We would always advise prospective horse owners to have their exciting new addition examined prior to purchase.
Disputes can be hard to resolve after money has changed hands!
The vetting procedure is a process laid down by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to standardise the examination. There are 5 stages to the examination.
These stages are:
- Examination of the horse at rest. Includes examination of eyes, heart, and palpating limbs, examination of mouth / teeth and checking for Microchip.
- Trot up and Flexion tests
- 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
- Period of rest – during which markings will be taken and a blood sample collected
- Second Trot –up (and flexion tests if appropriate) and possible lunging on a firm/hard surface.
We do not perform such examinations ourselves, but will put you in contact with an experienced equine vet who will be happy to help.
Please remember they will request a history from the previous owner and their vet.
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.