Pre-purchase Examination

A pre-purchase examination is a vital part of buying a horse—whether you're looking for a competition partner, pleasure mount, breeding prospect, or companion. This comprehensive veterinary assessment is designed to evaluate the horse’s current health, soundness, and overall suitability for your intended use. It helps identify any existing medical conditions, signs of lameness, or potential long-term concerns that may affect the horse’s performance or wellbeing. The findings help you make a confident, informed decision and ensure the horse is the right fit for your needs.

What’s Included in a Pre-Purchase Exam?

Our pre-purchase examinations typically take around two hours and include:

• General Health Assessment
  A full clinical examination assessing the eyes, heart, lungs, teeth, mouth, conformation, and overall condition.
• Movement & Soundness Evaluation
  Gait analysis and flexion tests to identify any signs of lameness, discomfort, or restricted movement.
• Fitness & Behaviour Assessment
  Observation under saddle or on the lunge to assess temperament, responsiveness, and physical capability.
• Cool-Down & Final Check
  Post-exercise monitoring to evaluate recovery and identify subtle signs of fatigue or pain.

Additional Testing (If Required)

Depending on the horse’s history, intended use, or initial findings, further diagnostic tests may be recommended by our veterinarians or requested by the buyer. These may include:

• Blood tests
• Digital radiography (X-rays)
• Ultrasound
• Endoscopy

These tests can provide a more in-depth understanding of the horse’s health, particularly for performance or breeding prospects.

Facilities Required for a Pre-Purchase Exam

Pre-purchase examinations can be carried out at your property or at our clinic. To perform a thorough pre-purchase examination, our veterinarians require access to the following:

• Flat, Smooth, Hard Surface: Essential for trot-ups to accurately assess movement and soundness.
• Safe Area for Exercise or Lunging: Such as a round yard, arena, or similar secure space.

If these facilities are not available at the property, the pre-purchase exam can be carried out at our clinic, where all necessary equipment and spaces are on hand. Having the exam at our clinic also provides an opportunity to observe how the horse behaves in a different environment.

Why Choose Mt Barker Veterinary Hospital for Your Pre-Purchase Exam?

The team at Mt Barker Veterinary Hospital have extensive experience in equine health, soundness, and performance assessment. We offer comprehensive services including a full range of diagnostic tools (including digital X-rays, endoscopy, ultrasound, and lab testing) to ensure a complete examination and provide honest and impartial recommendations to help you make the best decision for your needs.

Making Your Final Decision

While we provide a detailed and professional assessment, the final decision to purchase the horse rests with the buyer. You are welcome to ask the attending veterinarian any questions regarding the findings, and we encourage open communication to ensure you are fully informed.

Confidentiality

All information gathered during the pre-purchase examination is confidential and will only be shared with the purchaser or an individual they have authorised. This ensures that the examination findings remain private and secure.