Equimoves (Netherlands)

EquiMoves is a tool that equine vets, trainers and breeders can use for lameness exams, pre-purchase tests and sport horse monitoring. Lameness is the main reason for equine veterinary consultation worldwide and surveys show that many of the “owner sound” horses might suffer from some degree of it. Traditionally, vets have been able to evaluate the movement of horses visually. But the human eye is only capable of capturing images with a frequency of 20Hz (20 images per second). This makes the human capacity for assessment insufficient in order to arrive at a consistent and objective evaluation of the functioning of the horse’s loco-motor system, especially when diagnosing lameness – much less when predicting a horse’s performance. The EquiMoves technology is based on wireless inertial sensors placed at the head, withers, sacrum and cannon bones of the horse which can offer objective and unbiased information. EquiMoves has been used for research purposes by Utrecht University and several other universities around the world. EquiMoves has now expanded this technology to the clinical setting bringing objective and lameness assessment to a completely new level.