Equine Prepurchase

Choosing a horse to buy can be a very exciting time but all too often we see people falling in love with a horse only to discover that after they have purchased it there were problems that then led to heartache and much wasted time and money. At Meadows Veterinary Centre we recommend a complete and thorough examination prior to the purchase of any horse whether it is a pleasure pony or a high performance athlete.

We need to know the intended purpose of the horse as the physical requirements for a top dressage horse are very different to a pet pony. We always perform prepurchase examinations in accordance with the Australian Equine Veterinarians Association (EVA) guidelines and using the standard protocol.

A standard prepurchase examination consists of a thorough physical examination followed by evaluation of the horses gait at the walk, trot and canter and following backing and turning. Flexion tests are performed and all horses are lunged on a firm level surface. Examination under saddle may be requested. A standard prepurchase will take approximately an hour.