Untacked

C H R O N O F H O R S E . C O M M AY/J U N E 2 017 35 may be a really cool gadget, but there are real health reasons why this product exists. I think it's really about teaching people that their horses don't feel the cold as much as they think they do and to be able to make the right choices every day and night for those horses." e Orscana sensor—about the size of the palm of your hand—fits into a mesh pocket, which is attached to the inside of your horse's blanket or fly sheet with pins, or you can sew pockets into your different rugs for ease of swapping. It should always be located over the horse's hip. e sensor is then linked via Bluetooth to your mobile phone, and you use the Orscana application to look at your horse's information. When you set up the application, you enter basic information about your horse (breed, age, gender, level of activity, size, and if the horse is clipped or has a summer or winter coat), and then that information goes through Arioneo's extensively tested algorithms to determine your individual horse's best parameters for comfort. e developers discovered a oroughbred with a winter coat is comfortable without a blanket from about 37 degrees Fahrenheit to 79 degrees. e same horse with a clipped coat will likely require some form of blanket or sheet at 52 degrees Fahrenheit and should stay comfortable up through 88 degrees. Arabians are similar. But, per their algorithms, a Hanoverian will be happier at a slightly lower temperature, and ponies prefer it cooler as well. "e minute they go below that comfort zone, they start to shiver, and their breathing speeds up to compensate to keep them warm," said Buchanan. "If they go over the top, they obviously start to breathe more slowly, and also they start to perspire to cool themselves." But Orscana doesn't just measure temperature. It detects moisture levels on the horse, a helpful feature for cooling out. "I use it absolutely after exercise because what we want to do is maintain the body temperature of the horse, but we want the humidity levels to drop," said Buchanan. "What you find is that people take those coolers off way, way too soon. You think the horse is fine, and you put the stable rugs on, but they haven't cooled off enough, and they start to heat back up again. You see humidity go up, and then you see the body temperature drop, which is what you don't want." e application also tells you the percentage of time your horse spent resting versus moving about since the last sync. It can be used during travel for the same purposes. If you want to use Orscana during warmer months, the sensor can go underneath a fly or summer sheet. If you're using the sensor at night, it'll track your horse's temperature, moisture levels and movement, and then you sync your phone with it in the morning or when you arrive at the barn. An updated version of the application allows you to share your horse's data with your contacts—like a friend, barn manager or trainer. ey can then sync with your horse and send you the data. "If my horse has been out grazing and lying down, I want to know about that, especially if it's been more than 10 minutes," Buchanan said. "For me, this is my eyes and ears and heat sensors. I get up in the morning, I feed them, I check the sensor, and I know they've had a comfortable night. I do another sync when I'm rugging them at night, so I know which one to put on. I know they're good. I don't have anxiety anymore." An important note: e sensor is water resistant enough to handle normal dampness that'll occur under a blanket, but it's not waterproof. Make sure to remove it before washing your rugs. e Orscana sensor retails for $99. Learn more at the company's website at arioneo.com/en/home, or purchase if you're in the United States at statelinetack.com/content/orscana/ introducing-orscana.

• Cover