Two technological advances that have improved horse racing

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Technology has become an essential tool in all sports so it should be no surprise that horse racing has also heeded the advantages that it can bring, despite being steeped in tradition.

Breeders will have long-standing arguments about the best methods to develop thoroughbreds, and their knowledge built up over generations still has an important place in the sport. However, owners are racing horses are interested in only thing – winning. Perhaps the only people that care more about their success is the punters that have backed their respective charge in the horse racing betting and are desperately urging it on for the win. It’s time and money for the owners therefore they are willing to throw vast amounts at funding at the latest technological breakthroughs to aid and abet victories on the track.

It’s no guarantee of success, but their perseverance suggests that it has yielded positive results. Perhaps more importantly – the health of horses has significantly improved with the addition of technology. Sports science has played a crucial role in aiding athletes across the board and the transition has been made to allow horses to reach their peak levels of performance. We’ll now look at two ways that technology has revolutionised the sport.

Equine Thermography

Infrared technology has allowed veterinarians to look deep into the health of horses. It is less invasive than MRI scans or x-rays, and provides a better picture of what is happening internally regarding the core muscle groups. Heat spots are picked up by the infrared cameras. These can suggest areas of inflammation that can be addressed by the health experts ahead of races or in the aftermath. Thermography allows the vet to pinpoint the precise location of the distress.

It could be tendon or ligament damage that can potentially be undiagnosed to the naked eye. The use of the technology allows the experts to diagnose the issue and take the appropriate action. It has become a key component for owners and trainers to determine whether the horse was affected by an ailment during a race that needs managing for the future. Or it could also be natural wear and tear that could result in the end of their racing career.

Equimetre

Health is paramount to the success of horses, but trainers also need to know how they are developing and their capabilities. Not all competitors are made equal – you’re not going to unearth a legend such as Frankel every time even with exceptional breeding lines. An Equimetre allows trainers to track the performance levels of their charges during their preparation for races. It’s a simple device that can be attached to the saddle.

It provides information such as time splits along with cardiac and rates of respiration, which can be uploaded to compare and contrast against other horses. It’s so essential for trainers to know the ins and outs of the health and capabilities of their charges to give them the ideal prep for races. Too much training could result in a poor display on race day, while too little could yield the same outcome. Gaining all the data possible gives the trainer the best opportunity of making the correct decision regarding the type of race or the tactics employed by the jockey – which would hopefully result in a place in the winners’ circle.

Both these developments have helped further the sport and it will be interesting to see what other advances come about in the next few years.