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5
EQUINE MATTERS
AVO I D I NG P I T FA L L S
Veterinary Surgeon
Nick Graham
XLVets Equine practice
Severn Edge Equine
Avoiding Pitfalls in Purchase
Finding the right horse can certainly be challenging. While some stories
of nefarious sellers are exaggerations it certainly is a case of buyer beware.
Nick Graham MA VetMB CertAVP(EM) MrCVS,
Severn Edge Equine
Before involving a vet
●
Watch the horse being ridden. Ride the
horse yourself including in conditions you
are going to experience; it seems obvious
but if you are intending to use the horse for
jumping, make sure you see it jump and
jump it yourself. Similarly, if you intend to do
a lot of hacking, ride out and see how they
cope with traffic. It can be hard to ensure
you 'get on' from one viewing so multiple
visits are strongly recommended.
●
Take a knowledgeable friend e.g. yard
manager/instructor when viewing the horse
●
Discuss a loan period with the seller but
bear in mind that you or your child may get
attached to the horse and if vetting goes on
to show significant issues, returns can be
difficult
●
Dealer or private seller
?
Internet searches
may unmask some dishonest dealers who
claim to be private sellers. Buying from a
reputable dealer does give more protection
and can include a ‘cooling-off’ period
Involving the vet - the Pre-Purchase
Examination (PPE) or “vetting”
●
Is this necessary even for a child's first pony
?
Checking for heart issues and clear vision is
still essential. It is highly recommended to
have a PPE performed in horses intended for
an athletic career; cheap horses are not
cheap to treat if things go wrong.
●
Vendor’s vet vs. independent vet
?
If the PPE is
performed by the vendor's vet, they are
required to disclose any medical history of
the horse which is known to them. Rest
assured, during this type of examination, the
vet is working entirely on behalf of the
purchaser. That said, some vets may choose
not to vet horses belonging to their clients on
the grounds of a potential conflict of interests.
●
Part or full vetting
?
A five stage PPE
comprises the following:
◦
Stage one - a complete clinical
examination of the horse at rest,
including the eyes and heart;
◦
Stage two - the horse is led in hand at
walk and trot in a straight line on a hard
surface to look for lameness and in most
cases flexion tests are performed. The
horse is also either lunged or trotted in
hand in a circle on both hard and soft
surfaces.
◦
Stage three - this is the strenuous exercise
phase. This phase will be variable
depending on the fitness of the horse
being examined. This can be performed
under saddle or on the lunge with
sufficient exercise being undertaken to
elevate the heart rate and potentially
reveal any abnormal upper respiratory
noises or wind problems;
◦
Stage four - rest and observation;
◦
Stage five - this stage is the essentially the
same as stage two.
A two stage (or limited) PPE comprises the first
two stages only; certain conditions may not
be detected and you will generally be asked
to sign a disclaimer confirming that you
understand the difference between the two.
A five stage PPE is highly recommended and
often required to insure a higher-value horse.
●
Although not part of the vetting, suitable
signed warranties
(figure 1)
are highly
recommended.
●
Bear in mind when insuring your new horse
that most policies have a 14 day waiting
period where coverage is for accidents only.
Insurance companies generally ask whether
the horse has had a PPE undertaken and will
then request a copy of the report of the
examination. Issues noted on this report may
produce extensive exclusions, meaning that it
is always worthwhile obtaining appropriate
cover before purchase. For cheaper horses,
buying without a vetting avoids exclusions
but risks missing significant problems.
Figure 1.