Cookie Policy

1. Introduction

This Cookie Policy explains how Evalyn LLC, doing business as Helix Equine IQ ("Helix," "we," "us," or "our") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies when you access or use the Helix Equine IQ platform — including our AI-based equine analytics tools, listing marketplace, community features, and associated websites (collectively, the "Platform").

Cookies and related technologies help us deliver a functional, personalized, and secure experience. They also allow us to understand how the Platform is used so we can improve it over time. This Cookie Policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy, which provides additional information about how we collect, use, and protect your personal data more broadly. In the event of any conflict between this Cookie Policy and the Privacy Policy, the Privacy Policy shall govern with respect to personal data.

By continuing to use the Platform after having been presented with this Cookie Policy and our cookie consent banner, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy. Where applicable law requires your consent before certain cookies are placed, we will request that consent explicitly. Your continued use of the Platform following the display of our cookie consent banner constitutes your acceptance of the practices described in this Cookie Policy to the extent permitted by law.

This Cookie Policy applies globally to all users of the Helix Equine IQ Platform, regardless of location. Additional rights may apply depending on your jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, users in the European Union, United Kingdom, California, and other jurisdictions with specific data protection laws).

2. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, smartphone, tablet, or other internet-connected device) when you visit a website or use an online platform. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, to remember your preferences, and to provide information to site operators about how their services are used.

In addition to traditional cookies, we and our third-party partners may use the following related technologies:

• Pixel Tags (Web Beacons): Tiny, invisible image files embedded > in web pages or emails that allow us or our partners to detect > when a page has been viewed or an email has been opened, and to > record certain browsing activity.
• Local Storage: A browser feature that allows websites to store > data locally within your browser, persisting even after the > browser window is closed. Local storage is used similarly to > cookies to remember preferences and session information.
• Session Storage: Similar to local storage, but data is cleared > when the browser session ends (i.e., when you close the tab or > browser window).
• Device Fingerprinting: In limited circumstances, we may collect > technical information about your device and browser configuration > to support security and fraud prevention functions.

2.1 Session Cookies vs. Persistent Cookies

Session cookies are temporary and are deleted from your device automatically when you close your browser. They are used to manage your session while you are actively using the Platform — for example, to keep you logged in as you navigate between pages.

Persistent cookies remain on your device after you close your browser, for a defined period of time or until you manually delete them. They allow the Platform to recognise you on your return visit and remember your preferences or prior activity.

2.2 First-Party Cookies vs. Third-Party Cookies

First-party cookies are set directly by Helix Equine IQ (i.e., by the domain you are visiting). Third-party cookies are set by a domain other than Helix Equine IQ — typically by analytics providers, advertising networks, or social media platforms whose services we have integrated into the Platform. Third-party cookies are subject to the privacy and cookie policies of those third parties, not solely this policy.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

We categorise the cookies we use into five types, as described below. For each category, we provide a representative list of cookies. Please note that specific cookie names and identifiers may vary and are subject to change as we update our technology providers. For a live, up-to-date list of active cookies, please refer to our Cookie Preference Center, accessible via the cookie consent banner on the Platform.

These cookies are required for the Platform to function. They enable core features such as user authentication, secure session management, security protections, and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) prevention. Without these cookies, essential services — including logging in to your account and accessing secure areas of the Platform — cannot be provided. These cookies cannot be disabled through our Cookie Preference Center. You may disable them through your browser settings, but doing so will significantly impair or entirely break core Platform functionality.

Cookie Name: Provider Purpose Duration Type helix_session Helix Equine Maintains your Session Essential IQ authenticated session while you are logged in to the Platform. helix_auth_token Helix Equine Stores a secure 30 days (or Essential IQ authentication session end) token to verify your identity across Platform requests. helix_csrf Helix Equine Provides Session Essential IQ Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection to prevent unauthorised actions on your behalf. helix_sec Helix Equine Security cookie 1 year Essential IQ used to detect and prevent fraudulent or abusive activity on the Platform. helix_consent Helix Equine Records your 1 year Essential IQ cookie consent preferences to ensure appropriate cookies are applied on subsequent visits. __stripe_sid / Stripe, Inc. Supports secure Session / 1 Essential __stripe_mid payment year processing and fraud prevention for marketplace transactions.

Functional cookies allow the Platform to remember choices you have made and provide enhanced, personalised features. These may include remembering your preferred language, layout settings, saved searches, and "remember me" login options. These cookies do not track your browsing activity on other websites. Disabling functional cookies will not break the Platform, but some personalisation features may not operate as expected.

Cookie Name: Provider Purpose Duration Type helix_lang Helix Equine Stores your 1 year Functional IQ preferred language or locale setting for the Platform. helix_layout Helix Equine Remembers your 6 months Functional IQ preferred layout or display settings (e.g., list view vs. grid view in the marketplace). helix_saved_search Helix Equine Preserves your 90 days Functional IQ recent and saved searches so you can resume them on your next visit. helix_remember_me Helix Equine Enables the 30 days Functional IQ "Remember Me" login feature, allowing you to remain authenticated across browser sessions without re-entering credentials. helix_notifications Helix Equine Stores 6 months Functional IQ notification preferences and dismissed alert states within the Platform.

Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with the Platform — for example, which pages are visited most frequently, how long users spend on specific features, and where errors occur. This information is used in aggregate and pseudonymous form to improve Platform performance, reliability, and user experience. We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) as our primary analytics provider. Data collected may be subject to Google's privacy practices.

Note: The specific cookie names used by Google Analytics may vary depending on your Property ID. The table below lists standard cookie names. Please check the Cookie Preference Center for a live, current list.

Cookie Provider: Purpose Duration Type Name _ga Google Registers a 2 years Analytics Analytics 4 unique ID used to generate statistical data on how you use the Platform. Used to distinguish users. _ga_[ID] Google Collects data 2 years Analytics Analytics 4 about the number of times you have visited the Platform, as well as dates of your first and most recent visit. Used to maintain session state in GA4. _gid Google Registers a 24 hours Analytics Analytics 4 unique ID used to generate statistical data on how you use the Platform. Resets daily. _gat Google Used to throttle 1 minute Analytics Analytics 4 request rates to Google Analytics servers, limiting the number of data-collection requests made per session. helix_perf Helix Equine First-party Session Analytics IQ cookie used for internal performance monitoring, page load timing measurement, and error reporting.

Marketing cookies are used to display advertisements that are relevant to you and your interests, and to track the performance of advertising campaigns. These cookies may be set by us or by our advertising partners. Marketing and advertising cookies are only placed if you have explicitly consented to them through our cookie consent banner. If you have not consented to marketing cookies, you will not receive targeted advertising based on your Platform activity.

We currently use the Meta Pixel (formerly Facebook Pixel) to support retargeting and ad performance measurement on Meta's advertising platforms.

Note: Marketing cookies are only active where the user has provided affirmative, informed consent. You may withdraw consent at any time via the Cookie Preference Center.

Cookie Provider: Purpose Duration Type Name _fbp Meta Used by Meta to 90 days Marketing (Facebook) deliver a series of advertisement products, including real-time bidding from third-party advertisers. Identifies browsers for the purposes of providing advertising and site analytics services. _fbc Meta Stores the last 90 days Marketing (Facebook) Facebook ad click attribution (click ID from a Facebook ad). Used to associate Platform visits with specific advertising campaigns. helix_ad_ref Helix Equine First-party 30 days Marketing IQ cookie used to attribute Platform registrations and conversions to the originating advertising campaign.

Helix Equine IQ is powered by artificial intelligence. These cookies support the AI features that are central to the Platform's value, including the equine analytics recommendation engine, search personalisation, marketplace matching algorithms, and community relevance scoring. By understanding your interactions with the Platform — such as which listings you view, which searches you conduct, and which analytics outputs you engage with — the AI system can surface more relevant results and improve over time.

These cookies are functional to the operation of Helix's AI features. If you disable functional or AI cookies, certain AI-powered capabilities — including personalised recommendations and intelligent marketplace matching — may be unavailable or degraded. For more information about how the Helix AI system uses data, please refer to our AI Policy, available on the Platform.

Cookie Name: Provider Purpose Duration Type helix_ai_pref Helix Equine Stores a 1 year Functional / IQ pseudonymous user AI preference profile used by the AI recommendation engine to personalise equine analytics results, listing recommendations, and community content. helix_search_ctx Helix Equine Preserves search 90 days Functional / IQ context and AI interaction signals (e.g., filters applied, results clicked) to improve AI-powered search personalisation within the current session and across return visits. helix_match_id Helix Equine Pseudonymous 6 months Functional / IQ identifier used by AI the marketplace matching algorithm to connect buyers, sellers, and service providers with relevant listings based on AI-assessed compatibility signals. helix_ai_feedback Helix Equine Records implicit 1 year Functional / IQ feedback signals AI (e.g., dwell time, click-through, dismissal actions) used to train and refine the AI recommendation and analytics models over time.

4. Cookie Consent

On your first visit to the Platform, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner that clearly explains the categories of cookies we use and allows you to make a granular choice about which categories you accept. Strictly necessary cookies are applied automatically as they are required for the Platform to function. All other categories require your explicit consent before being activated.

Our consent banner offers the following tiers:

• Accept All: Enables all cookie categories, including functional, > analytics, marketing, and AI cookies.
• Essential Only: Enables only strictly necessary cookies. No > functional, analytics, marketing, or AI cookies will be placed.
• Customise: Allows you to independently enable or disable each > non-essential cookie category according to your preferences.

Where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or equivalent legislation applies to your use of the Platform, your consent is collected in a manner that is:

• Freely given — no cookie category other than strictly > necessary cookies is pre-selected or required for access to the > Platform;
• Specific — consent is collected separately for each cookie > category;
• Informed — you are provided with a clear explanation of what > each category of cookie does before consenting; and
• Unambiguous — consent is given through a clear, affirmative > action (such as clicking "Accept" or toggling a category > switch).

Your consent preferences are recorded in the helix_consent cookie (an essential cookie), which stores a timestamped, version-stamped record of your selections. This record enables us to apply your preferences consistently across your visits and to demonstrate compliance with applicable law.

You may withdraw or change your cookie consent at any time by accessing the Cookie Preference Center via the link provided in the footer of every page on the Platform, or by revisiting the cookie consent banner. Withdrawing consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out on the basis of your prior consent. Please note that withdrawing consent for functional or AI cookies may limit certain Platform features.

5. How to Manage Your Cookies

The most convenient way to manage your cookie preferences on Helix Equine IQ is through our Cookie Preference Center, accessible at any time via the "Cookie Preferences" link in the Platform footer. The Cookie Preference Center allows you to review, adjust, and save your consent choices by cookie category without leaving the Platform.

You can also manage, restrict, or delete cookies directly through your browser settings. Note that browser-level controls apply to all websites you visit, not only Helix Equine IQ. Instructions for major browsers are as follows:

• Google Chrome: Settings \> Privacy and security \> Cookies and > other site data. You can block all cookies, block third-party > cookies, or clear cookies for specific sites.
• Mozilla Firefox: Options \> Privacy & Security \> Enhanced > Tracking Protection / Cookies and Site Data. Firefox offers > Standard, Strict, and Custom protection modes.
• Apple Safari: Preferences \> Privacy. You can block all cookies > or prevent cross-site tracking. On iOS/iPadOS: Settings \> Safari > \> Privacy & Security.
• Microsoft Edge: Settings \> Cookies and site permissions \> > Cookies and data stored. Edge allows you to block third-party > cookies and manage cookies by site.

You may also opt out of specific third-party tracking practices using the following tools:

• Google Analytics Opt-Out: Install the Google Analytics Opt-out > Browser Add-on, available at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout, to > prevent Google Analytics from collecting data about your visits.
• Meta (Facebook) Ad Preferences: Manage your advertising > preferences and opt out of interest-based advertising from Meta > via your Facebook or Instagram account settings, or at > aboutads.info.
• Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA): Opt out of interest-based > advertising from participating companies at optout.aboutads.info > (US) or youronlinechoices.eu (EU/UK).
• Network Advertising Initiative (NAI): Opt out of targeted > advertising at optout.networkadvertising.org.

⚠ Important Notice Regarding Essential Cookies Disabling or deleting essential cookies through your browser settings will significantly impair or entirely prevent your ability to use core features of the Helix Equine IQ Platform, including logging in, conducting secure transactions in the marketplace, and accessing your account. We recommend managing non-essential cookies through the Cookie Preference Center rather than through blanket browser-level blocks.

6. Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies placed when you use the Platform are set by third-party providers whose services are integrated into Helix Equine IQ. These providers may include:

• Analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics 4) — to help us > understand Platform usage and performance;
• Payment processors (e.g., Stripe) — to support secure > financial transactions in the marketplace;
• Social media platforms (e.g., Meta) — to enable sharing > features, community integrations, and advertising attribution;
• AI and data enrichment services — to support Helix's equine > analytics and recommendation engine; and
• Infrastructure and security providers — for content delivery, > bot protection, and denial-of-service mitigation.

Helix Equine IQ does not control third-party cookies and is not responsible for the cookie or privacy practices of third-party providers. Third-party cookies are governed solely by the privacy policies of those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy and cookie policies of any third-party service you interact with through the Platform. Where required, we enter into data processing agreements with third-party providers to ensure appropriate standards of data protection.

7. International Transfers

Helix Equine IQ operates globally, and some of the cookies and tracking technologies used on the Platform — particularly those set by third-party analytics and marketing providers such as Google and Meta — may result in data being transferred to and processed in the United States or other jurisdictions outside your country of residence. These jurisdictions may not provide the same level of data protection as your home country.

Where such transfers occur, we rely on appropriate legal mechanisms to ensure that your data is adequately protected, including Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) as approved by the European Commission, or other transfer mechanisms recognised under applicable law. For full details of the transfer mechanisms we employ, please refer to the International Data Transfers section of our Privacy Policy.

8. Do Not Track

Some browsers include a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that sends a signal to websites requesting that your browsing activity not be tracked. Helix Equine IQ does not currently respond to Do Not Track browser signals.

The reason for this is that there is currently no universally accepted technical standard for how websites should interpret or respond to DNT signals. As a result, different browsers, websites, and platforms implement DNT differently or not at all, making it an unreliable mechanism for communicating privacy preferences.

Instead, we offer you meaningful, granular control over your cookie and tracking preferences through our Cookie Preference Center and cookie consent banner, which we consider to be a more reliable, transparent, and legally recognised mechanism for managing your privacy choices on the Platform. We will continue to monitor developments regarding DNT and other browser-level privacy signals and will update this policy if our practices change.

9. Updates to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the technologies we use, the cookies we deploy, our business practices, or applicable law. When we make changes, we will revise the "Effective Date" at the top of this document.

For material changes — such as the introduction of new cookie categories, new third-party providers that collect personal data through cookies, or significant changes to how we use cookie data — we will provide more prominent notice. This may include updating the cookie consent banner so that it is re-displayed on your next visit, requiring you to review and re-confirm your preferences. We may also notify registered users via email.

Your continued use of the Platform after the Effective Date of any updated Cookie Policy constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy to the extent permitted by applicable law. If you do not agree with the updated policy, you should discontinue use of the Platform and may contact us to request deletion of any personal data collected through cookies, subject to our Privacy Policy and applicable legal requirements.

We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies and how you can manage your preferences.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Cookie Policy or our cookie practices — including requests to exercise your privacy rights in connection with cookie-related data — please contact us using the information below.

Helix Equine IQ Operated by: Evalyn LLC, doing business as Helix Equine IQ Email: contact@helixequineiq.com Governing Law: State of Wisconsin, United States We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within 30 calendar days of receipt. If you are located in a jurisdiction with specific response-time requirements under applicable law (such as the EU/UK GDPR), we will respond within the timeframe required by that law.

Helix Equine IQ — Cookie Policy | Effective Date: August 13, 2026 | Evalyn LLC d/b/a Helix Equine IQ | contact@helixequineiq.com

This document should be read in conjunction with the Helix Equine IQ Privacy Policy and AI Policy. Governing law: State of Wisconsin, United States.