Preparation of the horse for scanning at home

The conditions set out below allow for the clearest possible results. They will obviously change quite dramatically if we are scanning at a competition.

Ideally the horse is brought into the scanning environment at least half an hour and preferably an hour before scanning. This allows his body to equilibrate to the scanning environment. If he's been in the hot sun, it is imperative that he is in for at least an hour before scanning as the hooves retain heat from the sun for quite some time. If he's been standing in mud, he needs to be in for longer than an hour with feet cleaned and dry.

• If practical, rugs should be removed or at least minimal and undone.

• NO boots or bandages (unless medical) on the day of scanning.

• Coat and feet should be clean but please no vigorous brushing within an hour prior to scanning as this increases circulation.

• NO linaments, oils (including hoof dressing) or creams, unless medically necessary, 24 hours prior to scanning.

• NO WATER, particularly on legs, within 2 hours prior to scanning in warm weather, much longer in cold weather.

• Mane should be held up off the neck – plaits, a running plait, or even clumped up in pegs. This should be done as soon as the horse is brought in to allow the area under the mane to equilibrate to the non-mane side.

• Tail should be plaited or tied up polo style to allow a clear, even look at the hindquarter muscles.