PoC proposal: Development of a horse racing saddle utilising a dynamic load distribution system to reduce pressure under the saddle, improving performance and reducing injury.

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Racing is a hugely popular sport globally. It is the second most watched sport in Britain,beaten only by football.The health and welfare of racehorses is a topic of much public interest. Currently, racehorsesare subject to high rates of injury during training and racing. The back is a common area ofinjury, with recent veterinary research showing that over 80% of competitive racehorseseuthanased for reasons other than back pain had serious injuries within the back. Racingsaddles are one likely contributor to this damage.Racing saddles have been shown in recent studies to regularly exceed the pressures that areknown to cause pain and damage to the equine back. Ergon Equine have completed feasibilitytesting on an innovative saddle structure, which reduces the average pressure under saddle by27% when compared with a traditional saddle. Using a state of the art wireless pressuremeasuring device, the researchers were able to assess pressure at trot and canter, and couldalso assess the performance of the innovative saddle compared to a traditional saddle whilethe horse and rider were moving in a circle.This SMART Proof of Concept award will allow the company to take the technology andinformationdeveloped during the SMART:Scotland feasibility project and apply it to the development ofa proof of concept prototype designed for the horseracing market. The availability of a lowpressurehorse racing saddle offers welfare advantages to the horse, and performance andcommercial benefits to the owners and trainers. The technology is also being adapted for usein general purpose, jumping and dressage saddles.