SAP developed an easy-to-use dashboard for an equestrian simulator. The showcase offers riding students and their teachers training analysis, result visualization, and history storage. Thanks to SAP Business Technology Platform, data can be further analyzed and depicted to facilitate individual training.
As an advocate of equestrian sport for almost ten years, SAP took another step to combine technology and sports using SAP Business Technology Platform.
In 2019, the Walldorf Riding Club (RRV), in partnership with SAP, introduced the Racewood Simulator to their students and teachers – a robot horse that reproduces horses’ movements in virtual training sessions. The so-called “Sir Waldo” is programmed to simulate several disciplines such as dressage, jumping and cross-country riding and closely examine the saddle’s weight distribution. Furthermore, it guides riders in positioning legs and reins. This technical innovation is located in the sponsored SAP Equestrian Experience Center that borders the RRV riding area. That way, it is easily accessible for club members. By providing a controlled environment, beginners and professional equestrians get the chance to practice and improve their skills in a simulated training and competition setting. In close cooperation with professional trainers and guest lecturers, the riding club offers this new experience in various forms to a broad target group. What is more, the club also provides specific courses such as fear management and mental training for traumatized riders. This kind of simulation is a pioneer project in Germany. It shows the desire of the RRV for constant innovation, to offer their members the best possible conditions, develop as a riding club and continuously improve skills.
Improving training analysis with SAP technology
The initial simulator only allows for a small data set per riding session, available in a printed version. This document doesn’t provide all the information the users need to conclude further training behaviors. Users developed a strong demand for broken-down training details to analyze their progress and potential learning gaps which motivates long-term training plans.
To fully exploit the technical possibilities of the riding simulator, the SAP Global Sponsorships team connected with the SAP AppHaus to design an extensive training app by using SAP Business Technology Platform. For the technical development, the teams collaborated with Black Horse One GmbH.
Within two remote workshops, the SAP team applied Design Thinking methods and gained knowledge about every critical aspect of the project, such as the technical framework of the Racewood Simulator, the user needs, and first solution approaches. The project team identified the need to collect and summarize valuable data from the Racewood Simulator and transform it into understandable analysis visualization. To reach that goal, the SAP team leveraged the SAP Extension Suite. With this technology, they could build the Riding Simulator Analysis Portal, the base of the application.
The future web-based solution will provide detailed training data depicted in four main categories: seating analysis, dressage, jumping, and cross-country riding. These classifications contain several vital facts, such as program analysis (balance, reins, thighs), freeriding, and progress. Thereby, users can track their riding proficiency in detail, identify the amendable factors and efficiently improve their skills. In addition, even notes and homework can be saved by students and teachers.
The new SAP training app gives both trainers and learners valuable insights and helps to optimize the training across all disciplines – dressage, jumping and cross-country riding. I am now able to analyze my simulator sessions in detail with a wide range of possibilities. At any time, my trainer can prepare my units effectively and we can review and work on my short-term and long-term development together.
– Aileen Trunk, Rider at RRV Walldorf
To save individual training results and protect them from third parties, authentication and a single sign-on are guaranteed by SAP Cloud Identity Services and stored in SAP Cloud Application Programming Model, based on SAP HANA Cloud.
Future digitalization for equestrian sports
The Proof of Concept for the seating analysis that was built within SAP’s sponsorship program with the Walldorf Riding Club has been trialed and validated in training already, and the additional components are planned for development. Thanks to this prototype built on SAP Business Technology Platform, training data can already be accessed and analyzed flexibly from anywhere, used in upcoming training units, and pave the way for lasting progress. Once again, the SAP teams laid the foundation for next-level equestrian sports providing virtual solutions including 100% paperless work. No doubt, the team looks forward to identifying new projects with the Walldorf equestrians in the future.
The Racewood Equestrian simulator is a great means to showcase the excitement of the sport to all interested audiences. In particular, it is amazing to see how riders can now leverage the digital horse and take advantage of technologies like SAP HANA Cloud and SAP Business Technology Platform to bring their training to next level.
– Thomas Esser, Innovation Manager, SAP Global Sponsorships