BRITISH RACING TESTS IN-RACE HORSE HEART RATE MONITORS

Like all major sports, advances in technology and data science are playing an increasingly important role across British racing, especially when it comes to improving horse welfare, safety, and performance.

The 2025 jumps season finale at Plumpton saw another digital dawn for the sport, with Ted’s Friend ridden by Max Kendrick, becoming the first horse to wear a heart monitor during a regulated race on a British racecourse.

The initial 10-race pilot will see the devices used across a variety of distances and obstacles to test the viability, practicality, and accuracy of data collected by the wearable technology under race conditions. It’s all part of British racing’s relentless focus on reducing risk, and improving safety, for the horses at the heart of the sport.

Data-driven improvements

Wearable equipment is already widely used by racehorse trainers at home and on the gallops to monitor a horse’s heart rate and activity, stride length and speed during exercise.

This real-time data collection and analysis offers a valuable insight into the horse’s health and wellbeing, which can help optimise performance and support better informed planning around areas like training regimes, rest periods, and readiness to race.

Jockey Max Kendrick has taken a keen interest in expanding the use of wearable technology since joining Fergal O’Brien’s yard in 2023, where he now works as Assistant Trainer.

“Growing the use of monitoring and data analysis can only be a good thing, from both a performance and equine welfare point of view,” he said.

“We’ve been gradually increasing the use of data analysis at Fergal’s and monitor the horses throughout their training. But until now it’s not been possible to extend this tracking to the race itself, which to us felt like a real gap in our knowledge and understanding.”

Developing the pilot

The sport’s regulator, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) worked closely with the O’Brien team over several months to scope and plan the pilot, which will initially see the Arioneo Equimetre device carried by 10 of the yard’s horses racing over various obstacles and distances.

The device, which is fitted via surcingle (a strap that fastens around the girth) and using a bespoke saddle pad, is included as part of the weight the horse is required to carry and remains on the horse after unsaddling so that the heart rate can be monitored before, during, and after the race.

Leading the project for British racing is the BHA’s Head of Equine Regulation, Safety and Welfare, Sally Taylor.

“Racehorse trainers are often at the forefront of innovation in our sport,” she said, expressing the industry’s desire to embrace the latest technology to support improved horse welfare outcomes.

“Data, technology and scientific research has an essential role to play in improving safety, reducing the risk of injury and strengthening British racing for the long-term. Wearable devices are a particularly interesting area, giving us the ability to measure a horse’s cardiovascular health, activity and performance during exercise using an electrocardiogram (ECG).”

How the data will be used

The data collected over the initial 10-race period will be available to the O’Brien yard to complement the information it already holds about the horses that will be participating in the pilot.

But more significantly, it will be shared with researchers at the University of Surrey, who will use the information to support and inform ongoing studies aimed at reducing the risk of avoidable injuries and fatalities.

British racing has invested more than £60 million in advancing equine health, veterinary science and research since 2000 – and there are several projects currently underway in this space.

This includes work to use artificial intelligence techniques to help identify horses at greater risk of developing irregular heart rhythms, and research into the causes of exercise associated sudden death.

It is also thought that a horse carrying an undetected injury that could lead to fracture may show changes in their stride pattern beforehand.

An encouraging start – with more to come

“The signs so far are very encouraging” reflected Sally, “The preliminary analysis indicates that the device performed well. We need to review this in much more detail before reaching any definitive conclusions, but the initial heart rate and ECG tracking provided a fascinating insight into the horse’s condition and performance.

“We’ve also been able to identify some minor adjustments that can be made to further enhance the quality of the data being captured.”

“Our hope is that through the pilot we can determine whether the device is as effective at recording accurate data under race conditions as it is in a training environment. If all goes well, then we’d certainly like to extend this opportunity to others and see the technology being used more widely.”

Outlining his hopes for the future of wearable technology, Max added “Horses can’t be trained from a computer, but access to information, whether that’s from the yard or the racecourse, allows us to enhance our understanding of them as individuals, track any changes in performance levels and then adapt training techniques to suit them.

“Ultimately, it’s all about making better informed decisions that are in the best interests of the horses, their welfare and wellbeing – and we find real value in using the data to help us do that.

“We’re at a very early stage, but it’s exciting and we can’t wait to learn more.”

For more information on how British racing ensures the highest welfare standards on the racecourse, click here.