How do you know when an animal is ill? Animals like horses (and cats!) are masters at concealing illness.
It’s a problem experienced first-hand by Adam Siedlaczek, a former Polish national show jumping rider who tragically lost a mare to colic while a junior rider.
“This is sadly very common — almost everyone from my national junior team went through something similar. Colic is extremely deadly for horses.”
Though life moved on and he worked on industrial R&D projects, the experience stayed with him.
Whilst in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, Siedlaczek was out jogging wearing a health-tracking wearable when the idea struck him: why not apply a similar approach to horse health?
“During that jog, I thought: there’s technology for humans, like smartwatches and monitors—why not for animals too?”
He joined forces with Szymon Serej, who has a background in advertising and branding, and two developers as co-founders who helped build the first prototype.
“We decided to try building something for horses that could prevent such situations. Losing a horse isn’t only emotionally devastating; it’s also a massive financial loss, especially for professionals—breeders, trainers, riders.”
For conditions like colic—one of the leading causes of equine death — early detection can mean the difference between a quick intervention and a costly, often fatal outcome.
Horsano: a digital health assistant for horses
Enter Horsano, a startup rethinking how technology could protect equine health. The team is developing continuous monitoring wearables that bring the kind of real-time insights we take for granted in human health devices to the stables.
According to Serej, while experienced breeders may notice signs, horses often spend long hours alone in stalls or paddocks where an illness can fester undetected.
Horsano acts as a personal health assistant for the horse. It can measure heart rate, respiration rate, heart rate variability (HRV), moisture, and activity (like lying down or staying calm). AI is used to filter this data and turn it into insights about the horse’s health and condition. The platform compares data against normal ranges and studies horses under specific conditions, including colic, respiratory problems, and situations like foaling.
Siedlaczek detailed:
“We collect data during those events, and with AI, we look for what’s typical and what’s not. But we’re also studying horses during specific conditions: colic, respiratory problems, or situations like foaling."
There have been a number of efforts over the years to create wearables for small animals, livestock and even zoo animals. I wanted to know whether the team built Horsano based on existing technology or started from scratch.
According to Siedlaczek, while encouraged at first to use hardware already available on the market, they encountered a problem:
“We couldn’t find any company willing to adapt their devices to our needs—whether communication protocols, device size, or sensors, “ he shared.
Years of R&D turned an idea into working hardware
The team underwent four years of R&D during which it not only developed the textiles — a sensor-embedded belt and vest – but also the software and hardware.
Serej contends, “We knew it would be a long, difficult road, but it was necessary. Human devices don’t translate easily to horses.”
Horsano’s hardware is built around a specially designed wearable vest or belt fitted with proprietary dry sensors that can read vital signs directly through a horse’s fur.
“You don’t need gels, moisture, or to shave the horse. With it, we can measure heart rate and respiration rate. That’s a global innovation — no one else has done it this way,” explained Serej.
The device continuously tracks parameters such as heart rate, respiration, heart rate variability, movement, posture, and environmental conditions (temperature and humidity).
Inside the wearable is a compact electronics module with a rechargeable battery — designed to last at least 24 hours under full monitoring and up to a week with lighter use — plus wireless connectivity to sync data to the cloud to capture all insights and make it possible to revisit data months later as AI models improve. Eventually, more analysis will happen on the device itself, depending on connectivity and battery conditions.
The unit is lightweight and designed to be worn daily during stabling, grooming, or transport, with charging done much like a smartphone when the horse is not using it.
An important factor in wearables for horses is speed. “The system should be faster than a human observer or someone checking on the horse once a day. If you catch colic in the first hour, it might be solved with movement or medication. By the tenth hour, surgery could be required—and that’s €5,000 or more,” explained Siedlaczek.
From clinics to the field
Horsano 1.0 is currently deployed in a number of veterinary clinics where its used in situations such as monitoring horses post-surgery.
Horsano 2.0, with dry sensors, will be ready by the end of this year and aims to offer at least 24 hours of continuous monitoring (ECG, movement, respiration) on one charge. With lighter use, it can last over a week. The battery is rechargeable, similar to a phone.
In the future, horses will also wear the device during riding to monitor health metrics during exercise.
Horses are far more expensive to care for than other pets. This makes wearables a good investment, especially as, up until now, horse care is not particularly digital-first.The product targets horse owners, veterinarians, veterinary clinics, breeders, owners of stables and equestrian centres
Siedlaczek explained that outside of top clinics using X-rays or blood tests, most equine care remains analogue, relying on manual knowledge and the owner’s connection with the horse. “That bond is wonderful, but owners can’t spend 24/7 with their horses,” he noted.
Veterinarians’ responses to Horsano vary. Some say, “This is great, but I’m not sure I’ll use it in every case.” Others acknowledge, “I may not be your direct client, but my clients definitely are.” Many also recognise how continuous monitoring can lower clinic costs by providing richer data.
That continuous data stream has already uncovered insights beyond what’s found in veterinary literature.
“For example, heart and respiration rates change significantly between day and night—something veterinarians couldn’t capture with only daily manual tests,” Siedlaczek explained.<
Looking ahead, he believes digitisation is inevitable.
“Change is coming. The new generation of owners grew up with smartphones—they’re always online. They’ll drive digital adoption."
The device will cost around €2,000, with a small subscription for extra features like multi-horse monitoring or additional analytics. The company will also offer rentals to target younger owners who don’t want to buy outright but are happy to try the technology.
Horsano is now fundraising to expand in Europe
Horsano attended the EIT Digital Venture Incubation program in 2021 at the time of their launch, and they are now part of its Equity Portfolio. The company is currently raising funding. While initial R&D is complete, it now needs capital for certifications, go-to-market, and expansion to countries like Germany, France, and Benelux.
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