Horseback riding is not just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. The majority of horse lovers train, groom, or just hang out with horses on a daily basis. In the past, there have been limited ways to use data-driven solutions for tracking horses’ health and improvements, but these companies are about to change that.
The entire horse industry, from agriculture and horse breeding to sport and leisure, has shown steady progress over the last few years. For the horseback riding sector alone, based on the 2019 data, the economic value is estimated at £4.7 billion of consumer spending on goods and services each year in the UK. The number of riders in Britain who have ridden at least once a month has risen from 1.3 million in 2015 to 1.8 million in 2019
With that market potential, there is undoubtedly room for tech solutions to help breeders, owners, and riders take the best care of their animals.
Here, we take a look at the companies that have recognized this gap and are now working hard to fulfil it.
Coho: Coho is a French startup that made an app to monitor a horse’s behaviour when it’s in its stable. The system consists of AI technology and a physical camera that films all the horses’ actions and gestures and analyzes them to find out if anything abnormal is happening. The results of the analysis are based on research carried out by equine science centres that have made it possible to establish a reference system for all equines. The information provided by Coho lets horse owners react in time when something abnormal happens. When the AI identifies such a situation, an alert is sent to the person in charge of monitoring the horse. In 2022, the company raised €600K in a Seed Series from CoopVenture, private investors, and banking partners.
Ridesum: Based in Sweden, Ridesum is a training app and collaboration platform for horseback riders, trainers, and experts. The platform offers the technology necessary for digital training that enables riders and trainers to connect via mobile phones, computers, or tablets. The digital or face-to-face training can be booked via the platform’s booking system, and riders can select coaches from the trainer pool. Ridesum is used in 90 countries by more than 26K riders and 19K trainers and experts from the equine industry. In 2021, the startup raised €900K from Zenith Group and Hööks Hästsport.
Equilab: Founded in Sweden, Equilab is a training app that monitors a horse’s movement during training, collects that data, analyzes it, and provides detailed feedback to a rider by way of AI. Its advanced features can also track riders while horse trekking in case they fall and stop moving. The application also offers a social network for equestrians and a section for organizing everything related to stable life. Equilab is used by over a million riders both in European- and US-based markets and its ambassadors include world-famous riders like Patrik Kittel.
Ridely: Ridely is an application for equestrians that organizes their training routine. The team’s mission is to help horse riders effectively set their milestones and achieve goals. Ridley tracks the training and provides statistics on all its aspects. Riders can also log all of their activities along with videos and photos. The application offers programs for equestrians in all disciplines with world-famous riders. There are also video exercises available to users. In 2021, Ridely raised an undisclosed amount from Almi Invest and Max Ventures.
PreVet: Swedish company PreVet has developed an application that makes it easy for horse owners to take care of their animals. It collects health documentation and sets reminders for vaccinations, deworming, veterinary visits, spaying, and much more. It also allows one to communicate with vets, grooms, farriers, or other riders and gives them instant access to all information related to the horse. With the app’s Knowledge section, the team provides users with tips, links, and instructional videos on how to take care of these animals. In 2021, PreVet completed a $1.8 million financial round backed by Linnéa Capital, SLU Holding, and Almi Invest.
By the way: If you’re a corporate or investor looking for exciting startups in a specific market for a potential investment or acquisition, check out our Startup Sourcing Service!
