Horse racing is the second-most popular sport in the United Kingdom, with only football ranking better in terms of average attendances. Therefore, it is no surprise that British racing is one of the leaders in the industry.
The sector is worth a staggering £4.1 billion annually to the economy, with the sport gaining traction in recent years due to the increased interest from younger demographics.
Therefore, there has been a growing number of new bettors that have explored the TwinSpires horse betting odds around the time of the biggest meetings, with prominent events such as the Cheltenham Festival, Royal Ascot, and Epsom Derby proving more popular than most.
The sport continues to thrive in this modern day due to the growing technological advancements that have been made. But, what forms of wearable tech have become commonplace in UK racing in recent years?
Wearable Tech in the Stable
Wearable tech has become incredibly popular in leading stables across the United Kingdom, mainly due to the information that can be recorded. Equine Fitbits are now commonplace at the stable, with the tech able to track crucial metrics such as stride patterns, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels.
All of these factors are crucially important for a trainer, as they can ensure that a runner is at their peak level before competing on the track. Crucially, it is also vitally important to ensure animal welfare, with unusual patterns typically pointing toward something being amiss with a horse.
This can help pick up early signs of lameness and other setbacks that can be addressed immediately to ensure that horses aren’t made to feel uncomfortable for too long before getting the veterinary care that they require.
Recovery Tech
While the vast majority of wearable tech used in stables will revolve around performance metrics on the gallops, there have also been extra devices developed to ensure that trainers and owners can get even more important metrics. These have come in the form of smart rugs and halters.
These pieces of tech are placed in the stable of a runner, and are able to measure the stress indicators, sleeping patterns, and body temperatures of horses. All factors are vital to ensuring that a horse is able to perform at their highest level.
They will also make sure that horses are feeling as comfortable as possible overnight. Metrics recorded from this tech can identify horses that aren’t recovering in the required time, leading to extra attention being admitted to ensure that a runner can get back up to speed in a quicker time frame.
Introduction to Raceday
Wearables aren’t only being used in leading stables across the United Kingdom, as they have been introduced to active races due to a BHA pilot scheme. The metrics recorded are able to give vets realtime information that can help to treat horses if something goes amiss on the track.
Metrics such as in-race heart rates and speeds can be measured in this modern day. While metrics in stables are pointed toward improving performance, the stats recorded in-race are tailored more toward animal welfare concerns.
The data recorded can aid screening for elevated risks of cardiac issues and also injuries suffered on track. Vets are able to measure biomechanical output and compare data to base line measures for thoroughbreds to get more accurate results.
The scheme has been a huge success to this point, and wearables may become commonplace in all racing across the United Kingdom and Ireland in the future.
Improving Training Philosophies
Wearables are playing a crucial role in the transition of training within the sport, taking it from a traditional and visual observation process to one that relies on up-to-the-minute data. Metrics now play a profound impact on the recovery process in training, with trainers able to respond to the data and tailoring dedicated plans for each runner depending on their individual recovery.
Back in the day, the same practice would have been taken across all horses in their care, which may have been detrimental to some equines. However, one of the most important factors that comes with wearable tech is the fact that it enables early intervention when subtle changes in data could indicate a runner that shows early signs of a potential injury.
Waiting too long to treat an injury can typically be detrimental to their chances of returning to the track, meaning that the introduction of wearables has safeguarded this. Meanwhile, wearables also give trainers the data that they require to make improved decisions when it comes to strategy in races.
Being able to track speed and positioning metrics can give trainers a better understanding of their runner, and identify a potential style that maximises their chances of reaching their potential on track.
