Equine Performance Monitor
New technology that claims to help horses race faster has been launched by new Cambridge company, Gmax (Equine) Ltd.
Sports Science
Trainers that have traditionally relied on experience and intuition to gauge the performance of horses will now be able to apply some of the same methods that sports scientists use to train elite athletes.
The company has developed a Global Positioning System (GPS) product that sends essential physical, physiological and environmental information about a workout from horse to trainer, via the internet.
The product allows immediate access to information about the kind of work the horse is doing, its gait, temperature,breathing and the training conditions.
This allows trainers and vets to optimise training regimes, while at the same time ensuring the horse’s welfare.
Mike Cane, who has led the development of Gmax, says: “Often the difference between first and second in a race is fractions of a second, just as it is in human athletics. Gmax has an important role to play in bringing the principles of sports medicine to thoroughbred racing to maximise a horse’s chances of winning.”
The monitoring electronics are built into a sleeve that slides over the girth and real time information is transmitted wirelessly to a trainer’s mobile or laptop anywhere in the world. Information to help control the workout can also be sent to the jockey via a specially designed wristwatch.
Mike added: “Using detailed information provided by the Gmax system, trainers will be able to implement training schedules that bring a horse progressively to its peak fitness. Current training methods rely heavily on visual assessments, coupled with years of experience. While Gmax will never replace good horsemanship, it will provide trainers with objective measurements of training workload and response, replacing guesswork with scientific evidence resulting in more consistent performances and longer competitive careers.”
www.Gmaxequine.com
