SPRING 2015 ISSUE
EQUINE MATTERS
16
PRE - PURCHASE
Stage 1:
Preliminary examination
A thorough external examination of the
animal at rest and includes an examination
of the incisor teeth, examination of the
horse’s eyes in a darkened area and
auscultation (listening) of the heart and lungs
at rest (Figure 3). It does not include an
examination of the inside of the prepuce
(sheath), a detailed mouth examination with
a speculum, a height measurement or any
examination for pregnancy.
Stage 2:
Walk and trot, in-hand
The horse is walked and then trotted in-hand
to detect abnormalities of gait and action.
The horse is turned sharply each way and is
backed for a few paces.
Flexion tests of all four limbs (Figure 4) and
trotting in a circle on a firm surface may
also be carried out. These are not
mandatory parts of the standard procedure
and there may be circumstances when the
vet concludes that it is unsafe, inappropriate,
unsuitable or impossible to perform.
However, most purchasers expect them to
be performed as they can provide useful
additional information and the certificate
records whether or not they were done.
Stage 3:
Exercise phase
The horse is usually ridden and given
sufficient exercise to allow assessment when
it has an increased breathing effort and an
increased heart rate. Assessment of the
horse’s gait at walk, trot, canter and, if
appropriate, gallop is also made. If ridden
exercise is not possible then this stage may
be conducted by exercising the horse on a
lunge, but this fact should be made clear to
the purchaser and on the certificate.
Stage 4:
Period of rest and
re-examination
The horse is allowed to stand quietly for a
period during which time the respiratory
and cardiovascular systems are monitored
as they return to resting levels.
Stage 5:
Second trot up
The animal is trotted in-hand again to look
for any signs of strains or injuries made
evident by the exercise and rest stages.
Figure 3
Figure 4
Seller’s warranty
A seller’s warranty is a matter between
the seller and the purchaser and is
not the responsibility of the vet. The
purchaser should consider obtaining
a written warranty from the seller
covering, for example, matters such
as medical or surgical history, height,
freedom from vices, temperament,
non-administration of drugs prior to
the examination and the horse’s
previous or existing uses and
performance levels.
Additional procedures
In some circumstances further specialised
diagnostic techniques such as ultrasound
scans, radiographs or endoscopic
evaluation are undertaken. If the horse is
going to be insured certain radiographs
are often required. In general, the
more expensive the horse the more
radiographs the insurance company will
require. It is important that the purchaser
contacts their insurance company prior
to the examination to clarify which
radiographic views are required. The
results of these additional procedures
are reported and recorded on the
certificate or in an addendum to it.
A blood sample can be taken for
immediate testing or storage (usually for
6 months). This allows for detection of
substances present in the horse’s system at
the time of the examination that might have
masked factors affecting the horse’s
suitability for the purchaser’s intended
use. This helps protect both parties as the
purchaser can buy in confidence and the
seller can if, for example, the horse
becomes lame soon after purchase through
no fault of their own or the purchaser can’t
cope with the horse, for whatever reason,
prove that it wasn’t ‘doped’ for the
examination. If a blood sample is not
taken then the reason for this is noted on
the certificate.
Identification of the horse
The diagram of the horse on the certificate
may be omitted if the presence of a
microchip can be confirmed by scanner
and the diagram on an accompanying
passport matches the horse. In this
instance, both microchip and passport
numbers should be recorded on the
certificate.
Insurance
Where possible and if required, the
prospective purchaser is advised to
confirm that they are able to obtain
suitable insurance cover before
purchasing the horse.
Age
Without appropriate paper records from
foal-hood it is not possible to confirm the
age of a horse with accuracy. Estimates
of age based on a dental examination
are notoriously imprecise and unreliable.
Blood sample
