priced at around €500, while payment of a monthly subscription of €19.90 will enable owners to receive its data to their smartphone in real time, using algorithms that detect any anomalies.
Marine Slove, vet and product director, said: “For the last six months, we’ve been analysing behavioural and physiological data of stabled and pastured horses. We quickly came to realise that by studying horse’s behaviour, movement or even sleep, we could optimise aspects of their daily lives and even make improvements
“With this data, we were able to prevent illnesses linked to day to day life that is different from their natural state, such as gastric ulcers or spasmodic colics which we know are partly linked to stress.”
It is the second successful Kickstarter campaign by the French company, which last year launched the Equisense Motion device, providing riders with information on their training sessions.
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Equisense CEO Benoit Blancher said: “We are really happy and grateful to see that once again the equestrian community has supported us. It shows that we all share the same vision of a more respectful and communicative relationship with our horses and a mutual concern for our horses’ welfare.”
The Equisense is currently offered on Kickstarter as a pre-order for €199 (£167).
