How Can Technology Help You Choose the Perfect Horse Breed?
Technology has transformed the way equestrians select horse breeds, bringing tools like genetic testing, artificial intelligence, and data analytics to the process. These innovations ensure that horse breed selection aligns more closely with buyers’ specific needs and preferences. Here’s how tech platforms and tools are shaping breed selection.
Genomic Testing for Breed Traits
Genomic testing offers a deeper look into breed-specific traits, allowing prospective horse owners to make more informed decisions. EquiSeq and UC Davis Center for Equine Health lead the way in equine genetics, providing detailed testing on hereditary traits and health markers.
For example, UC Davis Center for Equine Health offers insights into potential genetic disorders such as Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome (WFFS), a condition that can be costly and heartbreaking for new owners. Knowing this information upfront allows buyers to choose healthier horses or plan breeding programs accordingly.
For a buyer interested in endurance, such as long-distance riding, genetic testing might reveal a breed’s capacity for cardiovascular fitness and muscular composition. With these insights, a buyer could select a breed like the Arabian, known for endurance, with a high degree of certainty about its suitability.
Artificial Intelligence for Breed Matching
AI-based systems, like Equine Match, provide pedigree evaluations, biomechanical assessments, and insights from databases of nearly four million horses to improve breeding and selection accuracy. These tools analyse factors such as bloodlines, sire and dam performance, and past race outcomes to predict with up to 95% confidence a horse’s potential in racing.
Complementary tools like Checkmate, powered by Equinome, use DNA-level analysis to evaluate the genetic compatibility between a mare and potential stallions, allowing breeders to minimise risks such as foal loss or decreased performance. Research by institutions like the Royal Veterinary College has underscored the importance of managing genomic inbreeding, which Checkmate helps address by identifying high-risk matches.
As Luca Cumani of Fittocks Stud suggests, these technologies are progressively refining the breeding landscape, offering breeders a blend of scientific accuracy and human expertise to elevate their breeding decisions, aiming to produce durable, high-performing racehorses.
Performance Data Analysis
For competitive equestrians, data analytics platforms such as EquiRatings provide insights into breeds’ performance records across different equestrian disciplines. By analysing historical data on performance in disciplines like dressage, show jumping, and racing, these platforms guide buyers toward breeds with a track record of excellence.
A buyer interested in show jumping might find that data from EquiRatings highlights breeds like the Selle Français or the Dutch Warmblood as top choices due to their consistent high scores in jumping competitions. Similarly, for eventing, which requires versatility across multiple riding styles, breeds like the Irish Sport Horse or Thoroughbred may show a high success rate based on data, helping buyers choose a breed with proven versatility.
The Role of Online Platforms in Horse Breed Selection
Online platforms are now central to modern horse-buying, with websites and mobile apps providing comprehensive resources to guide buyers through selecting, assessing, and purchasing horses. These platforms bridge the gap between traditional horse-buying practices and modern technology, allowing users to access detailed breed information, compare bloodlines, and even simulate buying scenarios.
Equineline and Horse Scout, for example, provide extensive databases of horses with detailed profiles, including lineage, performance history, and health records, making it easier for prospective buyers to evaluate breeds and specific horses.
EquiSale and The Horse Exchange go a step further by offering real-time listings of horses for sale, allowing users to filter searches by breed, price, location, and intended discipline, such as dressage or show jumping.
For enthusiasts beyond the buying process, online streaming platforms such as ESPN+ allow fans, trainers, and breeders to follow live racing events globally. This accessibility offers race fans the chance to keep up with the latest events, replays, and even training sessions from top racing venues, enriching their understanding of various breeds and race outcomes.
Furthermore, various online betting and casino platforms have started to incorporate data analytics, offering bettors insights into performance and past race records. This data-driven approach aids sports fans and bettors in choosing horses with the potential for strong performance in upcoming horse racing events.
Virtual Simulations to Experience Breed Characteristics
Virtual reality technology is taking the horse-buying experience to new levels of immersion, and innovative tools like the JockeyCam demonstrate how VR and wearable technology are helping users experience what it’s like to handle and ride various breeds firsthand.
Originally designed to give viewers a jockey’s-eye view of races, JockeyCam enables potential buyers and trainers to experience horses in simulated riding environments.
Imagine a user considering the power and stability of a draft breed like a Clydesdale. Through VR headsets and wearable simulations, they can immerse themselves in the breed’s movement dynamics and understand the physicality required to handle such a large horse.