3 Times You Needed Objective Insight

Objective insight is a broad term. Let's break it down. When something is objective, it means it is based on factual evidence. The opposite of objective is subjective, which is based on personal opinion. Insight is the ability to gain an accurate and full understanding of something.

When we say objective insight, we mean being able to understand your horse accurately and fully based on factual evidence. This evidence is collected by the smart halter™ and then displayed within the NIGHTWATCH® App (iOS, Android).

Now that we know what objective insight is, let's explain why you need it. Below are 3 times you needed objective insight.

Remember that time you got to the barn and you were so excited to ride in your new breeches? Much to your dismay, you walked up to your horse's stall and he had shavings all over his mane and tail. He seemed to be mostly bright, alert, and not in any obvious pain, but there were a few handfuls of grain left in his bucket. You know your horse. He always finishes his food and shakes off most of the shavings after a healthy roll. The situation doesn't feel right in your gut. You have two choices. Do you saddle up and ride like normal to get him ready for the show this weekend and risk upsetting his stomach more? Do you load him up and head to the vet, risking a hefty vet bill that may not be entirely necessary? What if there was a third choice to log into your phone to see how his biometrics and behavior have changed over the past few hours? You might be able to see that about an hour after his midday hay ration that day, his heart rate began to elevate. You could share this with your barn manager and vet to pinpoint there might be a bad bale of hay that upset his stomach. What if you had objective insight to make a more informed decision on what to do next?

Remember those last few weeks before your mare's foaling date and the zombie you were each day having slept only a few hours bundled up at the barn watching her? She had a tricky birth last year and she's worth the world to you so you couldn't risk letting her or her baby have any complications. You had worked tirelessly alongside your vet monitoring her as that foal date approached, but you both knew that the exact moment of foaling was nearly impossible to predict. What if you could place a smart halter™ on her a month before her foaling date so artificial intelligence could build a personalized algorithm that correlated with her wellness? You could rest assured each night that you would be alerted if she began to experience distress (such as the first stage of labor). Better yet, you could look at her Equine Distress Index® (EDI®) each night before going to bed and compare it to the week prior, so you'd have a better idea of when that big night was approaching. What if you had objective insight to help you and your veterinarian be more prepared for the foal's arrival so you could be ready to assist if necessary?

Remember that time you hauled all day to a show that was hours away from home and you were terrified to leave your horse's side? You worked hard to train him for the big show and it was finally here. However last year, you didn't haul anywhere because of an injury so this was the first time your horse had been away from home in 10 months and he has a tendency to clog up from lack of water intake when he gets nervous. Horse shows are sensory overload for horses and you have a million and a half things to think about. Staying by his side all day and all night to ensure he stayed calm was unrealistic and relied solely on your subjective observation of his behaviors. What if you could settle him into his stall, check in with the show office, and go enjoy dinner with your friends knowing you'd be alerted if something began to make his heart rate or respiration elevate? What if you had objective insight at your fingertips that you could peek at during dinner to have confidence he was settled into the show grounds just fine and would be well rested in the morning for your class?

As you can see, objective insight is a game changer for the equine industry. To date, we have relied solely on subjective observation (what you see and then deducing what that might mean based on your personal experience or opinion). Now, we can confidently rely on objective (fact-based) insight and understand your horse like never before.

Want to learn more about the NIGHTWATCH® monitoring system? Click here to find answers to FAQS, real customer testimonials, and more info on the App. Ready for objective insight to make your life a whole lot easier? Click here to buy your smart halter™ today.