Wearable smart textile band for continuous equine health monitoring

Continuous physiological monitoring is well-established in human healthcare for early disease detection and management. However, translation of these technologies to large animals such as equines remains underdeveloped due to anatomical constraints, dense hair coat coverage, and requirements for unimpeded mobility. Equines, particularly racehorses, are prone to asthma and cardiovascular abnormalities, with nearly 80 % affected by mild to moderate asthma, impacting performance and long-term health. Despite the need for continuous monitoring, existing solutions require shaving hairs, often lack wireless functionality, and are impractical for long-term use, making real-world implementation challenging. Here, we introduce a non-invasive, wireless, and adjustable smart textile band specifically designed for equines, capable of continuous monitoring of respiratory activity, cardiac function, and movement without hair removal or behavioral restriction. This work fills a critical gap in equine health monitoring by translating established sensing modalities into a practical, long-term, and field-deployable platform. The device integrates multiple sensors within a flexible, size-adjustable textile structure, ensuring compatibility across equine body types. In vivo validations confirmed its accuracy and reliability across healthy and asthmatic equines, demonstrating versatile physiological monitoring. This innovation offers a scalable solution for veterinarians, trainers, and researchers, enabling real-time monitoring in clinical and field settings.