GPS for a horse

[blitz]

Yes a horse!!!! Not a landrover

My other half wants to get into endurance riding on her horse and as it is very strictly timed you need a gps to make sure the distances are timed properly

So ladies and gentlemen any thoughts?

Blythe

[pop058]

where do you plug it in :eek2:

[Utemad]

What about one of those Garmin watch GPS units?

[weeds]

What about one of those Garmin watch GPS units?

garmin make some great gps gear, either a watch or bike computer.....

my bike computer has at least 10hr battery life, watch would only be three...

the watches have virtual partner where you can set the average i.e. min/per kilometre and at a glance you can see if you are in front or behind the computer....

[bris_faz]

Android mobile phones! I run explorer on my Samsung galaxy but any smart phone/ iphone has gps apps avail... some free. I'm sure you will find what your looking for.

[1976_michelle]

many of the smartphones would do the trick, use 'sportstracker', I use it for walking but It should dothe same trick on horseback. Mines a nokia n97 mini.

gees however did endurance riders compete before gps lol
I wonder if one of the heart rate monitors the sports tracker website sell could be modified to read the horses heart rate...

Sports Tracker (http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/1976_michelle/6gm8euo8p4lts56c)

[Don 130]

My wife has an app on her iphone which is called endomomdo. she uses it for measuring her walks, but it will also measure and map by gps many other sporting persuits including horse riding.

Endomondo | Community based on free GPS tracking of sports (http://www.endomondo.com/login)

Don.

[blitz]

many of the smartphones would do the trick, use 'sportstracker', I use it for walking but It should dothe same trick on horseback. Mines a nokia n97 mini.

gees however did endurance riders compete before gps lol
I wonder if one of the heart rate monitors the sports tracker website sell could be modified to read the horses heart rate...

Sports Tracker (http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/1976_michelle/6gm8euo8p4lts56c)

Old fashioned stethoscope on the horse but i like ya thinking

[EchiDna]

depends on the length of the ride... personally I'd rather keep my phone fully charged in case of emergency!
second consideration - does she want mapping capability as well? if not, the cheapest garmin gps watches will do the job, but if she does, then a phone would be best I reckon....

third consideration is having the ability to mount it where you can view the data (or not) important? this might eliminate a number of the bike specific models.

background: I've used a garmin 310xt (watch style) for my ironman training and racing for years now. It does the job you would want (and much more) but costs circa $350...

[EchiDna]

DC Rainmaker (http://www.dcrainmaker.com/)

ok so this fella is more into his sports electronics than anyone should be, but his reviews and comparisons are sound... fromt eh most basic, to items yet to hit the market, he has all the GPS options covered and compared that your missus might consider...

[blitz]

DC Rainmaker (http://www.dcrainmaker.com/)

ok so this fella is more into his sports electronics than anyone should be, but his reviews and comparisons are sound... fromt eh most basic, to items yet to hit the market, he has all the GPS options covered and compared that your missus might consider...

I think I have to be ore of a techno geek to work out where to find what I'm looking for:D

[blitz]

I did look at the various phone apps but as you can't plug it in I think the phone should be viewed as an emergency safety device.

All the comments have got me thinking though, tracking I think is important on the off chance they get lost at least they can backtrack. It would need a bracket so I could mount it to the saddle, as the watch type don't appear to have the battery life.

If I find a specific one I will post a link to it

[Grumbles]

Have a look at a Garmin E-Trek for about $100. Light, small but easily readable, easy and instinctive to use and runs on two AA batteries - good for about 8 hours depending on access use and quality of battery.

[Blknight.aus]

I'll second grumbles but it depends on exactly what she needs to track, the bottom end garmins dont come preloaded with all the goodies so may not cover distance traveled vs distance to go accurately relying on a point to point via your current location to work it out as the crow flies.

the better ones do it from point to end point via all waypoints in order so the accuracy of the distance depends on how well you setup the waypoints.

[1976_michelle]

Chito - Horseback Riding trip | EveryTrail (http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php'trip_id=1748899)

iphone app linkthere too. has distance and speed over time

[dobbo]

I was under the impression that GPS units were frowned upon within equestrian sports.

[1976_michelle]

really? I wouldnt know, I don't compete was only casual rider. I could understand in the actual endurance rides but for training they'd be fine surely?

[rick130]

I was under the impression that GPS units were frowned upon within equestrian sports.

Although with some riders I'd reckon they could use the help of a GPS in 60 x 20m arena :D

[dobbo]

Although with some riders I'd reckon they could use the help of a GPS in 60 x 20m arena :D


but it's always the horses fault;)

[1976_michelle]

smartypantses... have any of you tried to remember a dressage test then perform it in front of people, with a horse who has its own plans...?
Me I alwys had a caller lol...with the attention span of a goldfish no way can I recall the whole test under pressure

[Duke4]

GPS for a horse?

I'd recommend a big screen, or it may find it difficult to make selections with its hooves:wasntme::D:D

[starbyte]

[QUOTE=EchiDna;1749877]DC Rainmaker (http://www.dcrainmaker.com/)

I use a Garmin GPS and it last me for 10 hours I use it forwalking around India
I mark the train station then the hotel and when I go walk about I turn the power to the screen very low when I want to go back to the hotel I tell the gps and it points in the right direction where I have to go as I do not have a map for india it also tells me how far I have walked for the day
Cheers

[rick130]

smartypantses... have any of you tried to remember a dressage test then perform it in front of people, with a horse who has its own plans...?
Me I alwys had a caller lol...with the attention span of a goldfish no way can I recall the whole test under pressure

I missed this first time round.

I used to know the FEI tests, but I didn't have to ride them either, but I have ridden piaffe :D