At first glance, little about a show jumping ring suggests modern technology, as Dr. Jerry Doby writes. The air still smells of sand and leather, and the rhythm of hooves still sets the day’s tempo. Tradition isn’t just preserved in this world—it’s protected.
Yet beneath that sense of permanence, change is quietly taking hold. Data analytics, sensors, and wearable monitors are finding their way into stables and training programs that once relied only on instinct. What was once considered futuristic is now becoming standard equipment.
For international rider Ki-Juan Minors, the evolution isn’t something to fear; it’s a way forward. “Technology can’t replace the partnership between horse and rider,” he says. “But if we use it well, it can help us protect that bond”.
Minors, who trains out of Wellington, Florida, has built a career on feel and discipline. Still, he is pragmatic about what comes next. In a sport where safety and fairness depend on precision, he believes technology is not an intrusion; it’s insurance.
Good riders feel things before they see them: a hesitation in stride, a flicker of discomfort that no camera can capture. But new tools are making the invisible visible.
High-speed video paired with artificial intelligence can analyze every movement in a horse’s gait, exposing minute imbalances before they turn into injuries. Smart saddles and reins measure weight distribution and tension, providing data that validates what experienced riders have long sensed but couldn’t prove.
The combination of intuition and data has started to change training methods across the sport. What used to rely on repetition and best guesses is now backed by measurable insight. The result is more informed riders, healthier horses , and a sport that’s learning to evolve without losing its soul.
Progress rarely comes evenly. The same systems that protect horses and improve performance can also deepen the divide between riders who can afford them and those who can’t.
Minors is acutely aware of that risk. “Technology should open doors, not close them,” he says. “It has to be something that helps everyone, not just the top riders”.
Some innovations are helping to bridge that gap. Virtual-reality simulators let riders preview courses they might never physically see before competition. Portable sensors are becoming more affordable, allowing smaller barns to track performance and health. Access is still uneven, but the direction is promising.
For Minors, fairness isn’t a side issue—it’s the foundation of the sport’s credibility. If technology is going to be part of equestrian life, it must be used to make it more inclusive, not more exclusive.
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