Very rarely do I comment as I feel I don’t know enough to add anything to most of the stock conversations. But I do read all of the posts on here and pick up lots of new tips from all the experienced guys on here. This is a topic I can actually comment on from personal experience and as a new to horses person.
As a newcomer to horses (bought my first 2 and only personal horses last summer), I read everything I could on the selection and buying processes. Seems like everything in print recommends Pre Purchase Exams (PPE). I absolutely will always 100% do a PPE before buying any horse ever. A lot of that has to do with my lack of experience with horses. I have learned a ton over the last year with my horses, but I have barely scratched the surface so far. Personally I doubt I will ever own enough horses in my lifetime to ever be good enough to get around a PPE. A little story on PPE and how they saved me a lot of time and money.
The first horse I purchased was contingent on a passing PPE. I looked at a lot of horses and when I test rode this one I thought he was about perfect. 12 year old QH gelding was a cutting horse when he was young then a ranch horse after that. Very easy going, calm, super smooth gait transitions, never had to ask for anything twice, and neck reigned like a dream. I agreed to buy him on the spot pursuant to him passing a PPE. Took him to my vet a few days later and got the bad news that he had front and back end lameness issues plus some pretty major dental issues that would need fixing. As a newbie horse person looking for my first horse I didn’t see any of that when looking at him. After my vet explained everything to me and what they look for in PPE and lameness exams I could start to see things I had no clue about. Was sad to have to pass on the horse, but I needed a physically solid horse I could learn on and not something I needed to put lots of time and money into just to get to the point where he could be ridden comfortably. I did PPE on both of the 15 year old QH geldings I ended up buying. Revealed some very minor stuff but nothing unexpected for 15 year old horses. PPE may be the best money I have spent on horses (and I’ve spent alot, LOL) so far.
I have never asked for x-rays for what I do. If there is enough issue in the PPE to think about x-rays I know I’m already going to pass on buying. But I only use my horses for trail riding and elk hunting. Nothing fancy like top performance horses.
In my limited experience, I have asked for vet records on both my horses and the one in the above story at purchase time. Other than current cogging and most recent float record no one had any other vet records available. One of my horses the owner didn’t even have that and I had to have the coggins test done in the same county and wait for results before I could transport him out of the county and back home. Might just be the ways its done in my neck of the woods (central Texas).
In short, I would ask for vet records, always do a PPE, pass on any x-rays, not trust my personal evaluation without a PPE. Most of all trust my equine vet at the PPE and do what he recommends ie if he suggested flexion testing I would do it. This is of course coming from a newbie horse guy.
Chase
