Why the Equestrian Industry Needs Technology - Now
Equestrian sport and the broader horse economy are steeped in tradition, craftsmanship, and care. But tradition alone can’t solve the industry’s most pressing challenges: rising costs of care, preventable health incidents, safety risks for riders and staff, fragmented marketplaces, and growing sustainability expectations. Technology—done thoughtfully and humanely—isn’t a “nice to have”; it’s the operating system upgrade the industry needs.
The economic stakes are too large (and growing) to stay analog
The equine economy is no niche. In the United States alone, the industry generated $177B in value added in 2023, up from $122B in 2017—a ~45% jump in six years. horsecouncil.org
(See “US Equine Industry Value Added: 2017 vs 2023” chart above.)
Globally, the equestrian equipment segment (tack, apparel, safety gear) is sized at ~$12B in 2024 and projected to reach ~$18.3B by 2034. This steady growth is happening even though core workflows (training data, horse health records, trading, logistics, compliance) remain under-digitized. Global Market Insights Inc.+1
(See “Global Equestrian Equipment Market: 2024 → 2034” line chart above.)
Translation: capital is flowing, participation is resilient, and the market is paying for performance and safety. The next gains won’t come from more leather; they’ll come from better data.
Welfare & health: data can prevent pain and cost
Horses can’t self-report, which makes early detection the industry’s highest-ROI opportunity.
Lameness—often subtle and multifactorial—shows up at worrying levels in performance populations. One FEI-level study reported nearly 90% prevalence of some degree of lameness observed, while another clinical population showed 74% lameness among horses with back issues. These are different cohorts and methodologies—but together they underscore the scale of undetected or under-managed musculoskeletal issues. EquiManagement+1
Colic remains a leading emergency: prospective research estimates ~10.6 cases per 100 horse-years. Faster detection and triage mean better outcomes and fewer catastrophic costs. PubMed
When surgery is required, direct costs are material: median UK referral surgery cost has been reported in the £3.4k–£3.7k range (2018–2024 datasets). Prevention and earlier intervention matter. beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com+1
(See the “Selected Health Indicators in Horses” and “Median Cost of Referral Colic Surgery (UK)” charts.)
Where tech helps
Wearables (biomechanics, limb symmetry, heart rate variability), stall sensors, and computer vision to flag subtle gait changes days before a visible head-bob.
Unified digital medical records to reduce missed history and enable second opinions.
Predictive alerts for colic risk based on activity, feeding, hydration, and weather patterns.
Rider & staff safety: evidence improves training and liability
Horse-related injuries are real and costly: U.S. emergency departments treat ~35.7 non-fatal horse-related injuries per 100,000 people annually. Better protective gear, training analytics, and facility workflows reduce risk and insurance exposure. PMC
(See “Annual Non-fatal Horse-related Injuries (US)” chart.)
Where tech helps
Smart safety gear (impact-detecting helmets/vests) and incident analytics.
Barn ops software for controlled access, horse handling SOPs, and near-miss logging.
Video feedback and force-plate data to improve rider position and horse balance.
Performance & fairness: instrumentation beats intuition
In elite sport, thousandths matter. In everyday riding, confidence and consistency matter more. Either way, objective data is the bridge between intention and outcome.
Where tech helps
Gait symmetry and load distribution metrics to design training blocks that build longevity, not just short-term results.
AI-assisted coaching: movement libraries comparing a rider’s session to expert baselines.
Anti-doping, traceability, and digital chain-of-custody to protect horse welfare and competitive integrity (areas FEI continues to professionalize per its 2024 Annual Report). FEI Inside
Market efficiency & transparency: liquidity follows trust
Buying, selling, insuring, or transporting a horse often involves incomplete information and costly friction.
Where tech helps
Verified records—vet findings, imaging, treatment history, and ownership—reduce misrepresentation and post-sale disputes.
Price discovery & escrow tools protect both sides of a transaction.
Logistics platforms that track routes, rest, and conditions improve welfare and buyer confidence.
Facility management systems (work orders, feed, farrier schedules, billing) free human time for horsemanship.
Sustainability, compliance & reputation: measure to manage
Transport to competitions is a major driver of the sport’s emissions; recent work modeling greenhouse gas impact in equestrian competition highlights how horse transport mode and distance dominate footprints—data that can inform calendar design and travel choices. ScienceDirect
Similarly, national equestrian surveys (e.g., BETA 2023) and federation market research give the industry better baselines for participation, spending, and facility health—inputs that software can turn into action. National Equine Forum+1
Where tech helps
Route optimization and consolidated transport planning to cut cost and CO₂.
Event scheduling tools that cluster qualifiers regionally.
Digital compliance (vaccinations, biosecurity, welfare audits) to raise standards with less paperwork.
What “good” equestrian technology looks like
Horse-first design. Welfare and transparency are non-negotiable.
Open data standards. Devices and platforms must interoperate (exportable records, common IDs).
Human-centered UX. Barn managers, vets, grooms, and riders don’t need dashboards—they need decisions and reminders.
Evidence & economics. Show clinical/field results (reduced lameness days, fewer colic incidents) and ROI (feed saved, hours saved, higher resale).
Privacy & integrity. Ownership of data by horse owners and riders, with auditable sharing.
The moment
The equine industry’s economic growth (see charts), the scale of preventable health events, and the clear sustainability pressure all point to the same conclusion: the winners will be teams who combine horsemanship with instrumentation, operations, and interoperable data. The traditions stay. The tooling improves.
