The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has released findings from the AAEP Wearable Biometric Sensor Research Project, a first-of-its-kind prospective study evaluating the effectiveness of sensor technology in detecting impending musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses.
The study demonstrated that these high-tech tools show promise as a detection system for musculoskeletal injury in racehorses and can serve as an effective complement to the existing oversight provided by veterinarians and trainers.
The project followed two-year-old Thoroughbreds over the course of one year, capturing data in real time as the horses entered training. By analyzing high-speed exercise sessions (breezes), sensors worn by the racehorses in the study provided one of three status levels: Green, Yellow, or Red.
Key Findings and Data Insights
Of the six companies selected to participate in the study, four companies successfully submitted sufficient data reports for analysis: Alogo, Arioneo, StableAnalytics, and StrideSafe. Highlights from the data analysis include:
- Increased Risk Detection: Horses flagged with a yellow or red sensor reading were about twice as likely to sustain a musculoskeletal issue compared to those with green readings.
- Cumulative Credibility: The likelihood of a documented musculoskeletal issue increased progressively for horses that received multiple red or yellow designations.
- Training Management: Using wearable sensors did not appear to interfere with the training regimen of study participants. Half of the two-year-olds participating in the study raced in 2025, compared to the industry average of 39.6% of eligible two-year-olds making a start in 2025.
Industry Implications
While the AAEP believes wearable biometric sensors require further refinement before becoming a mandated device in Thoroughbred racing, the information they currently provide can be useful to those making decisions regarding a horse’s health and welfare.
“This study was not intended to validate the use of sensors as a tool to scratch horses from competition on race day but rather to validate if sensors can provide more information about a racehorse’s physical condition prior to a horse being entered to race,” explained Dr. Sara Langsam, AAEP project coordinator for the study and chair of the AAEP Racing Committee.
As the Thoroughbred industry continues to implement proactive, data-driven methods for ensuring the health of racehorses, the AAEP urges racing stakeholders to pursue further prospective assessment to elucidate injury incidence and refine the sensitivity and specificity of individual sensors so that musculoskeletal injuries can be detected even sooner during training.
About the Study
The AAEP Wearable Biometric Sensor Research Project is the first prospective research project to evaluate sensor effectiveness for injury detection. Six companies utilized proprietary sensors and algorithms to detect soundness concerns in two-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses. To ensure data integrity, reports with incomplete or delinquent data were excluded from the final analysis.
This project was funded by 11 organizations in the Thoroughbred and veterinary industries who provided over $900,000 in support:
- Breeders’ Cup Limited
- Fasig-Tipton
- The Foundation for the Horse, the charitable arm of the AAEP
- Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation
- Keeneland Association
- Kentucky Thoroughbred Association/Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders
- The New York Racing Association
- New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association
- Oak Tree Racing Association
- Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company
- Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association
The AAEP extends its gratitude to Dr. Peta Hitchens, lead data analyst, and the members of the AAEP Research Project Working Group who conceived and managed the project: Dr. Emma Adam, Dr. Larry Bramlage, Dr. Katie Garrett, Dr. Scott Hay, Dr. Sara Langsam, Dr. Scott Palmer, and Dr. Susan Stover
About AAEP
The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, the AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 9,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics adjudication, continuing education, publishing, and research.
Related Reading
- Update: Thoroughbred Racehorse Safety Initiatives
- Disease Du Jour: AAEP’s Wearable Biometric Sensor Research Project
- Disease Du Jour: Objective Lameness Evaluation Technologies
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