THE problem with getting videos of yourself and your horse is finding someone with the time and expertise to make a recording that is useable.

People get bored, press the record button too many times, find it hard to control the zoom function and you more than likely end up with the horse a small dot in the background.

This is a review of the Soloshot2, a robot cameraman that does not get bored, follows you around and automatically zooms in so that you fill the frame.

The Soloshot2 comes in two parts, a tripod with a revolving mount for your camera and a GPS tracker that you can strap to your arm, put in your pocket or secure to your horse.

The video camera is bought separately.

You can attach any camera to the Soloshot2 tripod, but if you purchase one of their recommended cameras the camera will zoom in and you can start and stop the recording from a remote control, whereas with other cameras you will need to dismount and control it manually.

Once setup, the robot will follow the tracker until it runs out of battery (about three hours) or the camera runs out of memory space.

Once you are finished, view or edit the video in the same way as any other recording from a video camera.

BENEFITS/DRAWBACKS

I’ve had the Soloshot2 for over a year now and have used it to:

  • Record myself while I ride and review after, sometimes with a trainer while both of us are online.
  • Make sales videos of my horses, loose jumping, without all the wobbles and shakes.
  • Recording the trot-up of a lame horse to send to the vet.
  • Recording a group of horses out in the field to monitor them when I’m not there.
  • I most frequently use the Solotshot2 to record schooling or training sessions for later review, either on my own or online with a trainer.

    • I find when I’m riding, a lot of my concentration is occupied with focusing on my riding, what I’m doing, what I’m going to do and what I could have done better. This makes it difficult to listen to the trainer and take in all of their advice and comments.

    I find that, even when I have learnt a lot from a training session, come the next time I go to ride my horse and train on my own, I’ve forgotten much of what my trainer has said.

    With a recording I can do a quick review after a session with my trainer and remind myself of the key points.

    I also find that reviewing my training session afterwards helps me to understand the trainer’s comments better; now that I can see what I’m doing as I ride I can relate better to the comments.

    I have also discovered the many benefits of online training. This involves making a video recording of a schooling session at home, uploading it online and then reviewing it online with my trainer.

    Having the option to pause and review means that I am entirely focused on what my trainer has to say and I can make a few notes to prompt myself before the next time I ride.

    One of the drawbacks to the product is that you need to check that it is recording properly. You may run out of space on the camera’s memory card or you might not have carried out the setup properly.

    I now check the video five minutes into the ride, just to be sure that it is recording properly and I would always recommend doing this, so that you haven’t wasted a training opportunity.

    Another drawback is that the Soloshot2 does not work indoors, because it is GPS based.

    SUMMARY

    Overall I am very pleased with the Soloshot2. I think it is well worth the investment. The Soloshot3 is soon to be released and it is to have an updated tracking system with an indoor accessory available.

    It is definitely worth considering the purchase of a robot cameraman like Soloshot if:

  • You want to improve your riding but don’t always have a trainer on the ground
  • You need to make good quality sales videos regularly
  • You want to monitor the behaviour of your horse when you are not there

    • Soloshot can be bought direct from the manufacturers in the US or from their distributor in Dublin.

    The cost of the new Soloshot3 is expected to be $590 + shipping. The indoor unit costs $89 and the rain cover is $40.

    Reader profile

    PHOEBE Bright is a self-employed systems developer and consultant from Co Cork. Phoebe currently keeps 15 horses, mostly home-bred, from foals to retirees, that she breeds, trains, competes and occasionally sells. Having grown up with horses Phoebe later went on to groom for Robert Splain before training in IT and computers in the UK. Phoebe worked in the UK as a developer, systems and business analyst, project manager and management consultant for many years, before setting up her own business.