We provide a thorough review of the Pivo Pod Active from an equestrian perspective. We assess the device from both a mechanical and functional standpoint by producing a video of its use, a list of pros and cons, and a summative conclusion.
About the Pivo Pod Active for Equestrians
The Pivo Pod Equestrian Edition is a bundle containing all the essential accessories to record your riding performance and daily progress or even join remote video training sessions. The new edition, released since this review started, now includes a wireless mic to enable conversations over long distances and a tripod weight to reduce instability in windy conditions.
Pivo Pod is a smartphone (iOS or Android) mount that provides 360 degrees of face, body, and even horse motion tracking. This means that anyone with a smartphone can capture content without the help of a cameraman. Pivo keeps equestrians in frame while they ride, allowing them to capture smooth, quality videos of their training routines — completely hands-free.
Other notable features of the Equestrian Edition include:
- 360-degree motion-tracking
- Compatible with iOS and Android smartphones
- Body and face tracking capabilities
- Advanced AI horse tracking capabilities
- Intelligent auto-zoom feature
- Video call feature for equestrians and trainers
- Portable and compact for equestrians to take anywhere
The review
We handed the Pivo Pod Active, along with the tripod, to our mini-sponsored rider Alicia Adams, and her pony-mad mum, Michelle. Alicia is a 10-year-old pony club member who actively competes in showjumping and aspires to be an event rider. At home, she has two ponies, and she is also often seen riding others.
The Pivo Pod active took a little while to get used to saving the tracked footage, but overall it was simple to set up and use. The package came with the Pivo Pod Active, and the tripod – both came in their own cases.
Setting up the smartphone was a cinch – after a few basic adjustments, we were good to go. We began by having a single horse and rider traverse the arena, and for the vast majority of the time, the app was able to successfully trace their movements. Occasionally, when the duo went too fast and cut across the screen in a diagonal line, it failed to capture their location.
All in all, the Pivo Pod functioned without any issues, allowing the rider to effortlessly transition between a walk, a trot, a canter, and a jump. Switching the rein was just as smooth.
Pros
- Great to use when riding on your own to track both your seat and posture and the horse’s way of going
- Helps identify areas of improvement to work on in horse and rider
- Ideal to use for showing a recording to a coach/trainer/instructor
- Great to film a show, so your family members don’t miss out by recording the round
- Easy to use and set up
Cons
- Can be a little noisy when watching on playback, but not noticeable when riding the horse
- Can (not very often) lose track of the horse – when we spoke to the brand about this, they said a patch for this is being worked on.
Alicia’s thoughts
Pros
- “I love it! It was easy to set up and a great way to ride without my mum being there all the time”.
- “I can play it back to see what I need to improve on, for example, correct canter lead. There is lots more I need to learn on the Pivo, and in the summer, it will be great for my mounted games, jumping and galloping in the field”.
Cons
- “It did glitch a few times and makes a little noise when recording”.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the Pivo Pod Active is worth every penny. The remarkable versatility and numerous advantages far outweigh the few slight shortcomings. This device is great for horse and rider of all abilities as it allows you to gauge performance and identify issues from every angle. Additionally, it is an ideal tool for monitoring progress over time.
What comes with it
You can buy the Pivo Pod Active on its own or with a variety of accessories. All you need is a smartphone to download either the iOs or android app. The standard pack comes with a year of tracking. There’s a remote control and carry case available too.
Instructions on how to use the Pivo Pod Active are also included.
Since we received the product to review, the team announced new features that are now available. These include:
- The Pivo Wireless Mic which improves the quality of remote lessons by enabling long distance conversations (~200ft/60m reach). Other widely used headphones or earbuds technology on the market just do not have the necessary reach.
- The Pivo Tripod Weight reduces shakiness due to wind and secures the tripod in place.
Pivo Pod Equestrian Edition comes with a new 1-year Premium Tracking subscription. Premium Tracking enables new capabilities in the Pivo+ mobile application like Animal Tracking (horse and dog), Automatic speed. Pivo’s image recognition and motion-tracking algorithms automatically recognize the shape of the horse and track it, seamlessly.
With its latest innovation award at SPOGA HORSE 2022, Pivo is quickly becoming the leading provider of motion-tracking smartphone mounts around the world.
To view Pivo Pod’s features click here. The Pivo Pod Equestrian Edition includes Pivo Pod, Remote Control, Wireless Mic, Tripod, Tripod Weight, Smart Mount, a Travel Case, and 1-year free Premium Tracking subscription.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.