After months of searching, you've found the perfect horse to buy. You envision long days in the saddle, going on challenging trail rides. All you need to do is hitch up your horse trailer, head over to the prospect's current barn, seal the deal, and drive him home.
Wait! Before you take the plunge, invest in a prepurchase examination by a qualified equine veterinarian. Here, we'll tell you why you shouldn't skip this all-important step and answer frequently asked questions about the exam.
Q: Do I really need to schedule a prepurchase exam for my prospect?
A: Yes, you do. You want your new horse to be healthy and sound. A prepurchase exam is your one chance to acquire important information about a horse before he becomes your horse.
Prepurchase exams can be nail-biters, but postpurchase exams can be stomach-droppers. After an unsatisfactory prepurchase exam, all you have to do is say "No, thank you" and walk away. A postpurchase exam is another matter entirely, because all the bad news is about the horse you already own.
Q: Are all prepurchase exams the same?
A: No, they differ depending on the horse's projected use. A good prepurchase exam isn't generic. It can't be. Every horse is unique; every rider is unique. Discuss your plans, goals, and ambitions with your vet when you schedule the exam, so that it'll be designed for this horse and for your purposes.
Q: Will my veterinarian know what to look for?
A: In general, yes, but you'll need to have the right vet. Try to use your own vet, but be aware that you might need to call in a different vet if the horse you want is outside your vet's experience in terms of breed, gaits, or other factors. Also, ask the right questions, based on what you need the horse to do. If your vet understands your specific requirements and demands, the answers you get will be much more useful.
Q: Walk me through the exam - what will my veterinarian do first?
A: Usually, your vet will begin with a quick look at the horse's overall conformation, stance, and physical condition. The next step will be to check the horse's heart and lungs, eyes and ears, and gut sounds. If everything is normal, the teeth will be checked next. A dental exam is a good way to confirm that the horse has had good care; it's also a way to determine or confirm a horse's age.
Q: What about equine protozoal myelitis and other neurological problems?
A: You might see your veterinarian bend the horse's neck this way and that, ask the horse to back or turn in a tight circle, or tap the horse to check certain reflexes. If there are signs of a possible neurological problem - whether caused by a mechanical problem, such as an injury, or by a disease - your vet can perform agreed-upon additional tests.
Q: What about conformation and lameness?
A: If you're planning on riding the horse over miles of trails, your veterinarian will be looking closely at conformation, and he or she will be attentive to even the slightest sign of lameness. If the horse seems sound and healthy, your vet will evaluate the horse's structure in terms of the demands you'll put on the animal.
If the horse's conformation doesn't reveal any potential problems that could interfere with your plans, the lameness exam will begin. This is a two-part exam. First, with the horse in his stall or the barn aisle, your vet will conduct an up-close-and-personal, hands-on investigation. This is the passive part of the lameness exam, in which the horse won't be asked to do anything. Your vet will handle the horse extensively, palpating (carefully feeling) the horse's legs and checking his bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. He or she will likely palpate the horse's back. Your vet will also look closely at the shape, balance, size, and quality of the horse's feet and hooves, and use hoof testers to check for any soreness. The old saying "No foot, no horse" is still very true.
The next step will be the active lameness exam, in which the horse will be asked to move. Your vet will watch closely as the horse is led at walk, trot, and canter/lope. Then your vet will likely perform flexion tests (in which various joints are manipulated) to reveal any pain the horse may have in certain joints, especially those in the lower leg.
If the flexion tests go well, your vet will then ask to see the horse longed or free-longed in a small circle, preferably on a hard surface. If the horse seems steady, even, and level at walk, trot, and canter/lope, that's a very good sign.
