Cell Phone Apps for Horse Riders on the Move
When I started riding, mobile phones hadn’t been invented yet. (Yikes!) Nowadays, hardly anyone leaves home without one, so it’s hardly surprising that new, more advanced horse-related apps are popping up quicker than the weeds in your pasture.
Our favorite apps for equestrians provide training tips, track your rides, keep an eye on your horse’s health, and help you perform to the best of your ability at horse-riding competitions. An app may solve a problem in one aspect of your equestrian life but not work for another. That’s why we’ve evaluated each app according to its suitability for specific tasks.
Thanks to the latest horse technology, you can track your rides, monitor your horse’s health, and even sell your horse using your smartphone. The problem is that with so many apps to choose from, it can be difficult to pinpoint which one best meets your needs, and those of your horse.
Source: istock
Why Use an App?
An equestrian app can keep you safe on solo trail rides, help you find your next champion, or memorize a
They provide detailed insights into your training progress and your horse’s health, enabling you to set goals and achieve them while keeping you and your horse safe.
Best Apps for Equestrians
This overview of the best equestrian apps gives you an idea of compatibility, price, and application.
| Category | Top Pick | Apple or Android | Free or Paid |
| Best for Tracking Rides | Equilab | Both | Both |
| Best for Rider Safety | Horse Rider SOS | Both | Paid (Free trial) |
| Best for Training | Ridely | Both | Both |
| Best for Buying or Selling | Horse Match | Both | Free |
| Best for Monitoring Horse Health | NightWatch | Both | Paid |
| Best for Cross Country | Cross Country – Eventing App | Both | Both |
Best App for Tracking Rides: Equilab
Equilab is one of the most popular equestrian apps on the market, and for good reason. It keeps track of every hoofbeat, giving valuable insights into your horse’s performance and pace.
Using the free version, you can track your trail rides on several different horses, specify each type of training session, from
trail riding to gallop training, and compare your achievements against others within the Equilab community.
There’s also a calendar where you can enter events, such as planned training sessions, upcoming competitions, and farrier appointments.
The paid version includes safety tracking, so you can let your chosen contact know when you’re out riding and where you’re going should an accident occur.
It also gives you more detailed insights into your horse’s performance and progress.
You’ll Love It If:
- You want to monitor the progress of several different horses
- You incorporate a range of disciplines into your training routine
- You regularly train without a coach
You Might Want to Skip It If:
- You already have a coach monitoring your training sessions
Find Equilab on the Equilab website, App Store, or Google Play Store.
Best App for Rider Safety: Horse Rider SOS
Solo
This simple app is designed purely to keep you safe while
trail riding –it won’t offer any insights into your horse’s performance or well-being.
The Horse Rider SOS app is simple to use, and all you do to get started is enter your contact details and those of your safety contact. Once that information is stored, press the start button, and the app will track your ride, monitoring every step your horse takes.
Should you stop for more than the time you designated before setting off, the app will instantly send an alert to your chosen buddy.
This alert includes your exact location, so they can send help within seconds or get directions detailing how to find you.
If you stop to adjust your stirrups or tighten your girth, you can cancel the alert before it’s transmitted. Horse Rider SOS is a paid app that includes a seven-day free trial.
You’ll Love It If:
- You frequently ride alone
- You worry about your safety when solo
trail riding - Your friends and family worry about you riding alone
You Might Want to Skip It If:
- You only ride in an arena
Find the Horse Rider SOS app on the App Store or Google Play Store.
Best App for Training: Ridely
The Ridely app doesn’t just track your progress – it aims to inspire you to achieve your goals by offering tips from some of the world’s best riders.
Suitable for both beginner and advanced riders of all disciplines, Ridely includes a calendar-based journal where you can keep track of everything, from your latest training session to your next farrier appointment.
With the free version, you can log activities and create new goals. Upgrade to the paid version and you can access hundreds of videos, exercises, and training programs.
These cover everything from the basics of improving your corners to the intricacies of completing a canter half pass.
Ridely covers numerous disciplines and includes yoga sessions for those wanting to improve their fitness and mindfulness sessions for those looking to be more present in the saddle.
Trainers in the Ridely app include world-renowned riders like the Olympian
You’ll Love It If:
- You want to achieve specific goals
- You can’t afford a world-class training coach
- You want to improve your riding
You Might Want to Skip It If:
- You prefer
trail riding
Find Ridely on the App Store and Play Store.
Best App for Buying or Selling: Horse Match
Horse Match is a kind of “online dating app for horse shopping,” says CEO and co-founder Summer Gentry.
Instead of searching through lists of possible candidates, you enter what you’re looking for, and the app presents you with a series of potential matches.
Like on an online dating site, Horse Match users swipe one way to disregard an option and another to show they’re interested.
This approach also means that only those genuinely interested in the horse get in touch with the sellers, streamlining the selling process.
Simple, convenient, and free to use, Horse Match offers an exciting new way of shopping for horses. Not only that, but it also provides a rating system, so you can figure out which sellers and buyers to trust.
Currently, Horse Match is only available to users in the US.
You’ll Love It If:
- You’re looking for a specific type of horse
- You want the best home for a horse you’re selling
- You want to get a feel for the market
You Might Want to Skip It If:
- You live outside the US
Find Horse Match on the Play Store or the App Store.
Best App for Monitoring Horse Health: NightWatch
NightWatch is a 24/7 monitoring service that keeps an eye on your horse when you can’t.
The NightWatch Smart Halter contains sensors that monitor your horse’s heart rate, respiration, and activity levels.
You can use it to tailor your training schedule to your horse’s overnight activity and overall well-being or to monitor a sick horse.
Any worrying changes in a horse’s condition will trigger an alert that will send a message to your phone. It also includes GPS so you can pinpoint your horse’s exact location.
The only drawback of the NightWatch app is the price. A hi-tech Smart Halter doesn’t come cheap, and without it, the app is useless.
It’s a clever and intuitive piece of equipment, though, and could be a lifesaver.
You’ll Love It If:
- You lose sleep worrying about your horse
- You want to create a training plan based on your horse’s health
- You’re looking after a sick horse
You Might Want to Skip It If:
- You’re on a tight budget!
Find the NightWatch app on the App Store or Play Store, and order your Smart Halter here.
Best App for Horse Shows: CrossCountry – Eventing App
Suitable for novice and professional riders alike, this app allows you to walk and memorize a cross-country course.
The free version gives you access to maps of featured courses and upcoming events near you. These include direct and alternative routes and photos of each fence.
The Pro version is even more advanced, allowing you to record your own course maps, complete with GPS coordinates and photos of each jump.
You can also add notes and input the course distance and optimal time, which the app will then use to place minute markers.
You’ll Love It If:
- You’re a competitive eventer
- You have a big competition to prepare for
- You’ve ever missed a fence during a cross-country competition
You Might Want to Skip It If:
- You prefer
dressage
Find it on the App Store or Play Store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Equilab app free?
You can use a basic version of Equilab for free. This will track your training sessions, giving you detailed feedback about pace, distance, and energy consumption.
The premium version includes a safety tracking feature, a calendar, and more in-depth insights into your training.
Q: Is the Ridely app free?
Ridely is free for users who want to track their horse’s activity. Those that want access to training videos and programs, however, will have to subscribe to the premium service.
Q: Does Strava have horse riding?
Strava has yet to add horse riding to its list of activities, although some free activity trackers do. I use Adidas Running to track all my activities, including horse-riding.
Photo Cred: Equilab
Parting Thoughts
There’s an app for almost every facet of your equestrian life, from monitoring your horse’s health to tracking your training progress. The best apps offer a practical solution to problems faced by riders of all ages, regardless of their chosen discipline.
Equilab is a favorite because it’s so versatile, and the free version provides insights into your training sessions, regardless of whether you’re a beginner or an international competitor.
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