Some horses at P&R's are distracted by the things going on around them, p eople walking past, horses coming in at one end and horse leaving at the other. They will do alot of looking around and sniffing the air. If it happens when their rates are being taken it can really up the counts, and you only get one shot at the readings. Several times I've had a horse that just as the worker was taking their readings would see something off somewhere and go to sniffing the air....it can be very frustrating. Belle finally learned, and Harley so far has been great about coming in, resting a back foot, dropping thier heads and resting. I've found the best thing to do is get them standing where/how they are suppose to, loosen the cinch a bit, sponge them off a little, give them a pat, then leave them alone. After about the first few minutes, I try not to touch them, just let them rest.
Some of the riders completly untack, and carry all kinds of thing from dustpans to cardboard to fan their horse with....feed them all kinds of things from carrots to poweder electrolyes,,,drives me nuts to stand by someone who is waving a dustpan up and down in thier horses face:). I'd like to know how much that really helps.
Becky
After awhile Harley will get the hang of the P&R's. Tracey just talks to Sonny or E - "Take it easy, relax" and they drop like a rock. One vet told her, just keep talking, with one of Sonny's first rides :)