Technology has gripped pretty much every industry in the world. One of the go-to options for a lot of riders is the array of accessible smartphone apps we can download with ease. After all, the vast majority of people own a smartphone these days, opening up a selection of useful apps to them in the process. Some apps enable horse riders to get even more from a casual ride, while others might come in handy if you’re competing frequently.
A selection of reputable apps are even utilised in horse racing on occasions. For example, competitive dressage riders are using apps such as TestPro British Eventing in the UK, an app that helps riders learn their dressage tests. Likewise, in Australia, at popular tracks such as the Cranbourne Racecourse, which is operated by the Cranbourne Turf Club, riders are using an array of innovative technology to monitor their horses. Away from competitive racing, there are a number of apps that cater towards equestrian life, with some focussing on the well-being of an animal and others making sure the rider and the horse don’t get lost while out and about in a remote landscape. Ultimately, for horse riders, the applications worth downloading on both iOS and Android are extensive. Let’s assess some of the more popular options below.
Grooms Go To
Travelling with a horse can be a nightmare, particularly as you’re undoubtedly keen to keep them well looked after. Using Grooms Go To, that potentially tricky scenario can be made all the easier thanks to its useful tools that help users track down groomers, vet clinics, stabling locations, and a whole lot more. Designed by Daniel Deusser’s groomer, Sean Lynch, Grooms Go To is worth downloading for riders who travel with horses. The app even offers advice around plaiting, too.
Trackener
Knowing exactly how your horse is feeling both physically and mentally can be a challenge at times. Although a veterinarian should be called if you’re hugely concerned, for any minor issues and to provide peace of mind when you can’t be around your horse, Trackener is a fantastic option. Specialising in monitoring a horse’s health, the app tracks your horse’s activity, movement, behaviour, and heart rate. How does it work, you ask? Well, through a cleverly designed app that fits comfortably on the horse, either in a bib or on a girth sleeve, the app can track all of the above and provide you with insights into your horse’s health with notifications wherever you are. Trackener isn’t free, but it’s most definitely worth it.
What3words
An app which specialises in providing accurate GPS coordinates so that both the horse and the rider don’t get lost, What3words is a vitally important product that should be on every horse rider’s phone. Working by splitting the world into a grid and assigning every 3mx3m square with a unique address that can be easily tracked, the app makes it simple to communicate your location to someone in case of an emergency. What3words has been credited with the rescue of horses and riders on numerous occasions already, highlighting once again just how important an app like this can be.
OS Maps
The official mapping app from Ordnance Survey, OS Maps is the perfect route-planning app thanks to its clear and high-res maps that come with an integrated GPS tracker that will stop you from getting lost while you’re out riding. If you’re partial to the odd long-distance ride or you’re a dedicated endurance rider, then OS Maps will certainly come in handy.
Other apps worth downloading include Eventing Manager, CrossCountry app, and Equilab.
