Before you seal the deal on your next horse, invest in a prepurchase examination by a qualified equine veterinarian. Here, we’ll tell you why you shouldn’t skip this all-important step and answer frequently asked questions about the exam.

After months of searching, you’ve found the perfect horse to buy. You envision long days in the saddle, going on challenging trail rides. All you need to do is hitch up your horse trailer, head over to the prospect’s current barn, seal the deal, and drive him home.

Wait! Before you take the plunge, invest in a prepurchase examination by a qualified equine veterinarian. Here, we’ll tell you why you shouldn’t skip this all-important step and answer frequently asked questions about the exam.

Q: Do I really need to schedule a prepurchase exam for my prospect?

A: Yes, you do. You want your new horse to be healthy and sound. A prepurchase exam is your one chance to acquire important information about a horse before he becomes your horse.

Prepurchase exams can be nail-biters, but postpurchase exams can be stomach-droppers. After an unsatisfactory prepurchase exam, all you have to do is say "No, thank you" and walk away. A postpurchase exam is another matter entirely, because all the bad news is about the horse you already own.

Q: Are all prepurchase exams the same?

A: No, they differ depending on the horse’s projected use. A good prepurchase exam isn’t generic. It can’t be. Every horse is unique; every rider is unique. Discuss your plans, goals, and ambitions with your vet when you schedule the exam, so that it’ll be designed for this horse and for your purposes.

Q: Will my veterinarian know what to look for?

A: In general, yes, but you’ll need to have the right vet. Try to use your own vet, but be aware that you might need to call in a different vet if the horse you want is outside your vet’s experience in terms of breed, gaits, or other factors. Also, ask the right questions, based on what you need the horse to do. If your vet understands your specific requirements and demands, the answers you get will be much more useful.

Q: Walk me through the exam — what will my veterinarian do first?

A: Usually, your vet will begin with a quick look at the horse’s overall conformation, stance, and physical condition. The next step will be to check the horse’s heart and lungs, eyes and ears, and gut sounds. If everything is normal, the teeth will be checked next. A dental exam is a good way to confirm that the horse has had good care; it’s also a way to determine or confirm a horse’s age.

Q: What about equine protozoal myelitis and other neurological problems?

A: You might see your veterinarian bend the horse’s neck this way and that, ask the horse to back or turn in a tight circle, or tap the horse to check certain reflexes. If there are signs of a possible neurological problem — whether caused by a mechanical problem, such as an injury, or by a disease — your vet can perform agreed-upon additional tests.

Q: What about conformation and lameness?

A: If you’re planning on riding the horse over miles of trails, your veterinarian will be looking closely at conformation, and he or she will be attentive to even the slightest sign of lameness. If the horse seems sound and healthy, your vet will evaluate the horse’s structure in terms of the demands you’ll put on the animal.

If the horse’s conformation doesn’t reveal any potential problems that could interfere with your plans, the lameness exam will begin. This is a two-part exam. First, with the horse in his stall or the barn aisle, your vet will conduct an up-close-and-personal, hands-on investigation. This is the passive part of the lameness exam, in which the horse won’t be asked to do anything. Your vet will handle the horse extensively, palpating (carefully feeling) the horse’s legs and checking his bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. He or she will likely palpate the horse’s back. Your vet will also look closely at the shape, balance, size, and quality of the horse’s feet and hooves, and use hoof testers to check for any soreness. The old saying "No foot, no horse" is still very true.

The next step will be the active lameness exam, in which the horse will be asked to move. Your vet will watch closely as the horse is led at walk, trot, and canter/lope. Then your vet will likely perform flexion tests (in which various joints are manipulated) to reveal any pain the horse may have in certain joints, especially those in the lower leg.

If the flexion tests go well, your vet will then ask to see the horse longed or free-longed in a small circle, preferably on a hard surface. If the horse seems steady, even, and level at walk, trot, and canter/lope, that’s a very good sign.

A dental exam is a good way to confirm that the horse has had good care; it’s also a way to determine or confirm a horse’s age.

Q: What if there’s a small problem, such as a slight lameness?

A: It depends. A slight, almost imperceptible lameness — for example, the sort that might be revealed only after several minutes of trotting in a small circle — might be acceptable if you were buying an experienced, 15-year-old horse to carry you gently down the trail. But any lameness in a 4-year-old is cause for concern.

Q: What other kinds of tests are there?

A: Your veterinarian will likely draw blood and store it for later testing. If your vet and you are concerned about particular illnesses (or the presence of specific drugs), you can arrange for specific blood tests.

X-rays can reveal bone condition, but they don’t tell the whole story. Some sound, comfortable horses take "bad" X-rays, while some unsound, uncomfortable horses take surprisingly clean X-rays.

Not every physical imperfection is an unsoundness; wind puffs, for example, are considered a blemish. A horse that’s been injured might have a scar, but no residual lameness. Not every conformation flaw is a deal-breaker, either.

Q: Will my veterinarian tell me whether the horse passed or failed?

A: There’s no official "pass" or "fail" on a prepurchase exam; your vet won’t tell you to buy the horse or walk away. The question you’re asking your vet isn’t, "Should I buy this horse?" but, "What can you tell me about this horse’s health and condition today, and does he appear capable of doing the things that I want him to do?"

Your vet is the expert in horse health, structure, and movement; his or her job is to identify any existing problems and give you an informed opinion about any problems the horse may be likely to develop later. The final decision, though, is all yours. The information provided by the prepurchase exam should help you make a sensible, informed decision about whether or not this is the horse for you.

Q: Why do people sometimes complain about prepurchase exams?

A: The two common complaints about prepurchase exams are: "I can’t believe the vet didn’t check X or Y or Z!" and "I can’t believe how many expensive tests the vet did!" You can avoid both of these problems by communicating clearly with your veterinarian about what you want and what you’re willing to pay.

To get the most from a prepurchase exam, discuss it with your vet when you make the appointment. You and your vet may have different ideas about what the exam should include. If you know which tests you want to schedule, list them. If this is all new to you, or if you’re unsure about which tests would be best, ask your vet which tests would be most useful and informative, what will be involved, and how much they’ll cost.

Q: So, just how much does a prepurchase exam cost?

A: It depends on the number and types of tests involved. If you want a horse for light, quiet riding, you won’t need extensive tests designed to reveal subtle lameness or the potential for lameness in long-distance riding over rugged terrain. Because your needs are modest, those prepurchase exams wouldn’t lengthy or expensive.

However, if you want a horse to compete with, you’ll need to schedule a lengthier and more detailed prepurchase exam. You’ll need to determine whether the horse is healthy, sound and suitable for what you plan to do.

Three factors influence the cost of a prepurchase exam: (1) your location; (2) the prospect’s selling price; and (3) the depth and complexity of the exam itself. You might pay $120, $1,200, anywhere in between, or possibly more.

You can safely assume that a quick once-over during which the only tools used by your veterinarian vet are eyes, hands, stethoscope and hoof-testers will cost considerably less than a long, extensive exam that also involves X-rays, an endoscope, various drug tests and an ultrasound exam. Some test results might indicate a need for more elaborate tests, so be prepared.

When you schedule a prepurchase exam, ask your vet he or she recommends and what each one will cost. You and your vet should be on the same page regarding the type and extent of tests to be performed. Don’t guess or rely on your assumptions; your vet’s idea of a thorough prepurchase exam may be very different from your own.

If your vet fails to perform certain tests that you wanted but didn’t request, you’ll be unhappy, and the same will be true if your vet performs expensive tests that you didn’t know about in advance.

Q: If I don’t buy the horse, that’s all wasted money, right?

A: Not at all. If you spend several hundred dollars to discover that a horse isn’t suitable, the prepurchase exam will have served you well. Investing in a prepurchase exam is like paying your mechanic for a buyer’s check on a used truck; if you learn that the frame is bent and the axles are cracked, or, in your case, that the horse’s legs are unlikely to stand up to your demands, you’ll be glad you got that information before closing the deal.