Blaze, the wellness system for horses by Garmin
It is a neoprene band that attaches to the horse's tail and collects important data on health and performance
In the world of horse riding, the boundary between tradition and technology is becoming more and more blurred every day, and alongside the experience of trainers and riders, new technological tools are emerging that are capable of objectively measuring what until now was entrusted mainly to the human eye. Indeed, professionals in the sector, but also riding enthusiasts, are aware that even the slightest gesture or impulse can affect the horse-rider pair, and it is with this in mind that Garmin, a manufacturer of wearable devices and GPS navigation, has launched Blaze on the market: a wellness monitoring system for horses aimed at meeting the needs of horse-riders.
This is a novelty that allows riders to obtain precise and real-time statistics on the horse's physical fitness. In fact, Blaze is a device that is applied to the base of the tail, and more precisely on the inside, and collects data and then transmits it via Bluetooth to the dedicated app directly on the smartphone: in other words, it consists of a durable, easy-to-wear neoprene band that can be adjusted via Velcro straps according to the volume of the tail, and which incorporates an optical sensor inside that monitors heart rate, distance covered, gait and other useful data. Experts will know that heart rate is one of the most important parameters for assessing a horse's state of health and response to exertion, so by monitoring the trend the rider can assess the animal's level of training without inducing it to exert excessive effort.
In addition, this novelty from Garmin allows the tracking of thermal changes in the horse's skin related to activity or any state of discomfort, but also assesses how environmental conditions such as air temperature or humidity may affect its performance. Finally, the sensor, with a diameter of 4 cm and a thickness of 8 mm, is equipped with a battery that offers up to 25 hours of autonomy and is designed to be easily removed from the band for cleaning or recharging. To get Blaze there is no waiting, in fact, it is already available for purchase at a price of €599.99.
