PREPURCHASE EXAMINATIONS

A vet check is usually carried out at the time of purchase or sale of a horse. This inspection determines whether a horse is suitable for the purpose of the buyers at that time.

Our veterinarian is a certified prepurchase equine veterinarian and follows the guidelines for vettings of the committee of the Dutch Equine Medicine Group.

• Sellers declaration: this document is not mandatory but is recommended. It must be completed, signed and given to the veterinarian before the inspection.
• Clinical examination: the clinical examination consists:
  • the identification of the horse
  • the static examination: observation of conformation (structure and position) and appearance, palpation of the body, auscultation of the heart and respiratory tract.
  • the dynamic investigation: movement of the horse on different surfaces and flexion tests. The focus is on the motion of the legs and the spine (neck, back and pelvis)

• Blood sampling: after the clinical examination a blood sample is always taken and stored for a minimum of 6 months.
• Respiratory endoscopy: if desired or when there is a suspicion of respiratory abnormality, an endoscopy is performed.
• X-ray examination: for sport horses, it is advisable to perform an X-ray examination. The standard and minimum number of X-rays is 20 images, only of the legs. Other X-rays will be made when the clinical examination is abnormal or on request. The age and purpose of use of the horse is taken in consideration.

When the examination is financially limited, it is important to consider the risks of the most important structures per discipline:

• dressage horses: hind legs (fetlock and hock joints) and back
• jumping horses: front legs, hock joints and back
• eventing: the tendon, the lower joints (feet and fetlock joints) and the cardio-respiratory system

Do you want to insure your sport horse immediately? This is possible. Because our veterinarian is a certified prepurchase equine veterinarian, you can immediately insure your horse in provisional cover.

Our veterinarian is a certified prepurchase equine veterinarian and is authorized to perform radiological examinations (PROK) for all Dutch studbooks.

A recorded endoscopy of the airways for the cornage (roaring) examination for KWPN can be provided.