NATRC competitions involve traveling many miles on your equine partner. It is important that both you and your horse be in good physical condition in order to cover the distance safely. Forty percent of the horse's final score is based on his condition during and at the completion of the trail ride. To make sure the animals are not over stressed, several P&R stops will be encountered over the course of a competition. At these stops, your horse's pulse and respiration will be taken over a 15 second interval and recorded.

At the ride briefing the night before, the veterinary judge will have announced P&R criteria. Usually it will be said as, "Hold on 17; go on 16" or something close to that. What that means is after 10 minutes of standing quietly, if your horse, mule, donkey or pony has 17 or more heartbeats in a 15 second count, you will be held an additional 10 minutes to help it recover. (Don't worry about making up this time; it will be added to your minimum and maximum time allowed.) If the count is 16 or below, you will be allowed to continue. The "Hold/Go" criteria is set by the vet judge and changes at every ride based on terrain and weather conditions expected the following day.

Most P&R's are taken out on the trail. You will be riding along and rounding a bend, and you will spot someone standing next to the trail handing out cards. Slightly further, you'll see riders standing next to their horses, talking softly, fanning them and possibly pulling off their saddles in an effort to "get their horses down" to criteria. The time written on your card will be 10 minutes from when the card was given to you and will indicate the time of your check. You should dismount and quietly lead your horse next to the last horse in line, facing the same direction as everyone else. Leave enough room so the P&R crews can get around between the horses safely. If the next horse in line has yellow ribbons in its forelock and tail (denoting a stallion) or red ribbons (potential kicker), give some extra space. Ten minutes later, the P&R volunteers will come around and check your horse's pulse and respiration, and record it.

Photo by Peggy Johnson

After you have dismounted, you may tend to your horse in most any fashion as long as it does not disrupt the horses on either side of you. It's a good idea to loosen your cinch just enough to give the horse a little more breathing space. It’s also a good idea to run the stirrup up or throw it over the saddle so the P&R team doesn't have to fool with it later.

In NATRC rides, the pulse is always given first, followed by the respiration for a 15 second count. The rules allow your horse a maximum of 12/9 for a P&R without penalties. That means if your horse's heart beats 12 or fewer times and he takes 9 or fewer breaths during the 15 second count, there will be no points deducted from his condition score. One point will be lost for every count above 12 for the pulse and every four counts above 9 for the respiration. For example, if the P&R volunteer records a 14/11, this means your horse looses 2 points for the pulse and 1 respiration point. You may immediately ask for a recheck for either or both criteria, if you think the count was off. Something could have startled the horse during the first count or he might have moved around. The recheck will be done by the P&R chairperson, and you must accept the second count... even if it is a higher number.

After your horse's pulse and respiration has been taken, you will be given the card to sign. Double check the P&R numbers written on the card before you sign it. It is common courtesy to wait for the horse behind you to have his P&R taken, before you move off. Ask the rider behind you if they are done, and wait if they are not. You are given 15 minutes time at each P&R stop to allow for this and other "necessities".

During a P&R stop, it is permissible for a volunteer to hold your horse if you need to go to the bathroom, get a drink of water from the trucks, or fix your tack. Everyone has their own routine to calm their horse down; some stroke their face and ears using T-Touch, some feed electrolyte cookies and some sing to their horses.  In hot weather, some horses start to pant to dissipate heat. Riders have been known to pinch one nostril shut to encourage the horses to breathe slowly and deeply. This practice is highly discouraged by NATRC. Anyone caught doing it will be severely penalized. Since everyone is concerned with getting the lowest P&Rs possible, please keep the noise and the movements down. If your horse begins to act up, disturbing those around you, the P&R chairman might request you move your horse away from the others. It is best to establish a P&R routine with your horse, so he stands quietly and gets the best recovery numbers possible. It usually takes a new horse 3-6 rides before he understands, so be patient. The more relaxed you are around your horse, generally the calmer he will be.

When your count is done, you might be given your card to carry up to the veterinary judge. Other times the team will keep the card. If you have removed your saddle, get tacked up quietly, and check with the horse behind you to make sure it's okay for you to leave. You might be asked to trot in hand or mounted to the veterinary judge, so listen carefully to whatever instruction are given. You may be asked to mount in front of the judge. Remember, unless you are to mount in a specific place, you may use anything to help you mount, including rocks, logs, banks, etc. If in doubt, ask if it's okay to use whatever you've located.