Vetting a horse for purchase

The Prior to Purchasing a Horse Examination (PPE)

Below we have listed some important points about the Prior to Purchase Examination (PPE) for clients purchasing a horse or a pony.

We recommend that you read the BEVA/RCVS Guidance notes and ensure where possible that all the suggestions made have been implemented.

Please note the following points

• The PPE will usually take between one and a half and two hours.
• The horse should have trimmed feet and sound shoes (where shod). Farriery should not occur within 72 hours prior to the PPE.
• The Passport, Joint Measurement Board and Breed Society Documentation should all be presented to the vet at the start of the PPE.
• The full name and address of the seller are required.
• If the seller/agent or purchaser has any knowledge that Isabelle Vets has had any clinical role with the horse at any point in the past, the vet should be informed before the examination.
• Please make sure that all tack including head collar, lead rope and lunge rope are available.
• Guernsey’s small land mass and maritime climate provide, at times, limitation in exercise facilities for the PPE. It is important to have available a hard surface for the stage 2 examination including trot or lunge on a circle. Stage 3 requires an adequate area for strenuous exercise. This would preferably be a field.
• Please see the note on ‘Vices’, in the guidance notes. Vices include crib-biting, wind sucking, weaving, pawing and bolting. There are many others. Other behavioural issues such as head shaking, failure to load into a trailer, reluctance to be shod, untrustworthy behaviour on the road, etc. are issues that may not be evident or covered by the PPE. We would strongly recommend that you ask the seller to sign a disclaimer of knowledge against all known vices and behavioural abnormalities.
• Please see the comment, in the Guidance notes on ‘warranties’.
• If you intend to insure the horse (which we recommend) fully, then no monies should be paid until insurance has been obtained and this may be subject to the PPE findings.
• No monies should be paid until the purchaser has received the PPE certificate and has read and accepted the content.
• Finally, remember to read the BEVA/RCVS Guidance notes and ensure where possible that all the suggestions made have been implemented.