Pre-Purchase Examinations (Vettings)
We at the Minster Equine Veterinary Clinic perform hundreds of “vettings” per year and the demand for examinations seems to be growing all the time.
The Veterinary examination of a horse prior to purchase is an extremely sensible idea.
The vetting procedure is a process laid down by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to standardise to examination. There are 5 stages to the examination (note stages, not Stars!)
These stages are;
Stage 1: Examination of the horse at rest. Includes examination of eyes, heart, palpating limbs, examination of mouth/ teeth and checking for Microchip.
Stage 2: Trot up and Flexion tests
Stage 3: Strenuous Exercise – can be ridden or lunged or both, sufficient to raise heart rate and will depend on use of horse and level of fitness
Stage 4: Period of rest – during which markings will be taken and a blood sample collected
Stage 5: Second Trot –up (and flexion tests if appropriate) and possible lunging on a firm/hard surface.
There may be additional steps required either by the request of the purchaser or because of points of concern raised during the standard examination. These may include X-rays, Ultrasound scans, Endoscopy or Gastroscopy.
Some Insurance companies require X-rays if the vetting is for insurance over a certain value.
Purchasers and horse owners should be aware that X-rays and other imaging techniques can be as problematic as they are reassuring. If X-rays are taken on behalf of an Insurance company, then any abnormalities identified are likely to lead the insurance company to place exclusions on the policy related to those abnormalities. Some Insurance companies place blanket exclusions based on these X-ray findings, such as excluding the whole limb. This is unfair in most cases and providing the vetting examination did not reveal clinical abnormalities, then discussion with the insurance company may help narrow the range of the exclusion and if appropriate, place time limits on the exclusion, ie. If no claim made in 2 years, and X-ray changes not progressed, then the exclusion may be removed.
It should be noted that the pre-purchase examination is not a diagnostic process, which means that if a lameness is identified, the examination does not go into making a diagnosis as to why the horse is lame. Sometimes a swollen joint or something similar may give a possible indication to the cause.
There are certain things that aren’t covered by the examination, unless specifically requested, e.g. the pregnancy status of mares, or the breeding potential of mares or stallions.
Under certain circumstances, it may not be appropriate or desired to have the full 5 stage examination and some purchasers request that just the first 2 stages are performed. We do require purchasers requiring this reduced examination to sign a request form which states that as they are requesting a reduced examination they are aware that some abnormalities may not be identified as a result of the shortened examination.
Before, requesting a pre-purchase examination it is worth considering the following points;
1.Is the horse fit to be examined? A 5-stage vetting cannot be performed on an un-broken or unhandled youngster. If the horse is known to be lame, then little point in a Vet going out until it is sound again, similarly if the horse is unwell.
2. We try where possible not to examine horses that are owned by an existing client of the practice, for reasons of a potential conflict of interest. We will declare this to the potential purchaser and sometimes they prefer to proceed but it can cause awkwardness with an existing client if we “Fail” their horse, so in most occasions we will refer the potential purchaser to another local veterinary practice.
3. Are the premises at which the examination is to take place, suitable? We will need a stable, preferably one where reduced or lower light levels are possible for full examination of the eyes. There needs to be a level firm surface for the trot-up and somewhere suitable for the strenuous exercise phase. There also needs to be someone to ride or lunge the horse, since unlike some Vets, we believe we get to best evaluation from the ground and not riding the horse ourselves.
4. We prefer the horse to have been shod within the previous 4 weeks so that the examination is not compromised by loose shoes or over-long feet etc.
5. Has the horse got a valid passport? It is illegal to sell a horse now, if it does not have a legal and valid passport. Make the vendor (person selling the horse) aware of this and ask them to have the passport present at the vetting.
The Pre-purchase examination should not be thought of as something black and white that the horse passes or fails rather an assessment of that horse on that day, that identifies the abnormalities that can be detected so that you as potential purchaser can make a decision based on the risks associated with those abnormalities identified. It is far more like the AA or RAC test that a car undergoes prior to purchase, except we can’t as easily replace the faulty bits on a horse!
The overall result of the examination will detail the faults identified and give you the vets opinion as to the suitability to do the job you have declared the horse is being purchased for.
There are some things that will be obvious fail points, eg a lame horse is clearly not suitable for purchase. When we identify something that is that severe, we will usually pause the examination at that stage and contact you to discuss the findings.
When you ring to book an appointment for a pre-purchase examination the receptionist will ask you for:
Your Name, Address and contact telephone number(s)
The Name, Address and tel number for the Vendor ( Person Selling Horse)
Address where horse is to be examined & Directions to that address
Details of the horse, name, age, colour breed and sex
The proposed use of the horse
Any particular points that are of concern to you
A blood sample will be taken as a matter of course, and it will be sent to be stored at the Horseracing Forensic Laboratory in Newmarket. It can then be tested for the presence of painkillers or sedatives should this be suspected at a later date. The option for not taking a sample should be taken with extreme caution since once the opportunity is missed, any potential claim you may wish to pursue against the vendor will be significantly weakened without the evidence of the blood sample.
We will also require a credit or debit card number, as we will charge that card with cost of the examination(including the visit charge and blood sample fee etc) before we issue the certificate.
If a potential purchaser, only requires a 2 stage examination we will fax or send the form instructing us to perform the reduced examination, to you to sign, prior to the examination. If this is not possible and you will be at the vetting, we may get you to sign the form before we start the vetting.
If the horse you wish to purchase is at a premises which is not suitable for a vetting then we can perform the examination at the clinic, although there are limited facilities for ridden exercise but the lunging pen usually provides an excellent surface for a period of strenuous exercise.
We at the Minster Equine Veterinary Clinic perform hundreds of “vettings” per year and the demand for examinations seems to be growing all the time.
The Veterinary examination of a horse prior to purchase is an extremely sensible idea.
The vetting procedure is a process laid down by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to standardise to examination. There are 5 stages to the examination (note stages, not Stars!)
These stages are;
Stage 1: Examination of the horse at rest. Includes examination of eyes, heart, palpating limbs, examination of mouth/ teeth and checking for Microchip.
Stage 2: Trot up and Flexion tests
Stage 3: Strenuous Exercise – can be ridden or lunged or both, sufficient to raise heart rate and will depend on use of horse and level of fitness
Stage 4: Period of rest – during which markings will be taken and a blood sample collected
Stage 5: Second Trot –up (and flexion tests if appropriate) and possible lunging on a firm/hard surface.
There may be additional steps required either by the request of the purchaser or because of points of concern raised during the standard examination. These may include X-rays, Ultrasound scans, Endoscopy or Gastroscopy.
Some Insurance companies require X-rays if the vetting is for insurance over a certain value.
Purchasers and horse owners should be aware that X-rays and other imaging techniques can be as problematic as they are reassuring. If X-rays are taken on behalf of an Insurance company, then any abnormalities identified are likely to lead the insurance company to place exclusions on the policy related to those abnormalities. Some Insurance companies place blanket exclusions based on these X-ray findings, such as excluding the whole limb. This is unfair in most cases and providing the vetting examination did not reveal clinical abnormalities, then discussion with the insurance company may help narrow the range of the exclusion and if appropriate, place time limits on the exclusion, ie. If no claim made in 2 years, and X-ray changes not progressed, then the exclusion may be removed.
It should be noted that the pre-purchase examination is not a diagnostic process, which means that if a lameness is identified, the examination does not go into making a diagnosis as to why the horse is lame. Sometimes a swollen joint or something similar may give a possible indication to the cause.
There are certain things that aren’t covered by the examination, unless specifically requested, e.g. the pregnancy status of mares, or the breeding potential of mares or stallions.
Under certain circumstances, it may not be appropriate or desired to have the full 5 stage examination and some purchasers request that just the first 2 stages are performed. We do require purchasers requiring this reduced examination to sign a request form which states that as they are requesting a reduced examination they are aware that some abnormalities may not be identified as a result of the shortened examination.
Before, requesting a pre-purchase examination it is worth considering the following points;
1.Is the horse fit to be examined? A 5-stage vetting cannot be performed on an un-broken or unhandled youngster. If the horse is known to be lame, then little point in a Vet going out until it is sound again, similarly if the horse is unwell.
2. We try where possible not to examine horses that are owned by an existing client of the practice, for reasons of a potential conflict of interest. We will declare this to the potential purchaser and sometimes they prefer to proceed but it can cause awkwardness with an existing client if we “Fail” their horse, so in most occasions we will refer the potential purchaser to another local veterinary practice.
3. Are the premises at which the examination is to take place, suitable? We will need a stable, preferably one where reduced or lower light levels are possible for full examination of the eyes. There needs to be a level firm surface for the trot-up and somewhere suitable for the strenuous exercise phase. There also needs to be someone to ride or lunge the horse, since unlike some Vets, we believe we get to best evaluation from the ground and not riding the horse ourselves.
4. We prefer the horse to have been shod within the previous 4 weeks so that the examination is not compromised by loose shoes or over-long feet etc.
5. Has the horse got a valid passport? It is illegal to sell a horse now, if it does not have a legal and valid passport. Make the vendor (person selling the horse) aware of this and ask them to have the passport present at the vetting.
The Pre-purchase examination should not be thought of as something black and white that the horse passes or fails rather an assessment of that horse on that day, that identifies the abnormalities that can be detected so that you as potential purchaser can make a decision based on the risks associated with those abnormalities identified. It is far more like the AA or RAC test that a car undergoes prior to purchase, except we can’t as easily replace the faulty bits on a horse!
The overall result of the examination will detail the faults identified and give you the vets opinion as to the suitability to do the job you have declared the horse is being purchased for.
There are some things that will be obvious fail points, eg a lame horse is clearly not suitable for purchase. When we identify something that is that severe, we will usually pause the examination at that stage and contact you to discuss the findings.
When you ring to book an appointment for a pre-purchase examination the receptionist will ask you for:
Your Name, Address and contact telephone number(s)
The Name, Address and tel number for the Vendor ( Person Selling Horse)
Address where horse is to be examined & Directions to that address
Details of the horse, name, age, colour breed and sex
The proposed use of the horse
Any particular points that are of concern to you
A blood sample will be taken as a matter of course, and it will be sent to be stored at the Horseracing Forensic Laboratory in Newmarket. It can then be tested for the presence of painkillers or sedatives should this be suspected at a later date. The option for not taking a sample should be taken with extreme caution since once the opportunity is missed, any potential claim you may wish to pursue against the vendor will be significantly weakened without the evidence of the blood sample.
We will also require a credit or debit card number, as we will charge that card with cost of the examination(including the visit charge and blood sample fee etc) before we issue the certificate.
If a potential purchaser, only requires a 2 stage examination we will fax or send the form instructing us to perform the reduced examination, to you to sign, prior to the examination. If this is not possible and you will be at the vetting, we may get you to sign the form before we start the vetting.
If the horse you wish to purchase is at a premises which is not suitable for a vetting then we can perform the examination at the clinic, although there are limited facilities for ridden exercise but the lunging pen usually provides an excellent surface for a period of strenuous exercise.
