Equestrian Performance Sensing System

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for gathering data from a horse and rider and providing training to the rider are provided. In one aspect, for example, a method of training an equestrian rider can include performing a ride by an equestrian rider on a horse, and obtaining ride data from the ride, the ride data including video, inertial measurements, rider joint, head, torso, and/or limb information, horse joint, head, torso, and/or limb information, and at least one force measurement between the horse and the rider during the rider. The ride data can then be analyzed and at least one riding improvement to be made by the rider can be identified, and the at least one riding improvement to be made to the rider can be relayed to the rider to provide training for a subsequent ride.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
         1 . A method of training an equestrian rider, comprising:
 performing a ride by an equestrian rider on a horse;   obtaining ride data from the ride, the ride data including at least one of video, inertial measurements, rider joint, head, torso, and limb information, horse joint, head, torso, and limb information, and at least one force measurement between the horse and the rider during the ride;   analyzing the ride data and identifying at least one riding improvement to be made by the rider; and   relaying the at least one riding improvement to be made to the rider to provide training for a subsequent ride.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ride is a subsequent ride. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including:
 performing a plurality of subsequent rides by the equestrian rider;   obtaining the ride data from each of the plurality of subsequent rides; and   analyzing the ride data from each of the plurality of subsequent rides and tracking over time the least one riding improvement to be made by the rider.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing the ride data further includes generating a simulated representation of the horse and the rider from at least two data sets selected from the group consisting of video, inertial measurements, rider joint, head, torso, and limb information, horse joint, head, torso, and limb information, and at least one force measurement between the horse and the rider. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising generating the simulated representation of the horse and the rider from inertial measurements, rider joint, head, torso, and limb information, horse joint, head, torso, and limb information, and at least one force measurement between the horse and the rider. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein analyzing the ride data further includes comparing at least a portion of the simulated representation to at least a portion of a desired rider and horse representation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the horse is a horse simulator capable of responding to the rider to simulate the riding event. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining ride data from the ride further includes:
 coupling a plurality of rider position sensors to the rider in locations that provide a plurality of one or more rider joint, head, torso, and limb position information;   coupling a plurality of horse position sensors to the horse in locations that provide a plurality of one or more horse joint, head, torso, and limb position information;   coupling at least one force sensor between the horse and the rider;   coupling at least one inertial measurement unit to at least one of the horse or the rider; and   capturing the inertial measurements, rider joint, head, torso, and limb position information, horse joint, head, torso, and limb position information, and at least one force measurement between the horse and the rider during the ride.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein obtaining ride data from the ride further includes:
 positioning a plurality of video cameras spaced apart from the horse and the rider, the plurality of video cameras being time-synced; and   capturing video of the horse and rider from a plurality of viewing directions during the ride.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein obtaining ride data from the ride further includes:
 coupling at least one physiological sensor to at least one of the rider or the horse; and   capturing physiological data from the at least one physiological sensor.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one riding improvement includes a member selected from the group consisting of a rider body position, a degree of rein force, a degree of stirrup force, a degree of interfacial force between the rider and the horse, horse gate, horse position on a course, an amount of stress, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein relaying the at least one improvement to be made to the rider includes reviewing the ride data with the rider following the ride and relaying the at least one improvement to be made. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein relaying the at least one improvement to be made to the rider includes relaying the at least one improvement to be made to the rider during the ride.