Pre-Purchase Exams

Pre-purchase exams are a critical resource to potential owners; they provide an impartial view of a horse’s health and can help a prospective buyer make an informed decision prior to purchasing a horse. It is important that the potential buyer has spent time with the horse and has ridden it several times to ensure that the horse is a good fit for them and their goals.

 

The pre-purchase exam is extensive and involves multiple parts. A thorough history of the horse’s health and immunizations, deworming, etc is obtained at the beginning of each exam, often by talking with the seller of the horse. A detailed physical exam is then performed that encompasses the cardiac, respiratory, ocular, gastrointestinal, integumentary, urogenital, reproductive, neurologic and musculoskeletal systems. Conformation, general condition and oral health are also evaluated. A lameness exam is then performed that includes walking and trotting the horse on multiple ground surfaces and in all directions/circles. All limbs are flexed at multiple sites to evaluate for lameness. A ridden lameness exam can also be performed if requested by the buyer. At this point, additional diagnostics can be requested by the potential buyer, including but not limited to: x-rays of any bone/joint/site, ultrasound, MRI, upper airway endoscopy, stomach endoscopy, nuclear scans, bloodwork, genetic testing and drug testing. Many factors go in to choosing potential diagnostics based on the exam findings and the goals of the potential buyer.

 

Once the exam is concluded, the examining veterinarian will provide a detailed report summarizing all findings and providing recommendations/interpretations. It is very important that the potential buyer and seller of the horse realize that a pre-purchase exam serves to tell the potential buyer of any problems the horse currently has. We cannot predict future lameness or problems that a horse will have. A pre-purchase exam is not a “pass/fail” exam. Our veterinarians provide the buyer with a wealth of information about the horse, and it is up to the buyer to conduct a risk assessment to determine if they are comfortable proceeding with purchase.