A642
Prepurchase Exam

Introduction: A prepurchase exam is often performed before a valuable animal is bought, bred, or sold. This exam is best performed by a veterinarian. However, for the majority of animals that are sold and purchased, the following suggestions can prove very valuable to the average horse owner.

The essential elements that should be included on a prepurchase exam are:

Attitude - The most essential and often overlooked aspect of a prepurchase exam is evaluating the horse’s temperament and training. Before any purchase is made, take the necessary time to become familiar enough with the horse to be aware of any good or bad traits the horse may possess. Have the intended rider for the horse spend time with the animal (this is particularly important if the horse is for a child or less experienced rider). This evaluation should include using the horse under saddle or tack, and under the conditions that the horse will be expected to perform. Time taken here will help avoid future heartache and unnecessary expense.

Medical History - A thorough and detailed history of the horse should be taken. This history should include diet, past medical information including surgeries, diseases, problems, vaccinations, de-worming, and lineage (particularly important in Quarter horses from the "Impressive" genetic line, since they are more susceptible to HYPP or Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis). In some cases it may be possible to get the owner’s permission to talk directly to the horse’s current veterinarian for additional information.

Physical Exam - An extensive physical exam should then be performed on the horse. The horse should be examined from nose to tail, leaving no area unexamined. Special attention should be placed on those areas where the past history indicates a problem may exist. The pages in Section B of this manual can also be of benefit when learning how to collect this information. The information and charts on page I 642 in the Appendix, can be utilized to help remind the person performing the exam of certain areas of focus, and then provide a place where this information can be recorded.

Tools required to perform an adequate exam:
  1. Stethoscope
  2. Thermometer
  3. Hoof pick and knife
  4. Shoe removing equipment and hoof testers (depending on experience)
  5. Pen light to examine the eyes
  6. A plastic bag or plastic container for collecting a fecal (manure) sample
  1. Before actually handling the horse, step back and look carefully at the entire animal. Look for differences between legs, feet, hind quarters, and musculature. Carefully examine the conformation of the horse, paying particular attention to how the horse holds its feet. See page E460 for additional help on conformation. Examine the hair coat and general condition of the animal (too thin, too heavy etc.) and use the suggestions on page A575. 
  2. Move to the head:
  1. Check for head shyness - Halter and/or bridle the horse.
  2. Look at the eyes - There should not be any cloudiness or discharge. To evaluate the eyesight, direct a finger/hand towards each eye in an effort to get the horse to blink or to get the horse to pull its head away. Shine a pen light into the eye, watching for the pupil to constrict and then dilate when the light is removed.
  3. Make sure equal amounts of air pass out of each nostril.
  4. Watch the horse pick up some feed off the ground. This will evaluate the horse for proper nerve and muscle function of the head and mouth.
  5. Examine the ears for debris and/or discharge. Evaluate the hearing.
  6. Feel under the jaw for lumps or masses.
  1. Examine the mouth:
  1. Check the CRT and mucous membranes (see page B105).
  2. Examine the teeth to observe the age and condition (see page B15).
  3. Watch for vesicles or fluid-filled bumps (if these are present, end the exam and contact a veterinarian).
  1. Evaluate the throat and neck regions:
  1. Feel the throat and trachea, checking for swellings or for the animal to cough.
  2. Listen to the trachea with a stethoscope.
  3. Move the horse’s head from side to side, looking for pain or lack of normal movement.
  4. Perform a skin tent procedure (see page B115).
  1. The chest, heart, and lungs can be examined next:
  1. Using a stethoscope, listen to both sides of the chest and then the trachea. See B890 for exact locations and what to expect.
  2. Listen to the heart on the left side of the chest in the region outlined on page B150. If abnormal rhythms and patterns are noticed, additional evaluation will need to be conducted by a veterinarian.
  1. Listen to the intestines on both the left and right sides. Again, look at page B890 for additional help and what to expect.

    2.
  2. At this point it is helpful to take a temperature (see page B800).

    3.
  3. If internal parasites are a concern, collect a fecal sample (see page D220).

  4. The front and hind legs can now be examined:
  1. Feel down the entire limb, checking for heat, swelling, or pain. Place pressure on tendons, muscles, bones, and joints as progress is made down the leg.
  2. The foot should be carefully examined. This may require the use of a hoof pick and knife. Look for thrush, bruises, white line disease, and other problems on the sole and frog.
  1. In some circumstances it is helpful to draw blood for routine blood work and to screen for different diseases (such as a Coggins test). These samples should be collected in red and lavendar top blood tubes, and must be submitted by a veterinarian.

  2. One of the last procedures that should be performed is a complete lameness exam. This exam may require removing a shoe, using hoof testers, flexing different joints, and observing the horse during movement. See the lameness discussion on page E460 along with the information on shoe removal and using hoof testers on pages B705 and B885, respectively. The digital pulses on all four limbs should be checked (see pages A30 and B150 for exact locations). If problems are identified, nerve blocks and radiographs performed by a veterinarian may also be necessary.

Findings related to the above information can be recorded on I 642 in the Appendix. These pages in the Appendix can be printed and/or copied for personal use.