Before purchasing a horse
Before purchasing a horse
Before buying a horse, many things should be taken into consideration, including:
- Have you fully investigated the cost of buying a horse?
- Are you aware of the cost and work involved in the day to day care of a horse or pony?
- Do you have the experience and time available to properly look after the horse or pony?
- Have you got or arranged a suitable place, e.g. a livery yard, for the horse or pony to be kept?
If the answer to all the above questions is yes, then you can begin to consider the type of horse you should look for.
This is a very important consideration and will be determined by your budget, your experience and the type of activities you intend to do.
When going to see horses or ponies with a view to purchase, it is very important that you take everything into consideration and ask plenty of questions.
You must be sure that the horse is capable of the job you will require it to do and can be kept in the accommodation you have.
You must carefully look for any vices and check certain things that may be important to you, e.g. is the horse good in traffic, does it kick, is it good with the farrier, vet, equine dental technician, is it good to clip?
If you don’t have experience buying horses, it is advisable to have someone more experienced with you to help in making the decision.
It is advisable to see the horse or pony as many times as possible before making a final decision.
Why the vetting process matters
Why the vetting process matters
Once you have found the horse that you believe to be perfect for you, the next stage is to have the horse vetted.
Buying a horse is a big and often expensive decision so it is important to make the right decision and to buy the right horse.
You may have found a horse that is good to ride, has a pleasant manner and fits with all your requirements, as listed above, however, you also need to know that the horse is likely to remain healthy and is suitable for the type and amount of riding that is anticipated.
A pre-purchase vetting will not only identify any existing health problems but may also identify potential problems that may occur in the future.
Before performing a pre-purchase examination, the veterinary surgeon will need to ascertain who is selling the horse and the horse’s identity. This is to ensure they identify any potential conflicts of interest which may prevent them from performing the PPE. Additionally, if the veterinary surgeon or the practice have an prior knowledge of the horse/pony being vetted, they will need to obtain permission from the seller to disclose this information to the purchaser. If for any reason this is not possible, the veterinary surgeon will not be able to perform the PPE.
The vetting is carried out on behalf of the purchaser and it is important to discuss fully with the vet beforehand your intended use of the horse you are looking to purchase.
This ensures that the vet can give an accurate assessment as to whether the horse will be fit for your intended purpose based on the PPE findings.
A vetting not only gives you a professional opinion about the health and suitability of a horse, but may also be required for insurance.
Many insurance companies require vetting before they will insure the horse, and they will let you know whether this needs to be a full five-stage vetting or a two-stage vetting.
The examination
The examination
The standard examination is conducted in five stages, although the exact sequence of the examination may vary.
Stage one: preliminary examination
- This is a thorough, external examination of the horse at rest using visual observation, palpation and manipulation to detect clinically apparent signs of injury, disease or physical abnormality.
- It includes an examination of the incisor teeth, a thorough examination of the internal and external structures of the horse’s eyes in a darkened area and auscultation of the horse’s heart and lungs at rest.
Stage two: walk and trot, in hand
- The horse is walked and then trotted in hand to detect abnormalities of gait and action.
- Ideally, this is carried out on firm, level ground.
- The horse is turned sharply each way and is backed for a few paces.
- Flexion tests of all four limbs and trotting in a circle on a firm surface may be carried out, if the examining veterinary surgeon considers it safe and appropriate to do so.
Stage three: exercise phase
The horse is usually ridden and given sufficient exercise to:
- Allow assessment of the horse when it has an increased breathing effort and an increased heart rate.
- Allow assessment of the horse’s gait at walk, trot, canter and, if appropriate, gallop.
- Allow further assessment of the horse for the purpose of stage five of the PPE.
If ridden exercise is not possible for any reason, this stage may be conducted by exercising the horse on a lunge.
Stage four: period of rest and re-examination
- The horse is allowed to stand quietly for a period.
- During this time, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems may be monitored as they return to their resting levels.
Stage five: second trot up
The horse is trotted in hand again to look for any signs of strains or injuries made evident by the exercise and rest stages.
Blood sampling
Blood sampling
A blood sample may be taken for storage (usually for six months) for possible future analysis, to detect substances present in the horse’s system at the time of the examination that might have masked any factors affecting the horse’s suitability for the purchaser’s intended use.
If a blood sample is not taken then the reason should be noted on the certificate.
Identification
Identification
The vet will need to identify the horse on the PPE certificate. This is usually done by recording the horse’s markings in the form of a diagram and written description, as well as recording the microchip and passport numbers. In some cases, where there is a microchip present, the vet may not complete the diagram.
Variations from the standard PPE
Variations from the standard PPE
Whilst there is a recognised format for the examination, the examining veterinary surgeon may vary it where there are good practical or clinical reasons. When this variation occurs, or if a two-stage (limited) vetting is performed, the detail of this will be provided to the purchaser and detailed on the PPE certificate.
If the purchaser has requested any additional procedures are carried out at the time of vetting e.g. radiography or endoscopy, these will also be reported with the certificate.
Certificate and opinion
Certificate and opinion
Once the PPE is complete, the veterinary surgeon will complete a certificate. This will report the findings of the examination, including all significant signs of disease, injury or physical abnormality.
The certificate will also include the examining veterinary surgeon’s opinion as to whether or not, on the balance of probabilities, the PPE findings deem the horse suitable for its intended use.
Any relevant clinical history that may pose a greater than normal risk to the horse developing future problems, will be recorded on the certificate.
Ultimately, it remains the purchaser’s decision on whether to go ahead with a purchase following a PPE.
Additional Information
Additional Information
- If the purchaser requests a limited (two-stage) examination, the examination will be limited in its scope and may not detect important clinical factors that could otherwise influence the purchaser’s decision.
- We would generally recommend a five-stage vetting when purchasing a horse/pony.
- The certificate serves to identify the horse that was examined, but it is not the responsibility of the examining veterinary surgeon to ascertain that the declared seller has legal title to the horse.
- It is the responsibility of the purchaser to satisfy themselves as to the ownership of the horse before purchase and to verify the records of any microchip with the relevant database.
- Without appropriate paper records from foalhood, it is not possible to confirm the age of a horse with accuracy.
- 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
- For the purposes of this examination, the height of a horse or pony is not the concern of the examining veterinary surgeon.
Limited pre-purchase examination or two-stage examination
Limited pre-purchase examination or two-stage examination
Some people choose not to have a full five-stage vetting, but instead opt for a limited pre-purchase examination or two-stage examination.
This is obviously not a complete examination, as it does not include stages three to five of the standard vetting.
Some conditions may not be picked up during it. For this reason, a disclaimer must be signed before a two-stage vetting for purchase is undertaken.
A copy of the disclaimer can be downloaded here.