A new company is hoping to provide a solution for owners who worry about their horse when they are unattended in the field.
Equiwatch is a system that uses signage at a horse’s location detailing a national helpline and a code unique to that horse’s owner. In the event of something being wrong, anyone can call the number, relay the code and then Equiwatch will immediately call, SMS and email the owner to notify them.
Founders Oliver Smith (pictured below), whose background is in farming and livestock, and Monty Beaumont, an ex-military security specialist, have set out to solve a “seemingly obvious but as yet un-tackled issue”.
The public can struggle to know how to act when they spot an animal in distress in its field, without the ability to reach their owner, but Equiwatch is designed to change that with its new system.
“We’ve all seen the posts on social media looking for the owner when a horse is in danger or distress and all too often it takes a very long time to track them down” Oliver said. “As just one example, we wanted to take the guesswork out of that by empowering anyone who finds themselves on the scene, to call us and we will get in touch with the owner, directly and immediately.”
The system negates the need to put personal phone numbers on gates and all of the potential issues associated with that. Eqiwatch ensures that all calls are screened and in order to avoid simply one missed call it uses three methods of contact to ensure the message gets through.
The system works on a subscription basis and the more premium plans allow things like multiple points of contact and additional signage for lorries if owners attend shows or events.
“We appreciate that keeping a horse can be a very expensive labour of love and particularly in this climate, we didn’t want to add to that burden just so that horse owners can have peace of mind,” added Monty. “The plans start from £16 per month as we want to be affordable for as many people as possible.”
To find out more, equi-watch.co.uk
