In April 2025, we established the Equine Science Consortium to advance research in the natural and social sciences concerning horses and the people who work with them.
Our Mission: From Biomechanics to Social Challenges
Horses were domesticated several thousand years BCE and have been closely intertwined with human life ever since. In many parts of the world they are still kept for farming, transportation, and hauling, while in developed countries they are now used mainly for riding, equestrian sport, and racing.
At the Keio Research Institute at SFC, Professor Yuji Ohgi, the Consortium’s representative, has spent more than ten years studying the biomechanics of racehorses, particularly Thoroughbreds, as well as their riders, through joint research with the Equine Research Institute. Under the banner of “the science of horse and rider as one,” this work has sought a comprehensive understanding of how horses and humans move together.
Through this research, our attention has extended beyond the unexplored areas of equine natural science to social issues such as animal welfare and the mental health benefits that people gain from interacting with animals.
The horse is the only quadruped that can run at high speed while carrying a human rider. The way it skillfully controls its multi-jointed body to change direction and gait is also a subject of strong interest in robotics. Biomechanical research on equine limb control has the potential to reveal the physical principles behind these structures and open the way to engineering applications.
Jockeys and equestrian riders, whatever their discipline or purpose, are athletes who require advanced physical ability and skill. Yet sports science has been applied to them far less than to athletes in other sports, leaving considerable room for research.
Going forward, we will study both horses and humans, pursuing research that deepens scientific understanding while also helping to solve social challenges.
Research Areas
- Basic research and the development of measurement technologies in equine biomechanics and physiology, covering Thoroughbred racehorses as well as dressage and show jumping horses; and the application of the high-speed running mechanics of the horse, a quadruped, to robotics
- Basic research on equine injury, disease, and health management
- Research on equipment worn by riders and horses (horseshoes, stirrups, saddles, etc.) and safety gear (body protectors, helmets, protective clothing, etc.), together with digital fabrication
- Research on mental health in the relationship between horses and humans
- Utilization of retired horses with a view to animal welfare, among others
About the Consortium System
A consortium is a form of joint research carried out by the Keio Research Institute at SFC together with multiple external organizations. The university takes the lead in setting research themes and works with individuals, companies, and local governments to tackle large-scale research challenges. Built on the principle of mutual benefit, this model enables broader and more comprehensive research than conventional one-to-one joint research. Active information sharing is encouraged; where intellectual property is involved, members may sign a separate joint research agreement and carry out that research independently of Consortium activities.
The Equine Science Consortium plans the following activities:
- Research information exchange: Active discussion of challenges in the field, applications of current technologies, the transfer of human research to horses, how research outcomes can contribute to society, and more.
- Meetings: Formal information exchange meetings about twice a year (in person), and information exchange sessions about once every two months (hybrid, in person and online).
- Joint research agreements: Conducting joint research and sharing its results with due consideration for intellectual property.
The laboratory of Professor Yuji Ohgi, the Consortium’s representative, is equipped with a range of instruments for motion and physiological measurement:
- Motion measurement
- Optical motion capture
- High-speed cameras
- Inertial sensors
- Physiological measurement
- Electromyography (EMG) sensors
- Other
- Comprehensive coverage of (human) biometric measurement
Keio University Members
Yuji Ohgi (Representative) Professor, Graduate School of Media and Governance / Biomechanics of horses and riders
Akihito Shimazu Professor, Faculty of Policy Management / Mental health in horse–human relationships
Ryo Nakajima Professor, Faculty of Economics / Behavioral economics of competitive behavior in equestrian sport
Tatsuro Ishizuka Senior Researcher, Keio Research Institute at SFC / Biomechanics of horses and riders
External Members
Naoto Miyamoto Associate Professor, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University / Application of GNSS sensors to racehorse training
Yu Kitaoka Professor, Faculty of Human Sciences, Kanagawa University / Energy metabolism, with a focus on lactate
Kenya Takahashi Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University / Metabolic adaptation of skeletal muscle
Hirooki Aoki Professor, Chitose Institute of Science and Technology / Applications of image sensors to horses
Annual Membership Fees
The Consortium’s fiscal year runs from April to March of the following year. All fees include consumption tax.
| Membership category | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| Corporate Member | JPY 550,000 (tax included) |
| SME Member Corporations or organizations that qualify as small and medium-sized enterprises or small-scale businesses as defined by Japan’s Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Basic Act (excluding listed companies) | JPY 220,000 (tax included) |
| Academic Member Educational and research institutions, public research institutes, etc. | Free A non-disclosure agreement is required for members who join a joint research project as co-investigators. |
| Special Member Japanese government ministries and agencies, and local governments | Free |
Contact & Access
Equine Science Consortium Secretariat
Keio Research Institute at SFC
Yuji Ohgi Laboratory, Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus
5322 Endo, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-0882, Japan
Email: equ_sci[at]sfc.keio.ac.jp