Sport Horse Pre-Purchase Exam: What's Examined and Who Decides?

A pre-purchase exam (in Germany Ankaufsuntersuchung, in Scandinavia besiktning or handelsundersøgelse) is the most exciting moment of the purchase process for most buyers. Yet, it is often misunderstood. An exam does not result in a "approved" or "rejected" stamp. It provides information that you, together with your own veterinarian, will use to make a decision.

What the Veterinarian Examines

A standard clinical examination consists of a fixed series of components:

• —General examination: heart, lungs, temperature, mucous membranes, skin, and condition.
• —Eyes and teeth: examination of the eyes (often in a dark room) and an assessment of the teeth.
• —Legs and hooves: palpation of tendons, joints, and hooves, checking for heat, swelling, or pain on pressure.
• —Movement: walk and trot in hand on hard and soft surfaces, in a straight line, and on a circle.
• —Flexion tests: the veterinarian flexes a joint for some time and then lets the horse trot away to assess reactions.
• —Under saddle/on the lunge: in many examinations, the horse is observed under saddle or on the lunge, allowing for assessment after exertion.

X-rays: How Many Do You Need?

Radiographic examination is optional and offered in series. A limited series usually focuses on the feet, fetlocks, and hocks; an extensive series adds knees, neck, and back, among others.

The number of useful radiographs depends on your plans for the horse. For recreational use, a basic series is often sufficient. If you want to compete internationally or resell the horse later, a more extensive series is advisable: buyers and insurers will ask for it later.

Important: X-ray images are always interpreted in conjunction with the clinical examination. A finding on an image that has no clinical effect may be irrelevant for one purpose of use and crucial for another.

Additional Examination

Depending on the horse and the findings, the clinic may suggest additional examinations:

• —Blood test, among other things, to rule out medication that masks pain or behavior.
• —Ultrasound of tendons or ligaments if there is doubt about a structure.
• —Endoscopy of the airways, especially for horses expected to perform at a high level.

Who Pays What, and Who Decides?

The pre-purchase exam is usually paid for by the buyer because the report is the property of the client. This is also the most important argument for commissioning the examination yourself from an independent veterinarian or clinic: the report must belong to you, not to the seller.

Subsequently, the decision is also yours. The examining veterinarian describes what they see; your own veterinarian translates that into your plans for the horse. At Avante, we arrange the appointment and ensure smooth communication between buyer and seller, but we do not provide veterinary opinions or assess images.

How Long Is an Examination Valid?

An examination is a snapshot in time. If several weeks pass between the examination and delivery, it is customary to have the horse clinically re-examined. Insurers have their own deadlines for this; ask for them beforehand if you intend to insure the horse immediately.

Practical Tips

1. Ask the clinic in advance for a list of included components and the cost per component. 2. Have the examination performed by a veterinarian who has no business relationship with the seller. 3. Request the images in digital format so your own veterinarian can review them. 4. Discuss with the seller beforehand what happens with certain findings: proceed, renegotiate, or withdraw from the purchase. 5. Schedule the examination only after you have seen or ridden the horse yourself, and after the price and general terms are agreed upon.

Would you like us to organize an examination for you at an accredited clinic? This is possible through our examination service; the appointment, report, and images go directly between you and the clinic.