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Veteran
Posts: 225
 
Location: Montgomery TX | I've read thru previous posts about pre purchase exams - and it's all so confusing. 20 years ago - I would have never thought about doing one. yes, that's how long it has been since I bought a horse.
I'm looking at a 5 year old - has been hauled and exhibitioned, but not entered. The videos look good riding around and the lady has a good reputation.
The vet says they have a basic exam, includes flexing, trotting out straight, going left and right and checking the overall physical condition of the horse. And I can add things I want.... so i'm thinking a set of x-rays and nsaids drug panel... One of my fears is buying a drugged horse. I think to myself, he's fairly young, he can't have THAT many problems yet, but then you see some horror story - I don't want a horror story purchase.
Does this seem sufficient?
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
 
Location: North Dakota | yes. And I'd xray the hocks, stifles, and front feet at the minimum. | |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| WYOTurn-n-Burn - 2018-07-17 12:31 PM yes. And I'd xray the hocks, stifles, and front feet at the minimum.
Ditto, I like to have them to not only look for potential issues but to also have a base line for the future to compare to for changes. | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 928
Location: Northern CA | Do x-rays. I purchased a yearling, from a very reputable breeder, at a very reputable sale. He had a huge bone cyst and had to be euthanized as a 2 year old. I had bought a yearling filly, reasonably priced so I did not bother with films, ended up having a severely misshaped navicular bone, breeding sound only as a 2 year old. From then on, anything I buy with intentions of performing on is and will be thoroughly vetted and a full set of films.
Edited by halter_ego 2018-07-17 12:36 PM
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The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | And make sure you go to a reputable horse vet who is knowledgeable and competent about reading the rads!! If they don't know how to evaluate the rad your pouring money down the drain. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| I would 200% pull blood!!!!!!!!!!! And if you like him and want to purchase him, wait until you get the blood results back.
I just bought a 5yo a few weeks ago, my husband and I drove 16 hrs one way. He has been exhibitioned. I did a pre-purchase including pulling blood and front feet x-rays. It was $500 total.
My pasture pet I have now, whom I love VERY much..if I had pulled blood and done a pre-purchase he would not be here with me. This was my horror story purchase, don't be like me the first time around! | |
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Veteran
Posts: 225
Location: Montgomery TX | emricmacy - 2018-07-17 12:40 PM
I would 200% pull blood!!!!!!!!!!! And if you like him and want to purchase him, wait until you get the blood results back.
I just bought a 5yo a few weeks ago, my husband and I drove 16 hrs one way. He has been exhibitioned. I did a pre-purchase including pulling blood and front feet x-rays. It was $500 total.
My pasture pet I have now, whom I love VERY much..if I had pulled blood and done a pre-purchase he would not be here with me. This was my horror story purchase, don't be like me the first time around!
Stories like yours are why I am so paranoid.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
| bten - 2018-07-17 12:50 PM
emricmacy - 2018-07-17 12:40 PM
I would 200% pull blood!!!!!!!!!!! And if you like him and want to purchase him, wait until you get the blood results back.
I just bought a 5yo a few weeks ago, my husband and I drove 16 hrs one way. He has been exhibitioned. I did a pre-purchase including pulling blood and front feet x-rays. It was $500 total.
My pasture pet I have now, whom I love VERY much..if I had pulled blood and done a pre-purchase he would not be here with me. This was my horror story purchase, don't be like me the first time around!
Stories like yours are why I am so paranoid.
I'm sending you a PM | |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | bten - 2018-07-17 12:03 PM I've read thru previous posts about pre purchase exams - and it's all so confusing. 20 years ago - I would have never thought about doing one. yes, that's how long it has been since I bought a horse. I'm looking at a 5 year old - has been hauled and exhibitioned, but not entered. The videos look good riding around and the lady has a good reputation. The vet says they have a basic exam, includes flexing, trotting out straight, going left and right and checking the overall physical condition of the horse. And I can add things I want.... so i'm thinking a set of x-rays and nsaids drug panel... One of my fears is buying a drugged horse. I think to myself, he's fairly young, he can't have THAT many problems yet, but then you see some horror story - I don't want a horror story purchase. Does this seem sufficient?
If you choose not to do a PPE, it mostly boils down to: If this horse became an unsound pasture pet tomorrow, could you afford the purchase price you just spent?
I too have never done a PPE, but I've also never bought a horse that has been started on the barrels, nor one that was expensive. If I ever were to buy a horse in the future and do a PPE, I would x-ray the hocks and x-ray the front feet. I've had a horse with issues on both, so I'm just a little anal on that. And, of course, have the vet do flexions. As others have already suggested, pulling blood is pretty "cheap" to make sure the horse isn't taking anything the owner hasn't disclosed.
Of course, we all like to think that there are honest people out there. But we know some are not.....
Also, know that the PPE will find something. They always find something. It's just up to you to decide if that "something" is a deal breaker or not.
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Veteran
Posts: 225
Location: Montgomery TX | r_beau - 2018-07-17 1:11 PM
bten - 2018-07-17 12:03 PM I've read thru previous posts about pre purchase exams - and it's all so confusing. 20 years ago - I would have never thought about doing one. yes, that's how long it has been since I bought a horse. I'm looking at a 5 year old - has been hauled and exhibitioned, but not entered. The videos look good riding around and the lady has a good reputation. The vet says they have a basic exam, includes flexing, trotting out straight, going left and right and checking the overall physical condition of the horse. And I can add things I want.... so i'm thinking a set of x-rays and nsaids drug panel... One of my fears is buying a drugged horse. I think to myself, he's fairly young, he can't have THAT many problems yet, but then you see some horror story - I don't want a horror story purchase. Does this seem sufficient?
If you choose not to do a PPE, it mostly boils down to: If this horse became an unsound pasture pet tomorrow, could you afford the purchase price you just spent?
I too have never done a PPE, but I've also never bought a horse that has been started on the barrels, nor one that was expensive. If I ever were to buy a horse in the future and do a PPE, I would x-ray the hocks and x-ray the front feet. I've had a horse with issues on both, so I'm just a little anal on that. And, of course, have the vet do flexions. As others have already suggested, pulling blood is pretty "cheap" to make sure the horse isn't taking anything the owner hasn't disclosed.
Of course, we all like to think that there are honest people out there. But we know some are not.....
Also, know that the PPE will find something. They always find something. It's just up to you to decide if that "something" is a deal breaker or not.
This is exactly what I'm getting at - my husband would have a cow or 5...... if I brought home a horse that became lame/crazy within 24 hours or so. This purchase is his gift to me.
How in-depth do you get and know for a fact that you did your due diligence? I guess that is the real question. | |
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The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | bten - 2018-07-17 1:18 PM
r_beau - 2018-07-17 1:11 PM
bten - 2018-07-17 12:03 PM I've read thru previous posts about pre purchase exams - and it's all so confusing. 20 years ago - I would have never thought about doing one. yes, that's how long it has been since I bought a horse. I'm looking at a 5 year old - has been hauled and exhibitioned, but not entered. The videos look good riding around and the lady has a good reputation. The vet says they have a basic exam, includes flexing, trotting out straight, going left and right and checking the overall physical condition of the horse. And I can add things I want.... so i'm thinking a set of x-rays and nsaids drug panel... One of my fears is buying a drugged horse. I think to myself, he's fairly young, he can't have THAT many problems yet, but then you see some horror story - I don't want a horror story purchase. Does this seem sufficient?
If you choose not to do a PPE, it mostly boils down to: If this horse became an unsound pasture pet tomorrow, could you afford the purchase price you just spent?
I too have never done a PPE, but I've also never bought a horse that has been started on the barrels, nor one that was expensive. If I ever were to buy a horse in the future and do a PPE, I would x-ray the hocks and x-ray the front feet. I've had a horse with issues on both, so I'm just a little anal on that. And, of course, have the vet do flexions. As others have already suggested, pulling blood is pretty "cheap" to make sure the horse isn't taking anything the owner hasn't disclosed.
Of course, we all like to think that there are honest people out there. But we know some are not.....
Also, know that the PPE will find something. They always find something. It's just up to you to decide if that "something" is a deal breaker or not.
This is exactly what I'm getting at - my husband would have a cow or 5...... if I brought home a horse that became lame/crazy within 24 hours or so. This purchase is his gift to me.
How in-depth do you get and know for a fact that you did your due diligence? I guess that is the real question.
Only you can answer that question. There is ALWAYS a certain amount of risk purchasing a horse, even if you do a PPE. I think it's wise to take into consideration what the horse was being used for prior to your purchase and use that as a determination of what you want xrayed. Mine was used for team roping and barrel racing, which can be hard on joints, so I had them all x-rayed. And I had a drug panel pulled which would show if NSAIDS/sedatives were given in a 48 hour period. I felt I did my due diligence with the PPE I had conducted. I picked a great lameness vet, who has a great eye for things, and felt comfortable saying yes. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 225
Location: Montgomery TX | Thank you all for replying and sharing your knowledge and experiences!! This board just rocks!!  
So - the vet I would like to use is about an hour and a half from the seller - should I choose a vet that is more centrally located to both of us or request she haul to the vet of my choice? I'm sure she's not gonna let me run off with her horse - I don't want to be unrealistic....
Edited by bten 2018-07-17 1:51 PM
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Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | bten - 2018-07-17 1:18 PM r_beau - 2018-07-17 1:11 PM bten - 2018-07-17 12:03 PM I've read thru previous posts about pre purchase exams - and it's all so confusing. 20 years ago - I would have never thought about doing one. yes, that's how long it has been since I bought a horse. I'm looking at a 5 year old - has been hauled and exhibitioned, but not entered. The videos look good riding around and the lady has a good reputation. The vet says they have a basic exam, includes flexing, trotting out straight, going left and right and checking the overall physical condition of the horse. And I can add things I want.... so i'm thinking a set of x-rays and nsaids drug panel... One of my fears is buying a drugged horse. I think to myself, he's fairly young, he can't have THAT many problems yet, but then you see some horror story - I don't want a horror story purchase. Does this seem sufficient? If you choose not to do a PPE, it mostly boils down to: If this horse became an unsound pasture pet tomorrow, could you afford the purchase price you just spent?
I too have never done a PPE, but I've also never bought a horse that has been started on the barrels, nor one that was expensive. If I ever were to buy a horse in the future and do a PPE, I would x-ray the hocks and x-ray the front feet. I've had a horse with issues on both, so I'm just a little anal on that. And, of course, have the vet do flexions. As others have already suggested, pulling blood is pretty "cheap" to make sure the horse isn't taking anything the owner hasn't disclosed.
Of course, we all like to think that there are honest people out there. But we know some are not.....
Also, know that the PPE will find something. They always find something. It's just up to you to decide if that "something" is a deal breaker or not.
This is exactly what I'm getting at - my husband would have a cow or 5...... if I brought home a horse that became lame/crazy within 24 hours or so. This purchase is his gift to me. How in-depth do you get and know for a fact that you did your due diligence? I guess that is the real question.
You know, that just depends on YOUR comfort level. Dig as deep as you feel you need to -- but also don't waste money to look for something that might not be there.
I know people who have had issues with kissing spine in the past, so they won't buy a horse without doing a full back x-ray. To me, I wouldn't do that. But again, it just depends on YOUR comfort level and how deep you want to go, if things are looking normal.
I will tell you that if I had done a PPE on my horse Red, I would have seen that he had fusing hocks already at the age of 6 (which isn't a huge deal; just need to manage with injections) but it would have NOT told me anything about his front feet (where he has huge issues). He would have flexed fine, and his x-rays would have been clean (still are), yet he was only sound for the first year of ownership (also his first year of solid hard riding) and it's been a struggle since. Now, I wouldn't trade him for the world, but a PPE would not have indicated any problem with his heel pain.
So of course, a PPE is not going to catch everything. Nor do you know what the horse might develop down the road, that they have no sign of now.
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Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | bten - 2018-07-17 1:38 PM Thank you all for replying and sharing your knowledge and experiences!! This board just rocks!! So - the vet I would like to use is about an hour and a half from the seller - should I choose a vet that is more centrally located to both of us or request she haul to the vet of my choice? I'm sure she's not gonna let me run off with her horse - I don't want to be unrealistic....
I would use the vet that ***I*** am comfortable with and that I trust, if possible
Of course, I would also them compensate the seller for their time and money to haul their horse to the vet of my choosing.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 865
| DEFINITELY do a drug screen!! | |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13502
Location: OH. IO | if you mention the area the horse is in,im sure people on here can suggest a great vet:) | |
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Duct Tape Bikini Girl
Posts: 2554
| I don't consider a 90 minute drive unreasonable at all. Just ask the seller if they are willing to bring the horse to your vet, and what the charge will be.
You're getting some great advice here. An absolute must for me is X-ray front feet. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 225
Location: Montgomery TX | Well, he was not the horse for me - but I do appreciate all the advice given and feel much better equipped as I continue on my search.
Thank y'all so much! | |
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