Cwmbran Firm’s Equine Invention Proves It’s Got Good Legs In Global Markets

An equine device developed by a Welsh technology company with support from the Welsh Government is attracting global attention from race horse owners and trainers as it can accurately detect any strain or muscle damage in horses legs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cwmbran-based Byerley Technologies only launched Tendon Manager in late 2015 and it has already had enquiries from Dubai, Australia and Germany. The technology ensures that horses are in prime condition to compete and also aids rehabilitation when recovering from an injury. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The development of Tendon Manager benefited from Innovation support from the Welsh Government backed by EU funding. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Weaknesses are detected by taking a thermal image of the horse. The thermal imaging cameras are of the highest quality, and can display 19,000 pixels at 100 frames per second. The device pinpoints damaged muscles as they have a longer cool-down rate than unharmed muscles, and will therefore be warmer. Such knowledge ensures that injured horses are not over-exercised and are allowed sufficient time to recover. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Before Tendon Manager was brought to the market, the best way of judging muscle cool-down was by having a trainer use their hands to assess the cool-down rate. The very best trainers can detect a difference in temperature of around three degrees, but Tendon Manager can detect differences of just 0.2 degrees. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It is this unprecedented increase in accuracy that has made the invention such a well-received product in horse racing circles, where the most elite animals are valued in the millions of pounds. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure Ken Skates said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s very pleasing to see companies like Byerley Technologies making best use of the innovation funding available from the Welsh Government and that their product is attracting interest from horse racing communities around the world. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We have many highly innovative businesses in Wales and our challenge is to ensure that these companies have the funds that are required to design and build the innovative technology that they are capable of, in order to realise their full potential.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Steve Hudd, managing director of Byerley Technologies Ltd, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is a really exciting product, and I’m not surprised that it’s attracting global attention; the benefits to trainers of racehorses everywhere is really quite apparent. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The financial assistance we received in the R&D process from Welsh Government really allowed us to conduct proper and thorough research and truly think outside the box. The finished product is testament to that.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​