Avoiding pitfalls in today's pre-purchase examinations

Abstract

The pre-purchase examination is a complex procedure, providing not only clinical, but logistical and communication challenges to surmount. Practitioners should aspire to deliver an excellent level of client service and fairly interpret whether any condition identified prejudices the suitability of the horse for a specific use, dispelling the perception that clinicians practise defensive medicine. In recent times, an unprecedented number of horses are being bought unseen and the technology used to enable this presents a new array of potential pitfalls. A plethora of literature is available discussing clinical diligence during the examination itself, including how to assess individual body systems in the most effective manner. This article focuses on how pitfalls can be identified and avoided with good preparation, as well as the impact of how the pre-purchase examination is evolving in the digital era.