Pre-Purchase Examinations

• What's included in a pre-purchase exam, and how does it change based on what I'll do with the horse?

  There's no single "right" pre-purchase exam. A Pre-Purchase exam is a clinical assessment scaled to how you intend to use your new horse. Although every exam (regardless of the use of the horse) starts with a checklist of things we check on every horse, the intensity and depth we look into certain systems is an individual choice.    At its core, every exam includes a full physical work-up: auscultation of heart and lungs, cardiovascular and respiratory system assessment,  an eye and ear exam, palpation of the neck, back, and limbs, hoof testers, and a baseline neurologic check, followed by a dynamic assessment — watching the horse move at walk, trot, and canter, in hand, under tack or on the lunge and sometimes all three. 

  From there, the exam goes deeper according to what the horse's job will demand of its body. Flexion tests are a good example: holding a joint in flexion and then watching the horse trot off puts brief, isolated stress on that specific structure, which can reveal subtle pain that wouldn't show up at rest or during normal movement. A horse headed into light trail work may not need as many of these isolated checks as one being vetted for regular jumping or higher-level work. The number and placement of flexions and whether they're repeated under saddle, on hard versus soft ground, or through more demanding gaits like flying changes scales with intended use.

  The goal of the exam is to determine whether the horse has the physical composition to perform the work that is intended by the purchaser. 

  Determining what is needed for a pre-purchase exam starts with a conversation with the purchaser on their intended use of the horse. 

• Why does it matter whether I'm there in person for the exam?

  Some findings only become apparent under saddle — behavioral signs of back pain, for instance, or reluctance in one direction — that don't show up when a horse is standing still or moving in hand. 

  Being there also means you're part of the conversation as it happens. If something comes up during the exam, a flexion that's a little uneven, a reaction that's worth a closer look, you can see it in real time and talk through what it might mean, rather than receiving a written summary afterward.

  That also means decisions about how to proceed — whether to continue with additional diagnostics, or adjust course based on what's been found — get made together, with your sense of what matters most for the horse's intended purpose factored in as it happens.

• How do you decide whether to add radiographs, ultrasound, or bloodwork?

  You don't need to walk in with a fixed list of which scans you want. Radiographs, ultrasound, and bloodwork are typically added based on the intended use of the horse as well as what turns up during the physical and dynamic portions of the exam — if something looks worth a closer look, that's when imaging or lab work comes in.

  It's also worth knowing going in: very few horses come through a pre-purchase exam with a completely clean sheet, and that's normal, not a strike against the horse. The goal isn't a guarantee of a "perfect" horse; it's a clear picture of what you'd be taking on, so you can weigh that against how you plan to use the horse. If you're not sure what level of diagnostics might make sense for your situation, that's exactly the conversation to have with us before scheduling — ask us and we'll help you think it through.