Biometrics Monitoring

[mlombard]

I am a computer science student at Georgia Tech participating in the Create-X entrepreneurial program. My group and I want to create an all inclusive biometrics wearable for horses. The prototype is a small noninvasive device that attaches to halters and bridals. The device would include tracking technology used in dog collars to monitor your horses activity during turnout and predict calories burned. You would have access to your horses location from an app on your phone at all times so if you are boarding your horse then you could see where and what your horse is doing and verify your horse is getting the turnout and training regime you are expecting.
The device would be able to track heart rate and respiration rate in addition to movement tracking. This means your phone would be pinged if the device sensed from an increase in heart rate. If your horse was in distress at any hour of the day or night you would be notified instant which could be helpful for mares close to foaling or if you are worried about colic during the night.
There are heart rate monitors for exercise and training that allow you to see how long your horse spent in each heart rate zone (https://enduroequine.com/enduro-equine-heart-rate-monitor/) and allows for optimal training programs. We aim to combine these features for training with the additional safety components that come with monitoring 24/7.

Please reply to this topic with questions, comments, and concerns about our product idea. We are looking for as much feedback as possible on how we can make the best and most useful device possible.

Edit: Discussing with my group and rethinking some ideas that you guys mentioned. We are considering pastern bands that would be worn only when riding and it would function similarly to StrideSafe (https://www.stridesafeusa.com/#:~:text=StrideSAFE%20uses%20sensors%20to%20analyze,horse’s%20stride%20at%2040%20mph.) which is used for early injury detection in race horses. The bands would collect data on impact forces and take radial pulse while riding and allow the rider to see if one foot had unusual impact and force on it and alert the rider before signs of lameness might occur.
This idea is more targeted and I have yet to find any similar products so please keep leaving feedback we really appreciate it!

[kaya842]

1. I don’t know if there is a demand for a device like this for horse. I have a fitness tracker for both of my dogs (which originated when my senior dog tore her first ACL/ CCL) and I wouldn’t buy one for my horse. For me, it’s not about how much my horse moves it’s about whether or not she is turned out with the option to move. If she’s out, then she’s moving enough for me.

2. How will you track HR and respiratory rate from a halter tag?

3. Many/ most horses don’t wear halters in turnout (back to the demand for this and also why other HR monitors are products like girths which are used when we work the horses and thus capturing the data we truly care about from a fitness perspective).

4. Will it require a subscription?

5. Does it work in areas with no wifi? No cell service?

6. I believe a *foal watch product already exists - how would you differentiate/ how is your product better?

7. Horse are big and strong - leaving a product on them often leads to it being damaged. How are you designing your product to mitigate damage to it by 1000lb animals?

8. Similarly, horses are incredibly fragile animals. How is your product designed to ensure there is no discomfort or potential for injury? Skin/ fur rubs, getting the device caught on something like the fence or getting themselves (usually a shoe) caught on the device, come to mind as potential issues.

[Renn_aissance]

I’m your target audience as someone who uses biometrics and biofeedback in my own athletic context, and I have an older horse for whom some overnight tracking could be useful diagnostically (extrapolating movement and respiration rates to quality of sleep, etc.)

@kaya842

How will you track HR and respiratory rate from a halter tag?

Doubling down on this one. I assume you’re looking at optical monitoring. In the human technology, optical HR monitoring has gotten pretty good… if you’re light-skinned, have a good skin to device connection, aren’t particularly hairy about the wrists, no tattoos near the device surface, fit generally within the bell curve of body size, and it isn’t too hot or cold out. Considering that the device is being configured to alert someone to potential distress, including at 2 in the morning which is when every self-respecting horse gets himself into disaster, accuracy and frequency of false positives are critically important.

Also, my horse or one of his turnout buddies would probably eat it, but I recognize that’s not necessarily a global problem.

[RedHorses]

Another techie rider here - I use the Equestic clip.

My horses live outside year round, with no halter. Horses that come inside for the night generally don’t wear halters inside even if they wear one outside.

I second the concerns about durability, potential for getting caught on something, and will add ability to handle weather (water, dust, extreme heat or cold, mud, snow, ice, etc) as another.

Also wondering how a halter device could monitor heart rate and respiration. And if it’s supposed to be an all in one device, are you expecting horses to wear their halters when ridden, or have the person transfer the device?

Cost of cellular connection would be a big concern. Wifi wouldn’t work for turnout without a repeater network on the property.

[Demerara_Stables]

Just spitballing here (because I love when we can use more tech with horses):

Could a monitor be placed in an elastic velcro strap around the neck, similar to where a cribbing collar would go? Seems like you would get good contact there for HR/respiration, and a velcro strap would break off if it got caught on something.

This question is for people with the concern of where the monitor would be on the horse.u

[trubandloki]

@Renn_aissance

Also, my horse or one of his turnout buddies would probably eat it, but I recognize that’s not necessarily a global problem.

Laugh, that is for sure a global problem!

As an owner whose horses almost never wear a halter, I am not sure how this would work for me.

Keep in mind, there are lots of people who do not turn out in a halter and remove the halter when the horse is inside.

@RedHorses

And if it’s supposed to be an all in one device, are you expecting horses to wear their halters when ridden, or have the person transfer the device?

This was my first question as I read the OP.
Will a person need two devices, expect their trainer to transfer the device, or… ?

@Demerara_Stables

Could a monitor be placed in an elastic velcro strap around the neck, similar to where a cribbing collar would go? Seems like you would get good contact there for HR/respiration, and a velcro strap would break off if it got caught on something.

This seems more reasonable than the halter idea, but I wonder if many people would not like the affect of the elastic strap on the mane.
How would you keep the strap in place? It seems like it would have to be quite tight (cribbing straps are tight).

[Demerara_Stables]

I think if you found the right strength of elastic (slightly stretchier than a brand new leg strap?), and were able to place it just behind the jaw, maybe even where a bridle path would be, that might work. You’d definitely have to experiment to see how tight you could make it to keep it in place but not so tight it interferes with breathing/swallowing or just plain annoying the horse.

[RedHorses]

Head position alters the circumference of the throat latch so much that a monitor would either be dangling or choking the horse. It’s not an issue for crib collars that only need to be effective in one, upright, position.

[Demerara_Stables]

That makes sense (and I’ve seen that with cribbing collars).

Do you think with a stretchy enough band you could get it tight enough in the grazing position that it would still stay in place but not be too tight when they lift their head?

[RedHorses]

No, I don’t. I use an elastic strap to keep the Bemer cuff in place when doing my horse’s poll, and if he’s moving his head up or down at all the fit changes significantly. I think if the elastic was soft enough to stretch out so the tight position wasn’t irritating the horse, the elastic wouldn’t be sufficiently durable to last a reasonable period of time.

[mlombard]

thank you for your questions!

1. The thought behind it is that your dog is in the house with you and you can see her through the night, but your horse is not with you and if you board you don’t even have the option to go check on them in the middle of the night. Like if you horse had an equivalent injury to your dogs, would you be curious to know her heart rate and be alerted of signs of distress?
   2/3.I do understand most horses don’t wear halters during turnout which is why a halter tag is sort of a preliminary idea for the monitor we need further consulting with vets to figure out an appropriate system. The idea is that the fitness component would remain while also being able to give you more data while you cannot physically be with your horse. Think about a younger horse or senior horse, if you could know if they were uncomfortable or stressed on the trailer is that information you would be curious to know?
2. unclear yet, we have not figured that out
3. This is something to consider as a lot of horses and horse people are in rural areas, we would aim to make it not need cell service but potentially wifi since that could be installed in a barn.
4. foaling products do already exist like a foal alert that is sewn into the mare but there aren’t necessarily a HR or respiration rate monitor specifically for foaling and since a foal alert is so invasive this would be a less invasive solution.
5. making something “horse proof” will require trial and error on our part. I have a pretty relaxed gelding that is out with a spunky yearling and I am hoping to make a prototype that the yearling won’t destroy on himself or his pasture buddy.
6. this is a great point and another thing to take into consideration when we start prototyping how to make it break-away or not able to get caught on fencing.

[mlombard]

We have been considering optical monitoring but we are meeting with several PhD students who have worked on wearable tech for animals including horses in a couple days to see what they use for their research. I see your point that it could be difficult but the arteries and veins on a horse, especially a particularly large one like the jugular under the head could work in our favor. Again we haven’t begun the prototyping process but are working on that we just want to solidify that there would be a market for a product of this type.
My mom and I recently had to put down our senior horse and he had quite a bit of health issues especially in his last few years and keeping him comfortable was a huge priority and partially the inspiration for this idea.
As for your horse eating it, I feel like that is in fact a global concern lol and definitely something to take into account.

[kaya842]

For the trailer question, a camera is of more use to me than HR. I see it that HR would only tell me if they were stressed. A camera will let me see what’s going on - is the stress just from getting on the trailer and going? Or are they struggling to balance or panicking and such? High HR =/= something fixable in a trailer environment (thinking of my dog who has, presumably, a high HR in the car despite doing everything we can to make it pleasant and relaxing for him - I can’t do anything more for him but I’m also not going to stop putting him in the car so the HR data wouldn’t be relevant).

For monitoring young and older horses - ehh. It sounds like a great idea, but I don’t think the practicality is there. How would the app differentiate between high HR from colic or other actual distress vs oh the herd got excited and did some laps in turnout or a horse got loose (not the one wearing the device) and got everyone in their stalls riled up? IMO data is great but there is so much context that goes into it that can’t be determined remotely and if you’re on site with your horse, the wearable is likely a moot point anyway. If my horse had a lameness issue like my dog did (and my horse has lol) I would get a device like the equisetic (sp) clip. I’m more worried about cadence and stride length and regularity vs HR or respiratory rate. IME a lot of horse health issues are lameness related which puts the focus on movement vs TPR type metrics. I also wouldn’t ask (or want) to leave a halter on, and know I would move the device from halter to bridle (part of the reason I haven’t gotten the clip is I ride in multiple saddles).

Last bit - of wifi and cell, I think cell is better. Most boarding barns in my area don’t have wifi and certainly don’t have extenders to cover their paddocks. Most do have access to cell service but barns and indoor arenas can cause signal issues. Maybe Bluetooth + cell? My dogs tracker works off of all 3 (wifi, cell, and Bluetooth).

Another question is about battery life - how long will the battery be expected to last? I’d say charging any more than once a week is going to be detrimental to marketing.

[RedHorses]

@kaya842

(part of the reason I haven’t gotten the clip is I ride in multiple saddles)

Psst! The Equestic is basically a spring clamp - like the clamp at the top of a clipboard. I put mine on my belt between horses, and between barn and home. Mine is older than covid with more than 1K rides on various saddles. Dead easy.

[sherian]

to be honest I look at your proposal and think “that’s an expensive gadget that I’ll be walking a 15 acre pasture looking for” and will drive me insane alerting me whenever my mob decides to go for a gallop. If I was foaling I would look at the foal alert ones for in the barn at night, I am interested in the microchip that does temp, and am going to now go look at the equestic clip - targeted tech is better IMHO.

[RedHorses]

@sherian

to be honest I look at your proposal and think “that’s an expensive gadget that I’ll be walking a 15 acre pasture looking for”

With that in mind, the app link had better have a feature to make the monitor sing “Here I am!” as one is walking the pasture looking for it.

[Boomer]

99% of horses at the boarding barn I’m at - and when I had horses at home - get turned out without halters. They also are not haltered in stalls generally.

I looked at the Enduro Equine site and saw the heart monitor girth - that I would be interested in* (* cost dependent, of course). My mare has anhidrosis and she’s a big Friesian cross. The barn manager where I board does endurance and we have put her under the girth monitor on her before. But it was best with a gel on it, which can be kinda messy.

[mlombard]

I like the idea of making a more targeted device and I think this would be more marketable. We are thinking of doing something that targets more lameness prevention with pastern bands to be worn when riding. I also think the idea of having a wearable 24/7 on a 1000lb animal that rolls in the mud and runs 30 mph for fun is slightly optimistic lol.

[mlombard]

I think we want to pivot to target lameness/lameness prevention with pastern bands or even potentially bell boots that would collect thousands of data points that we could turn into detecting potential lameness or soreness based on changes in gait detected by the device before a person could see there was an issue. We could include HR easily in the pastern bands or bell boots with radial pulse so training features could be implemented as a side feature.

[GraceLikeRain]

While there are other products in the market, I think this may be a more viable path. I believe the reason most products have been girth based is because of the reality of horse feet and dirt. For every problem there are potential solutions or mitigation strategies, just something to keep in mind. Another consideration will be the resilience to collision. A bell boot that is collecting lots of great data will be in a dusty environment and risk getting clocked repeatedly by another leg or jump over a lifetime of use. Last thought is that even a few ounces is used on Pastern chains or weighed boots to influence action. Finding a durable product that has minimal interference on gait will be important. Last last thought, your target audience may be better positioned at vets or hospitals. They often have nice indoor spaces to use products and do in hand or controlled lunging. The ability to add in quantitative data along with their expert observation may be a market.