EquiPhysics Has Arrived at Rancho del Nido

EquiPhysics and the horses have made it to Rancho del Nido in Sonoita.

The move involved much more than transporting horses from one facility to another. Over the past several months, we have moved stalls, mats, panels, shelters, research equipment, feed, tack, and all of the smaller things that accumulate when you build an equine research program. We took down much of what we had constructed at the University of Arizona Al-Marah Equine Center and set it up again in a new location.

It was a tremendous amount of work. We could not have done it without the people who showed up with trucks, trailers, tools, time, and horse experience.

Pam Farthing loaned us her truck and the Equispirit trailer that she purchased from the University of Arizona. Annabelle Nieman of A.W. Nieman Eventing drove the truck and trailer. Heather Carlson, Nancy Skocy, and Jackie McMahon moved horses and equipment in their trailers. Jolie Franks and Haley Collins helped load equipment and safely handle the horses during the move. Hands to Wholeness helped the horses feel more comfortable through a major transition.

Kim and Dan at Rancho del Nido welcomed us warmly and have spent many hours helping us prepare the property. They helped move stalls and panels, figure out where everything could go, and solve the practical problems that come with bringing a group of horses and an entire program to a new facility.

Bernadette Genua somehow kept all of the pieces moving in the same direction. She coordinated the horses’ care, the equipment, the trailers, and the changing plans. Most importantly, she made sure that the horses remained safe and as comfortable as possible throughout the process. There were many moments when the move seemed nearly impossible, and Bernadette continued to find a way to make the next part happen.

What We Are Bringing With Us

EquiPhysics began at the Al Marah Equine Center with a relatively simple idea: tools from mathematics and engineering could help us measure and better understand horses.

That idea grew into a much larger interdisciplinary program.

We used wearable sensors and video to quantify equine gait and movement asymmetries. We measured heart rate, heart-rate variability, and respiration in horses and riders. We began developing computational models of equine movement and cardiovascular function. Students learned to work with horses, collect biological data, process signals, write code, interpret results, and communicate across disciplines.

The work included students and researchers from mathematics, engineering, animal science, veterinary science, physiology, and data science. Some participants arrived with extensive horse experience but little background in mathematics. Others had strong technical skills but had never worked closely with a horse. Both groups had something important to learn from the other. That remains the central work of EquiPhysics.

What Comes Next

The horses are now settling into Rancho del Nido. We are organizing the equipment, finishing the physical setup, and determining how research and educational activities will work in the new space.

Our immediate goal is to resume the equine biomechanics and physiology projects that were disrupted by the move. This includes work on gait symmetry, heart rate and heart-rate variability, respiration, recovery, and horse–human interactions. We will continue using sensors, video, mathematical models, and computational tools to understand how horses move and respond to training, rehabilitation, stress, and changes in their environment.

We will also continue developing opportunities for students and community members to participate in this work. One of the most valuable parts of EquiPhysics has been bringing together people who would not ordinarily find themselves working on the same problem: mathematicians, engineers, animal scientists, veterinarians, horse professionals, students, and volunteers.

We are not trying to reproduce Al Marah exactly. Rancho del Nido is a different place, and EquiPhysics is now an independent nonprofit rather than simply a university-based program. We have to decide what is most important, what is sustainable, and how to build partnerships that will allow the work to continue.

There is still a great deal to do. We need to finish organizing the research space, rebuild parts of the data collection program, develop volunteer roles, raise funds, and create new educational and community partnerships.

Thank you to everyone who helped us make the move and to everyone who has supported EquiPhysics through a very difficult transition. We are glad to be in Sonoita, and we are ready to begin the next part of the work.