Prepurchase evaluation of horses: 134 cases (1988-1990)
Authors: Dart Andrew J. , Snyder Jack R. , Pascoe John R. , Meagher Dennis M. , Wilson W. David 
Published: December 2023

To quantify some components of prepurchase evaluations in horses, records from 134 evaluations performed during a 2-year period were reviewed and the outcome was determined via telephone follow-up interview. Sixty-two percent of the prepurchase evaluations had been performed at the clinic and 38% had been performed in the field by the ambulatory service. All evaluations included physical and lameness examinations, whereas radiography (49%), endoscopy (15%), nerve blocking (5%), transrectal palpation (3%), hematologic analysis (2%), electrocardiography (2%), drug testing for analgesic agents (2%), and ultrasonography of the flexor tendons (1%) were not always performed. Fifty-nine percent of horses evaluated at the clinic were radiographed, compared with 33% of horses evaluated in the field (P < 0.05).

Thirty-seven percent of horses evaluated were judged serviceable for their intended use. Thirty-five percent of horses evaluated at the clinic were assessed to be serviceable, compared with 41% of those evaluated in the field (P < 0.05). Horses used for pleasure riding (48%) tended to be considered serviceable more often than horses used for more athletic endeavors (3-day eventing, 33%; hunter/jumper, 24%; show, 31%; dressage, 30%). The most common basis for finding a horse unserviceable was lameness (88%).

On the basis of a telephone interview, horses were divided into 5 groups: horses determined unserviceable on evaluation and not purchased (n = 40); horses determined unserviceable on evaluation, purchased, and then found serviceable on follow-up interview (n = 35); horses determined unserviceable on evaluation, purchased, and then found unserviceable on follow-up interview (n = 9); horses determined serviceable on evaluation, purchased, and found serviceable on follow-up interview (n = 42); and horses determined serviceable on evaluation, purchased, and found unserviceable on follow-up interview (n = 8).

The buyer and seller were present at the evaluation in 34% of cases. The buyer alone was present in 57% of cases, the seller alone in 4% of cases, whereas neither was present in 6% of cases. The potential buyer had used the horse for its intended purpose prior to the prepurchase evaluation in 39% of cases for a mean time of 20.5 days, but this did not appear to affect the serviceability of the horse on follow-up evaluation. Five horses that were leased for > 6 months prior to purchase were all serviceable on follow-up interview, irrespective of the findings at the time of the prepurchase evaluation.

There was a tendency for the value of horses examined at the clinic to be higher than those evaluated by the ambulatory service. The price paid by the buyer was reduced through negotiations on the basis of the prepurchase evaluation in 6% of cases.

Lameness was seen only in horses within the unserviceable group. Lameness tended to be seen more often in horses valued > $2,500 (61%, 46/75) than in horses valued ≤ $2,500 (48%, 28/59). Lameness was associated with 92% (22/24) of horses valued at > $2,500 within the group judged to be unserviceable and not purchased.

Radiography was performed to investigate a specific lameness in 24% (32/134) of evaluations and for survey purposes in 25% (34/134) of evaluations. Of horses radiographed within the unserviceable group, radiography commonly was performed for specific lameness (84%, 32/38) and rarely for survey purposes (24%, 9/38), whereas only survey radiographs were obtained from the serviceable group because no horses exhibited a specific lameness. Radiography was significantly (P < 0.05) more likely to have been performed in horses valued > $2,500 (65%, 49/75) than in those valued < $2,500 (29%, 17/59), and this trend was reflected in all categories. For survey radiographs, the combination of tarsi and bilateral distal forelimbs was the most commonly radiographed area (44%). Bilateral distal forelimbs alone were the second most commonly radiographed area (41%).

A written report summarizing the findings of the evaluation was furnished in 24% of cases. At the time of follow-up interview, 75% of buyers indicated that they would have liked a written report.