Horse-riding

Kawasaki Heavy Industries has pulled the covers off perhaps the most outrageous concept vehicle we've ever seen. The Corleo is a two-seater quadruped robot you steer with your body, capable of picking its way through rough terrain thanks to AI vision.

Sadly, this is not a rollercoaster for horses. And despite its dystopian hover-chariot looks, it's actually designed to be a kinder and safer way to prepare young horses for the often-damaging shock of beginning a race training program.

Horses were likely the first “vehicle” humans used to travel faster and farther, but when exactly did we start riding them? Scientists have now found archeological evidence that suggests horseback riding started some 5,000 years ago.

When learning to ride horses, equestrians have to become proficient in relaying cues to the animal via subtle changes in their riding posture. And while the horse can't tell them if they're doing so correctly, a new "smart" saddle possibly could.

Often the most impressive motorhome of an RV show is a car carrier, but the king of CMT 2020 was built to carry a simpler form of horsepower: the whinnying kind. RJH dazzled show goers with a bus-sized motorhome sized for six people and five horses.

​Horses aren't like dogs. Whereas the one is always around the house, the other spends much of its time off in a pasture. So, how is a horse-owner supposed to keep track of what their animal is doing? Well, a group of Swedish entrepreneurs believe that their HoofStep system is the answer.

​In equestrian riding, it's important to keep one's heels pointing downward within the stirrups – if the heels move up, the rider has less control. This can be difficult to learn, however, which is why Gallop Equine has created the sensor-packin' Bluetooth-connected SmartBoot.

The team behind Megasus Horserunners has launched a crowdfunding campaign for a horseshoe alternative it says will allow for more natural hoof movements, and can be easily clipped on and taken off as required.​

Scientists have traced the origins of the ambling horse back to medieval England, where the knights' penchant for the pleasant four-rhythm saunter and the selective breeding that followed instigated the global spread of the gaited horse. ​​

A project taking place at the University of Pennsylvania is looking to revolutionize how CT scans of large animals are taken, using two robotic arms that move around the horse while it’s upright and conscious.

It may look like a bit of disco bling for the equestrian set, but the Tail Lights Rider Safety System has a very serious purpose.

Looking for an objective measure of your horse's performance? Well, that's where Balios comes in. It's a saddle-mounted gadget that tracks the movements of your trusty steed.​