In these situations where a
prepurchase exam cannot be done, you can only hope to pick up
a "Red Flag" suggestive of some problem the horse
may have. Unfortunately these flags may be subtle. As the horse
may have been rested prior to your exam or he may have received
some type of medication that would make him appear better than
he really is.
With that in mind, you want
to examine the horse from nose to tail for anything that is
swollen or warm when compared with other parts of the body.
Run your hand down all four legs and compare appearance and
feel of the left vs right. You may pick up an old bowed tendon
or a fluid filled knee that's a warning of developing joint
arthritis. Make sure to flex as many of the horse's joints as
you can. Arthritic joints don't like to flex.
Now stand back and look at general
body condition, hair coat, foot quality, muscle development
and attitude. These things will hopefully give you an idea of
the general health of the animal and how well he was taken care
of. Is the weight of the horse appropriate for its size and
frame? Does it have average muscle development and is it equal
on both sides of the frame? These are hints about the amount
of exercise and training the horse has had recently.
The third phase of your exam
should be to watch the horse move - walk, trot and canter. Is
he comfortable or are his ears pinned and tail switching? Is
there a head-bob, suggesting lameness? Does the horse make a
louder than normal breathing noise? You must try to observe
the horse under saddle as this will not only give you information
about his soundness, but also an idea of his attitude and ultimately
how well suited he is considering your level of riding experience.
As a horse vet who
has examined many horses for purchase, I honestly feel that
there is no replacement for a thorough prepurchase exam done
by a veterinarian. It has saved many people money and anxiety
and I believe it is one of my most important functions. The
exam outlined above is an excellent screening method for a person
considering the purchase of a horse. You will undoubtedly miss
a few things but the more of them you do, the better eye you'll
develop. Be observant, critical and above all, take your time.
Purchasing a horse is much like finding a spouse; neither should
be done in haste.
<
Back To How To Buy Horses - How To Sell Horses Article Index
---------
Dr. Hamilton,
DVM
Website: http://www.spequine.com/
Dr. Hamilton now resides and practices in the Sandhills as a
partner in Southern Pines Equine Associates with Dr. Tom Daniel.
The practice provides complete medical and surgery services
to the rapidly growing horse community in southern North Carolina.
Dr. Hamilton is the author of "Equine Emergencies on the
Road", published by Blue Green Publishing. "Equine
Emergencies on the Road" is a glove compartment manual
on prevention and treatment of enroute illness and injury of
horses. This manual is on the United States Pony Club's "must
read" list for 1995.
