Could a digital identification and medical monitoring app be the future of horse care?
The EquiTrace app, launched by equine vets Kevin and Jennifer Corley, could modernise the way we care for our horses.
The app works in conjunction with the horse’s existing microchip and a special Bluetooth-enabled microchip scanner. When the horse’s microchip is scanned, it connects to the app to display the horse’s individual profile.
This allows the user to rapidly identify the horse, which is useful on busy yards with a high number or turnover of horses, such as veterinary centres, racing yards, studs, rehabilitation livery or competition yards.
App users can update the horse’s medical records on their profile. The profile includes basic information, such as vaccine record or lab results.
A treatment protocol can also be added to the app, so the scanner can quickly check what medications and dosage a horse requires without relying on paperwork kept in an office or notes written on a board. This should reduce errors or confusion when managing numerous individual treatments for a yard of horses.
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- Each horse’s profile can contain a great deal of information
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- Treatment protocols can be updated in the app to show if medication has been administered
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- Temperature is displayed in a graph so fluctuations can be quickly identified
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- Access can be granted to different levels for different users for confidentiality reasons
When used in combination with the Merck BioThermo microchip and appropriate scanner, the EquiTrace app also records the horse’s internal body temperature. This allows for early detection of temperature fluctuations that could be an early indication of infection.
The EquiTrace app can also locate the horse using a GPS function, making it a useful tool for horse transporters.
Permission has to be given to access the horse’s profile, so carers, owners, trainers and vets can see the latest updates for each horse. This can be done anywhere, so you can check your horse remotely.
The app has already found international success, being utilised in veterinary centres and racing yards in the UK, Ireland and America.
