The American Association of Equine Practitioners released results April 21 of a first-of-its kind study that showed wearable biometric sensors are a promising tool in identifying racehorses most at-risk for a musculoskeletal injury before that injury occurs.
The project involved six biometric sensor companies—Alogo Analysis, Arioneo, Stable Analytics, Equimetrics, Garmin, and StrideSafe—that each recruited 100 2-year-old Thoroughbreds for the study. These companies were then required to record biometric data for every official and unofficial breeze from Feb. 15 through Dec. 31, 2025.
Because of the strict reporting requirements of the study and the challenge of capturing data consistently as horses moved around the country, four of the companies—Alogo, Arioneo, Stable Analytics, and StrideSafe—ultimately provided the data used in this study.
The study evaluated the performances of 4,552 breezes from 561 horses. Of these breezes, 2,651 recorded outcomes with a green, yellow, or red flag, with the red flags associated with gait anomalies most indicative of potential future injury. Participants reported 221 musculoskeletal injuries (142 bone and 79 soft tissue) within 48 hours of a breeze, with some horses seeing multiple injuries during the study period.
The multivariable analysis done by Dr. Peta Hitchens with the University of Melbourne showed that horses flagged with a yellow or red sensor reading during a breeze were twice as likely to sustain a musculoskeletal injury following that breeze. Looking two breezes back, the data also indicated a strong correlation to subsequent injury but the data was not statistically significant to be included in the study's model.
"The data from the second-to-last breeze is close, so with a larger data set and further refinement of the algorithms, I think we can get earlier and earlier prior to injury occurring. To see things before they become clinically relevant or diagnostic," Hitchens said.
The study also showed that the wearable sensors did not impede the horse's training or racing, with half in the study making at least one start at the track during the study period. This is significant compared to statistics from The Jockey Club and Equibase that show about 40% of eligible juveniles making a start in 2025.
Dr. Larry Bramlage, an orthopedic surgeon and member of the AAEP Research Project Working Group, said sensor companies did share the monitoring results with trainers in order to get cooperation with the study.
"I'm sure some of the trainers were paying attention and assessing their training and progress with the sensor data they were getting," he said. "The fact that more were able to make it to the races is significant. (This study) shows you can prospectively assess a horse's probability for developing a problem using a biometric sensor. That means this is not a blind alley. It is something we should pursue."
The project was funded by 11 organizations that contributed a combined $900,000 to the study. They included Breeders' Cup Limited, Fasig-Tipton, the AAEP's Foundation for the Horse, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Keeneland, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association/Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, New York Racing Association, New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Oak Tree Racing Association, Ocala Breeders' Sales, and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
Other members of the AAEP Research Project Working Group are Dr. Emma Adam, Dr. Katie Garrett, Dr. Scott Hay, Dr. Sara Langsam, Dr. Scott Palmer, and Dr. Susan Stover.
