A prepurchase examination is a veterinarian’s physical exam of a horse, for the purpose of furnishing the prospective buyer with medical information on which to base his decision of buying the horse. The examination should identify any existing or potential medical problems and to interpret them in light of the horse’s intended use. This type of examination should be of benefit to both the buyer and seller so that the horse’s condition at the time of sale is established. This medical information should then be evaluated along with the horse’s size, ability, temperament, bloodlines, price, color, etc., in making a decision as to whether to purchase the horse.

What is included in the examination will depend on the age, sex, intended use, etc., of the individual horse. What is important for a race horse will probably be quite different than that of a broodmare. Some potential buyers will want ancillary tests like X-rays, electrocardiography, blood tests, ultrasound, endoscopic exam, rectal exam, biopsy, etc. It is very important to have good communication, so that the buyer’s wishes are conveyed.

There are areas of concern to be noted when performing the examination. Horses that have had extended periods of rest before examination can have old (quiet) lesions which will not show up at the prepurchase exam, but can come back with hard work. If a horse must be examined after a significant period of inactivity, the purchaser should be made aware of the risks involved. An additional area of concern is if the horse is on medication which could influence the examination findings. Drug testing is available, but is costly and does have limitations.

Veterinarians are often asked to examine a horse owned by one of their clients. A conflict of interest can arise if the buyer is not aware of the situation. If the examining Veterinarian has prior medical knowledge of the horse, this should be discussed with both the buyer and seller. If the seller does not wish to disclose this information to the buyer, it is my opinion, that the Veterinarian should decline to examine the horse.

Information generated during a prepurchase exam is confidential and should not be discussed with others, unless the buyer has granted permission. to avoid the many communication pitfalls both the potential buyer and seller should be present during the examination.

Remember that it is not the job of the Veterinarian to pass or fail a horse for purchase. It is the Veterinarian’s position to provide medical facts to the potential buyer. These medical facts, along with the other pertinent facts previously mentioned but not inclusive, should be used to make the decision. There is an old saying which I think buyers should remember. "There seldom is a perfect horse, therefore weigh the good qualities against the bad. A horse should be valued by the amount of service it will perform rather than by its minor shortcomings."