WHEN successful racehorse Gap Princess stopped winning races and lost her sparkle, trainers at the yard where she was stabled were baffled.

The eight-year-old mare with a good record on North-East tracks showed no signs of lameness or illness.

In desperation to discover what was ailing the formerly high-spirited horse, Geoff Harker Racing, of Coxwold, Thirsk, turned to a revolutionary new diagnosis using thermal imaging technology.

James Brooks, whose family founded and own SOLO Ti in Darlington, said: “I was called to be told that Princess had stopped winning and looked sad. It wasn’t the usual kind of call we receive, where trainers have some idea of what might be wrong with a horse. I wasn’t sure what to expect or what I might be able to do for a horse that was ‘sad’.

“However, as soon as we switched on the thermal imaging camera it showed that the front near fetlock was very warm, although there was no sign of swelling or lameness.

The camera also detected a difference in symmetry at the top right shoulder of the horse, where heat was also visible on the thermal image.”

Princess was given treatment to alleviate the dryness causing heat in her fetlock and to reduce the inflammation in the shoulder – and her appetite for life and training returned.

On her first race following treatment she was in a photo finish of four horses and romped home to win her second race by a clear margin.

Geoff Harker said: “There were no visible signs of what might have been causing the horse distress and we were baffled. We were amazed by the thermal imaging results and have since bought a camera from SOLO Ti. It pinpointed two problems that normal methods of diagnosis wouldn’t have identified and has helped us to get the horse back into training and winning ways.”

In addition to its equine cameras, the company also provides thermal imaging cameras for long-range security at the White House, allowing staff to see through smoke in the event of a fire or a terrorist attack; by NASA ground crew and members of the armed forces, who use the equipment to enable sight in zero-visibility; and by the pit crews of Formula One motor racing teams, for whom the risk of fire is a constant threat.

SOLO Ti was set up by Mr Brooks and his sister, Victoria McLaren, who between them have more than 25 years experience in thermal imaging.

They are considering offering the S2EQ equine camera through a franchise arrangement to people who wish to set up in business offering scans to horse owners and stables.

They can be contacted on 01325-352684 or at soloti.co.uk.