How Do Equestrians Score on Horse Tech Adoption? TTE Advisory Board Weighs In
Smile! It’s time to take a show-ring selfie. Our smartphones are everywhere, but do you use them with horse tech apps as a tool to enhance the care, performance and safety of yourself and your horse?
The Tech Equestrian has been profiling horse tech vendors for 2 years now and has definitely seen an increase in the number of horse tech products and services on the market, but the question we posed to the board focuses on – are equestrians actually adopting these tools to make their lives easier and horses safer?
Where do you think equestrians are on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 not even considered and 10 they are horse tech wizards) on adopting horse tech? AND
What needs to change to increase adoption?
Adoption is a 1 or 2 at best.
Building calibrated and incremental solutions. High-tech industries rarely adopt low-tech solutions. Similarly, low/no-tech industries rarely adopt high-tech solutions. The equestrian industry is a low/no-tech industry that will respond the best to incremental low-tech solutions.
Dave, mystride
This is a tough question to answer, because not all equestrians are equal and not all horse tech is created equally. It would be a mistake to think that all equestrians across disciplines and levels of competition/riding for pleasure are in the same place. I would say on average they are somewhere around 6-7.
There are two major factors that will lead to increased adoption: time and quality of the products/services. We need to continue to improve the user experience and the value provided by equine technology, and time will be our friend. It is inevitable that time will lead to increased adoption, but it is not inevitable that products of great quality, value and that are user-friendly will continue to emerge. That is our responsibility as horse tech creators and innovators: to stay focused on the value that we are providing and the experience that we are creating for equestrians.
Nicole, BarnManager
A recent report stated that "horse owners are more involved in their vocation than just about any other group. "Horse ownership defines them". They spend an average of 22 hours a week with their horses. They read equine publications, they use the web, and they are impulse buyers."
So why the limited adoption of horse technology by horse owners? Because they are still waiting for the iPhone equivalent, which was an instant success, because it was a game changer — in one handheld device you were no longer restricted to it being “just a phone” but instead you were holding a general-purpose and powerful computer. I believe that equestrians and veterinarians alike, are waiting for a game changing product to come that takes away core tasks from the user and therefore requiring less interaction with it.
Alan, Steed
I believe that we are starting to hit 5 or 6 on the adoption scale. As I write my book, I noticed that more and more equestrians have seen the value in barn management and horse show management software. These are types of technology that are revenue generating for trainers and solve real problems for their businesses. In my opinion, adoption has been more difficult in areas that are focused in horse health where additional hardware products are added to complement mobile applications. For example, smart blankets that give data on the horse’s heart rate and vitals. A reason for this may be because it interferes between the fundamental relationship between a rider and horse: the basis of our sport. It will therefore be difficult for equestrian users to change the way they build their very intimate and unique relationship with their horses. Data can be a way to enhance their relationships with their horses but the messaging has to be clear that it is not trying to replace their relationship with their horses to a relationship with their smartphones or smart gadgets.
There are multiple ways in which we can increase adoption both from the tech entrepreneur side and the equestrian user side. On the tech entrepreneur side, it is very important to find ways to create a value proposition for trainers. Trainers are the gatekeepers of information for their clients and it is very important to clearly communicate value as well as educate them on how the product will make their lives and jobs better. In my opinion, making the decision to exclude the trainer segment is business suicide because they play such a key role in the decision-making process of customers. Making time to sit with them and explaining the product will go a long way to get their clients on platforms. It is also important to make sure mobile applications or any type of new technology is easy to use and user friendly as most of these clients are not tech savvy. On the equestrian user side, education and having an open mind are key. Equestrian users need to change the culture of our system where anything that is new is ultimately judged. Equestrian users need to change the dialogue by taking advantages of opportunities to learn more about the products and incorporate them in their training routines. They need to educate themselves and understand that technology is there to help them spend more time in the saddle whether it is horse health, horse safety or horse management. The goal is to fully understand the value proposition of products, when to use them and their limitations.
Juliette, Cavall
I’d rate the equestrian industry as a whole at about ‘4’ for technology adoption. Yes, there have been some great improvements over the past few years – folks can schedule lessons through online booking platforms, for example. We still see a slow adoption curve with venues on integrating automation tools. Partially this is due to turnover in the industry- only members of upper management teams learn how to use various software programs. When they move on to a new position, the knowledge goes with them.
Accessible training, plus improved coordination throughout the industry. Artisanal workflow is the foundation of the equestrian industry. Sometimes those resistant to change see technology as a break from tradition. Other times they've simply not had the opportunity to learn how a tool like Quickbooks saves them hours each week billing clients.
I see technology as the key enabler for the industry. Technological advancements can help with everything from sport horse injury prevention to increased profit margins for beginner riding barns.
It is our job as technology providers in this industry to effectively communicate the benefits to our future and current users. But, we also have to provide learning ramps that work for our industry. Owners of show barns are hard pressed to find the time to attend a half-day workshop on MS Excel, for example. A project manager at an engineering firm or a DC think tank gets paid to attend professional development seminars.
To strengthen adoption, the tech providers in the equine industry must find common ground with the unique personnel needs of the industry. We are certainly on the right track with ‘lunch & learn’-style opportunities during horse shows or clinics.
Natasha, Event Clinics
My feeling and at my stage, not being on the market yet - this is only a feeling, is that equestrians are into tech at a level of 4/10.
To improve the adoption, the cost of connected devices should be decreased and it must be much more reliable and easy to use.
The battery is often a concern as well as people tend to forget to recharge it. This is why I choose to use the smartphone as connected device.
Ann, Tagalo
For everyday tech I think equestrians are 10, but for equestrian tech I think they are 7. This is a great challenge that we have and we need to understand their routines, lifestyle and time to make easier and more intuitive platforms.
We need to work on intuitive platforms, useful services and integration between platforms.
Juan, Equo
Like most things, I think tech adoption among horse people varies a lot. It seems to be especially dependent on what country they live in and what level of the sport they participate in. But generally speaking, I would say equestrians are at a 2–4 on this scale. Equestrians especially value tradition, so this may be a big factor in the slower adoption of technology in the sport versus in their personal lives. And low awareness is also a factor. Trainers, top riders, and equine health practitioners tend to be highly regarded by horse owners, so wider tech adoption may start with them. In order to tread lightly on the traditions of the sport, technology companies need to show how tech doesn't get in between riders and their horses, but rather aids in bringing them closer together by providing more information than they had before.
Overall, I think we need to increase general education on all things tech, such as digitization, data usage, communication protocols, research, benefits, etc. Also, if there were more opportunities for exchange of this information, equestrians would have a better understanding of the technologies available and in what ways it can benefit them and their horses.
Dorina, Piavita
I would estimate a 5 as we have a long way to go. Like most new edge technologies, a newer generation will be adopters, while the older generation tends to stick to what they know.
Over time, tech adoption in the equine industry will increase as equestrians become more educated on the benefits. I believe to be successful in equine technologies, you have to have a plan that take adoption about 5 years. So you need to plan your budget and burn rate to match it.
Patrick, The Equestrian App
I would put equestrians at a solid 5 on their horse tech adoption. I believe that most horse people want to do the best for their horses, and therefore are willing - eager, even - to consider new techniques or systems that will improve the health, performance, or demeanor of their horses. However, many horse people lack a feeling of self confidence in using technology, and most also lack the time to learn it. For a technological advance like a therapy tool - magnawave, treadmill, laser, etc, that directly benefits the horse AND comes with a technician to give a hands-on tutorial for the horse-person, adoption rates are pretty high. For something like barn management software, scheduling tools, or invoicing solutions, that mostly benefits the horseperson AND where hands-on training isn't always readily available or convenient, adoption rates are still in a slow growth. That said, that which benefits the horse-person ultimately benefits the horse by freeing up their caretaker's time and brain space. So, creators, like myself, of horse-related software, need to prioritize the intuitiveness, ease-of-use, effectiveness, and fast-response-rate for support and training for that software, so that horse-people feel empowered and confident enough to use it. I've seen adoptions rates grow steadily, and I think they will continue to rise at a more steep curve as time goes on.
Kate, StableSecretary
The sport of equestrianism is steeped in tradition and is evident across all disciplines. From how we mount our horses to the color of our jodhpurs and tack, all of us have learned by doing what our mentors, trainers, coaches, and friends did. However, how often have we stopped to ask why?
Do you know why we all mount and dismount our horses from the left side? The reason dates back to the early days when horses were used in warfare and cavalry soldiers carried swords on their left side (for right-handed draw). Any attempt by a soldier to mount from the right would have certainly ended poorly for both the horse and soldier. Fast forward to present day where not many of us carry swords, at least not while riding (:-0), so is it unreasonable to ask and practice mounting from both sides, which could be a real asst for trail and cross-country riders who may need to remount from the right/opposite side at times?
Because of this traditionalist culture and mimicry of learning, change within the equine community is slow. If given a 10-point scale, I believe most equestrians would rank low (3 out of 10) in terms of their adoption of horse technology. I don’t believe this low score is driven out of fear, but rather out of respect for tradition, which has to be appreciated. However, as new generations of horse men and women enter this sport, adoption of horse technology is sure to accelerate because at the end of the day, equestrians are also consumers, and the value we all experience each day from technology is sure to continue to spill over into the equine community. So, while slow adoption of horse technology may be the norm within the equine community, time and education are the two greatest resources needed to accelerate adoption.
Jeffrey, NightWatch
Equestrians, as compared to other industries, would be at about 3 on a scale of 1-10 on tech adoption. As a whole, the industry is not going to be early adopters to technology and are pushed more than pulled into trying new technology. Equestrians are even slower into adopting new technology, after trying the technology, into day to day use.
The horse industry has a tendency to keep doing things as they have always been done for a few reasons: 1) Not enough time, 2) Cost of new technology, 3) "If it isn't broken, don't fix it" mentality. 1) Equestrians should evaluate what technologies are out there that could save them some of their precious time in day to day activities to make their lives easier. If a technology takes an hour or two to get up and running, but saves them 5-10 hours a week, the trade-off is definitely worth it! 2) To piggy-back off of #1, if a technology can save them time and effort, they should evaluate what their time is worth to them when considering the cost of a new technology. If the technology costs $50/month, but it saves them 10 hours a month, that is 10 hours they could be doing additional lessons, shoeing more horses, etc. 3) With horses, this is a tried and true statement, however when dealing with running a business or utilizing new tools this isn't always the case. Being able to try new technologies, without a big time or money investment, may help with tech adoption for those in the horse industry.
Misty, HorseLinc
Based on the answers from the TTE Advisory Board – the average on the horse tech adoption scale is 4. We aren’t surprised with this score as there are barriers for horse tech adoption that were mentioned above including lack of time, technology (cost and may not be easy to use) and tradition. There are many factors and influencers on this journey of incorporating technology and we hope you keep an open mind and at least consider trying some of the products and services available. The phrase ‘the future is now’ rings true because there are some really cutting-edge innovations that can provide insights never thought possible.