[dooptroop]

Except in the real world where said metrics wouldn't integrate meaningfully with the dozens of other devices that collect similar "useful" data into their own proprietary little gardens of infrastructure.

Obsolesence and device defects - I can imagine a saddle has a useful life of a couple of decades.

What are you really going to measure here beyond GPS and accelerometer data? The temperature and humidity of the saddle/horse interface? The strain and weight on the saddle? That'll allow you to report useful stuff like "your horse is tired and about to overheat", "you are to fat ride this horse", and the ever popular "this saddle is the wrong size for current horse/rider combo, please contact a sales representative". All the while taking in the views through the new and improved augmented reality interface on your smartphone, or hmd.

I mean why even have a horse at that point, it seems if you don't want to pick up on the communication from the live animal your riding, why not get a mud-bike.

[techdragon]

I never said "very useful". I just wanted to highlight how an otherwise throw away idea might have some merit and wasn't the most stupid idea ever.