Product Review: Garmin Blaze Equine Wellness System
Look across the sports ecosystem and you’ll see it: Serious athletes are using data these days to track work outs, learn from emerging trends, and help set goals to chart better performance into the future. Analytics is the new normal.
Thanks to Garmin, equestrian athletes now have access to the same health and fitness data tools.
Garmin recently unveiled the Equine Blaze Wellness System, a tail wrap outfitted with a sensor specifically designed for horses and riders. The system is aimed to help riders, horse owners and trainers monitor their horse’s health and fitness so they can make better informed decisions about their horse’s well-being and training.
The tail wrap is made of neoprene with adjustable, stretchy straps. The sensor is easily removed to clean and charge. But with a battery life of up to 25 hours, there are plenty of rides to log before needing to plug it in. The sensor is placed on the underside of the tail, and is held in place by the wrap. Even on a sweaty day in humid Florida, the sensor is able to read my horse’s health data without any special prep or cleaning.
In terms of tracking data from rides, Garmin makes it easy with multiple options. Each ride is logged on a Garmin compatible watch and also in the Garmin and Blaze Connect IQ apps, compatible with any smartphone. Inside the apps you find real-time insights like heart rate, strides, gait, distance, GPS tracking and more.
The Blaze Equine Wellness System also tracks skin temperature changes, which can be related to physical activity, environment or even illness. As someone who owns a horse who struggles to sweat normally in the summer in Florida, this kind of data is crucial for me to monitor his health during the hottest months. The Blaze Equine Wellness System will even offer guidance on how safe it is to ride at any time with a heat score that takes into account the current air temperature and humidity.
Garmin makes it easy to review the data after each ride, showing post-activity results which include recovery rate, managed time in heart-rate zones, changes in skin temperature and activity highlights. The GPS tracking in the sensor is amazing – an added bonus for trail rides and tracking long fitness rides.
You can track multiple horses in the apps with individual horse profiles.
I can also see how using this sensor outside of saddle time – say in the trailer for long hauls to competition would be useful.
All that data is literally stored on your wrist – you can access your training, recovery and transport activities at a glance on your Garmin compatible watch.
I can see why tracking health data is useful now, beyond the scope of the gym or on a run. My horse is also an athlete, and this data will help us stay safe, healthy and work toward our goals in the show ring.
Tune in to our full review of the Garmin Blaze Equine Wellness System on Episode 147 of the Heels Down Happy Hour Podcast here.