A synopsis of wearable commercially available biometric‐monitoring devices and their potential applications during gallop racing

Abstract

SummaryAmidst discourse surrounding the racing industry's social licence to operate, the welfare of racehorses and jockeys is often at the forefront of discussions. Specifically, catastrophic events and the sudden death of horses on race days tend to capture media attention and often place the racing industry under public scrutiny. While such occurrences are not frequent, they have negative ramifications on the welfare of both racehorses and jockeys. The development and application of advanced monitoring technology could provide greater insight into the physiological precursors that immediately precede sudden death on race days and enable retrospective analyses of catastrophic events that take place. Most importantly, the application of such technology could ultimately aid racetrack personnel in identifying and intervening with horses at increased risk of catastrophic events, right up until the start of a race. This would inevitably improve the safety and welfare of horses and jockeys. Thus, the current review details key cardiovascular, respiratory and thermometry biometrics for racehorses and examines the currently available commercial devices with potential applications during racing. This review also highlights the importance of gathering biometric data for retrospective analyses of catastrophic events and their implications on the welfare of racehorses and jockeys.

Fractures in Thoroughbred racing and the potential for pre‐race identification of horses at risk

“…Work in several different disciplines, including epidemiology, genetics, biomarkers, biometrics and imaging has demonstrated the potential to identify subgroups within the overall population of racehorses that are at higher risk of fracture. 19,25,26,28,30,107,[111][112][113][114][170][171][172] Advanced imaging has already been applied in a limited fashion, in pre-race screening of sub-groups of horses which have been identified by application of epidemiological risk profiling as at increased risk. However, in our opinion, research has yet to provide a comprehensive system that can be applied widely across international boundaries that is sensitive and specific enough to justify regulatory decisions.…”

Thermoregulation during Field Exercise in Horses Using Skin Temperature Monitoring

“…Consequently, from an animal welfare perspective, it is paramount and timely to prevent occurrence of heat stress on all occasions. The aforementioned welfare issues are a concerning reality that is motivating research groups worldwide to develop practical methods for reliable monitoring during field exercise to ensure the thermoregulatory welfare of horses [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. To achieve this, there is a need for minimally invasive body temperature monitoring systems, also termed ‘heat monitoring’.…”

“…In an ideal world, all temperature monitoring equipment including wearable technological tools should be non-invasive and enable horse owners and veterinarians to have a continuous real-time view of the evolution of body temperature during exercise in the field [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. An approach that is gaining popularity for monitoring the thermoregulatory response is the follow-up of the T sk in horses performing in the field exercise using wearable T sk equipment [ 24 ].…”