Purchase Examination of the Western Performance Horse

IN-DEPTH: PRE-PURCHASE EXAM

G. Kent Carter, DVM, MS

1. Introduction 2. Purchase Examination When asked to examine a horse for potential pur- Performing a purchase examination is a very impor- chase, it is important that the veterinarian does a tant service that equine veterinarians provide cli- thorough examination with appropriate record ents. Equine veterinarians have unique training keeping and documentation.1 Partial exams and and expertise that can help the potential horse incomplete record keeping can potentially lead to buyer make informed decisions about the horse be- future problems that would be hard to defend. ing considered for purchase. Although many veter- Although a potential purchaser may ask you to do a inarians consider purchase exams to be an arduous quick partial examination, horse owners can be af- task burdened by potential litigation, purchase ex- fected by selective amnesia when they encounter aminations can actually be a rewarding experience, problems like lameness. Therefore, a complete ex- which often results in a long-term veterinarian/pa- amination and good record keeping/documentation tient relationship. Experience in equine practice are imperative and easily defended.2 and knowledge of the horse’s discipline are both advantages in advising clients about the potential of a horse’s medical condition to affect its intended 3. Western Disciplines use. The goal of the examining veterinarian Western horses, most commonly American Quarter should not be to identify any ﬂaw that the horse Horses, are used for numerous working and showing might have and then discourage the sale based on purposes and often have injuries or problems that those ﬂaws. Rather, the veterinarian should are related to their use. Although some lameness thoroughly evaluate the horse and identify any problems seem to be more frequent with certain abnormalities and inform the client (based on the disciplines, some lameness is quite common in all veterinarian’s training and experience) of the po- types of performance.3–6 Knowledge of these disci- tential for those abnormalities to affect the in- plines, their peculiarities, and the common problems tended use of the horse. This information should associated with each use type (e.g., forelimb injuries be only one of many factors to be considered in and lameness in team roping horses)7 can be helpful whether or not to purchase the horse. to the veterinarian performing purchase examina-

NOTES

292 2009 ր Vol. 55 ր AAEP PROCEEDINGS IN-DEPTH: PRE-PURCHASE EXAM tions.8 Western horses compete in a wide variety of tently overlooking part of the examination. A disciplines that all have individual variations of perfect horse is rare, and horses that are in active problems. However, they also have a variety of competition usually have identifiable problems. problems that are similar to those seen in other Assessing how the problems identified may affect types of performance and competition horses. the horse’s ability to perform its intended use is Although knowledge of the intended disciplines when a veterinarians training, experience, and and the potential problems with each is useful, a knowledge of the discipline are important. thorough and complete examination of all purchase cases is essential and should not be substantially 4. Examination at Rest different between disciplines or individuals. The Begin the examination by observing the horse’s different disciplines for which Western horses are overall appearance and conformation. Obvious commonly used have been well described in previous conformational defects are observed, recorded, and proceedings,9–13 and common lameness problems discussed with the client. Although many horses seen in these horses has been described.3–6 There- compete successfully with conformational problems fore, this paper will not go into depth about each (e.g., mild carpal valgus), other conformations like discipline, but rather, it will mention specific aspects very straight hocks and low rear fetlocks can, in of the examination as they relate to the intended use some cases, become problematic or make the horse for the horse. Racing Quarter Horses are pur- prone to injuries, particularly in hard stopping chased at sales similar to the racing Thoroughbreds, horses like reining horses and calf-roping horses. and examination at sales will not be discussed in Suspensory ligament injuries are relatively common this paper. in horses with this type of straight leg and can be Before a horse is examined for purchase examina- career ending in some cases. Hoof conformation, tion, a standard permission to perform the purchase balance, and quality should be observed; many out- examination is obtained from the buyer and seller.14 standing performance horses have poorly conformed These forms are recommended for all purchase ex- feet that are a continuous battle for the farrier and aminations. Although it is yet to be tested in court, owner, and they often result in lameness. this form provides useful information, and at our After observing for conformational defects as well hospital, it is thought to be helpful should any liti- as swelling, lumps, bumps, and scars, a hands-on gation result from the purchase examination. Al- thorough physical examination is performed. The though there can be advantages to having the seller author systematically begins at the nose and pro- present at the examination (e.g., the horse is demon- ceed through the tail, observing and palpating all strably lame), the buyer is your client and deserves structures that could present potential problems for private discussion about the examination of the the buyer. horse and the significance of findings during the A thorough oral exam is an important aspect of examination without the seller being present. If the evaluation. Normally, the age of the horse is the seller is not present, contact information is im- determined by examining its teeth to ensure that portant should permission for more invasive proce- the age is close to what is being represented. The dures (like a nerve block) be desired by the buyer. author has been presented with a horse being sold as History of the horse’s use, show history, periods of a 12 yr old when the teeth indicated its actual age as rest, previous lameness, previous medical problems Ͼ20 yr. Dental problems such as parrot mouth, as well as therapies are all important information to wave mouth, and missing teeth should be identified, acquire from the seller, if possible. However, many and potential maintenance problems must be ex- horses are presented for purchase examinations plained to the buyer. with very little known history. The buyer should The specifics of the ophthalmic examination as it be advised of the risk of purchasing a horse with an relates to the purchase examination have been de- unknown history and particularly, horses that have scribed in detail.15–17 Decreased vision can be a been out of active use for long periods of time. significant problem, particularly in horses that rely This author recommends that the horse being exam- on sight to perform their occupation (e.g., roping ined be in use just before the purchase examination horses and cutting horses that need to see the cattle whenever possible. they are working). The author has observed nu- The purchase examination should include a very merous horses presented for purchase examinations thorough physical examination, a thorough lame- that were completely blind in one eye, and the buyer ness examination, and additional testing as war- and the seller were unaware of the partial blindness. ranted by the examination or desired by the client. Decreased vision and evidence of previous ocular Particular attention is given to all aspects of the disease should be noted, and the significance of examination that could identify potentially perfor- these abnormalities should be explained to the mance limiting problems or maintenance problems buyer. of which the buyer should be aware. The author Palpation of the larynx and trachea should be care- uses the standard hospital medical record system to fully performed. Asymmetry in the dorsal larynx aid in the examination. However, many practitio- could be a result of laryngeal hemiplegia. Palpation ners prefer to use a check list to prevent inadver- should be supplemented with airway endoscopy to

AAEP PROCEEDINGS ր Vol. 55 ր 2009 293 IN-DEPTH: PRE-PURCHASE EXAM fully evaluate the laryngeal function. The thorax is a subtle lameness identified in hand may be wors- carefully auscultated before and during forced respi- ened or totally absent when ridden). ration with a rebreathing bag. Careful cardiac aus- In mature performance horses in active use, it is cultation should also be performed at this time. common to find problems. Lameness is the most Careful palpation of all four limbs and the back common abnormality identified. The challenge is should be accomplished, evaluating for swelling, to determine whether or not the lameness can be asymmetry, or pain. The ventral abdomen is care- tolerated. Horses in some disciplines like team fully palpated for scars from previous abdominal roping often perform competitively despite lame- surgeries. Previous colic surgeries in the medical ness, whereas horses in other disciplines like barrel history is an important thing for the buyer to know. racing are more easily made less competitive be- Palpation with hoof testers and careful examination cause of lameness. Many older competition horses should be completed on all four feet. Examination that are no longer competitive at professional levels of the peri-anal area, genitalia, and base of the tail are very useful at youth or novice levels and can be for potential tumors is important, particularly in serviceable for years. If lameness is identified, the light-skinned and gray horses. Genital and ocular buyer and veterinarian have several options to con- squamous cell carcinoma are relatively common in sider: (1) discontinue the purchase exam and re- Paint Horses, which are commonly used for Western turn to the seller to determine the cause, (2) pursue events. Gray horses, particularly older horses, the lameness for a more accurate diagnosis to better have increased incidence of peri-anal melanomas. determine prognosis, or (3) pursue radiographs and Examination of the tail and evaluation for tail other ancillary testing without further examination. function is very important in horses intended for Many veterinarians choose to discontinue the exam American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) at this point and return the horse to the seller. shows. According to AQHA rules, normal tail func- The author recommends this option particularly tion is defined as “being able to raise the tail to or with severely lame horses or horses that have seri- above the horizontal plane.” A horse’s inability to ous problems. This is safe but, at times, does not raise its tail to or above the horizontal plane in result in the best outcome for the buyer. If the response to a tail test (which includes stimulating cause for lameness is not readily apparent and the the anal sphincter) conducted on-site by an AQHA- buyer wishes to pursue it, the lameness evaluation approved veterinarian shall be considered a viola- may be completed with the seller’s permission in tion.18 Evidence of tail blocking could result in the attempt to give the best information to the buyer. owners being unable to show the horse in AQHA A large percentage of buyers prefer to make their shows. decisions with as much information as possible. Although radiographs can provide valuable informa- 5. Lameness Exam tion, they do not always identify the source of lameness. Many horses can have significant lameness Lameness is one of the most common potential per- without radiographic abnormalities. Horses can formance-limiting problems identified during pur- also have numerous radiographic abnormalities that chases exanimations. Therefore, a thorough do not cause lameness. Many horses can and do lameness exam should be completed as part of all perform well with lameness depending on the cause purchase examinations of performance horses. of lameness, intended discipline, and level of perfor- Preferably, the horse is observed in hand at a walk mance required by the purchaser. Determining and jog on a hard surface. Complete flexion tests of those problems that are manageable can be very the joints of the forelimbs and hindlimbs are com- helpful to the buyer’s decision. Occasionally, sell- pleted on every case. Although the interpretation ers will decline further in-depth evaluation of the of flexion tests is clinician dependent and can be lameness, and the horse is usually returned to them controversial,19 frequently performing these flexions to pursue the problem. will allow the clinician to determine what is signif- Radiographic evaluation is not an essential part of icant. Lunging on a soft surface to watch the horse every purchase examination, but most buyers want move freely is desirable in many cases. However, information on which to base their decision. Ra- horses in certain disciplines like calf roping and diography is the most common ancillary testing re- team roping are not lunged on a line, because lung- quested. Radiographs of the hocks and front feet ing on a line is unfamiliar to many Western-trained are the most commonly requested and performed. horses. Observing them move freely in a round pen They are usually warranted, because these are com- is useful, if available. mon areas of lameness.3–6 It is not uncommon for Observing the horse moving with a rider can pro- young Quarter Horses to be affected by developmen- vide additional valuable information in some cases. tal or traumatic injuries to their stifles, and there- Allowing the horse to rest after riding and then fore, it is common to radiograph these joints as well. reevaluating the horse in hand can often show sub- Barrel-racing horse prospects that have been previ- tle exercise-induced lameness. Although it is not ously used for racing are usually evaluated for com- always possible to observe the horse with a rider, it mon racing injuries such as carpal and fetlock chip can provide valuable information in come cases (e.g., fractures. One area that can easily be overlooked is

294 2009 ր Vol. 55 ր AAEP PROCEEDINGS IN-DEPTH: PRE-PURCHASE EXAM the rear fetlocks. Performance horses that do hard ican Association of Equine Practitioners Convention 1999; stops such as reining horses, calf horses, and cutting 24–26. horses can have traumatic injuries to the structures 2. Scoggins GA. How to reduce your liability exposure when performing purchase examinations, in Proceedings. 43rd of the rear fetlocks. Although some of these inju- Annual American Association of Equine Practitioners Con- ries are well tolerated, others, such as suspensory vention 1997;166–169. branch and insertion lesions, are not well tolerated 3. Lewis RD. Lameness in rodeo horses, in Proceedings. and have a tendency to reoccur. Careful evaluation 47th Annual American Association of Equine Practitioners with appropriate imaging, radiography and ultra- Convention 2001;1–5. sonography, is essential. Some cases warrant more 4. Jackman BR. Common lameness in the cutting and reining horse, in Proceedings. 47th Annual American Association of advanced imaging modalities being employed, and Equine Practitioners Convention 2001;6–11. these will be discussed elsewhere in this series. 5. Noble JK. Lameness in the western pleasure horse, in Pro- ceedings. 47th Annual American Association of Equine 6. Ancillary Testing Practitioners Convention 2001;12–14. A Coggins test for equine infectious anemia is al- 6. Galley RH. Injuries of the team roping horse, in Proceed- most always done, unless very recent testing has ings. 47th Annual American Association of Equine Practi- tioners Convention 2001;15–21. been performed. Some buyers request complete 7. Dabareiner RM, Cohen ND, Carter GK, et al. Lameness and blood count and serum chemistry panels be com- poor performance in horses used for team roping: 118 cases pleted. Often, the buyer may request drug testing, (2000–2003). J Am Vet Med Assoc 2005;226:1694–1699. usually for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, 8. Black JB. Purchase examination of the western show and and occasionally, urine samples are submitted at the performance horse, in Proceedings. 45th Annual American buyers request for complete drug-testing protocol. Association of Equine Practitioners Convention 1999;1–3. 9. Smith HA. Cutting, in Proceedings. 43rd Annual American Endoscopy is currently used as part of the pur- Association of Equine Practitioners Convention 1997;31–34. chase examination in horses that show at speed 10. Anderson GF. Reining, in Proceedings. 43rd Annual (e.g., barrel horses) where the noises associated with American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention airway abnormalities could be detrimental or in any 1997;35–36. horse that the buyers want this information to help 11. Stricklin JB. Barrel racing in Proceedings. 43rd Annual them with their decisions. American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention 1997;37–39. 7. Reports 12. Galley RH. The team roping horse, in Proceedings. 43rd Annual American Association of Equine Practitioners Con- The American Association of Equine Practitioners vention 1997;40–45. has approved guidelines for reporting purchase ex- 13. Currie AK. The western performance horse, in Proceedings. amination20 and that has been covered in depth.1 43rd Annual American Association of Equine Practitioners One cannot emphasize enough the importance of Convention 1997;46–48. appropriate communication about your opinions and 14. Wilson JF. Pitfalls of equine prepurchase exams part III, the seller. Calif Vet 1986:19–22. documentation in the form of a report to the client, 15. Parker J, Habin DJ. Examinations of the equine eye as part and a copy should be included in the record. A of the prior to purchase examination: part I. Equine Vet review of the attached reference list will aid the Edu 1994;6:333–341. reader in obtaining basic information about pur- 16. Parker J, Habin DJ. Examinations of the equine eye as part chase examinations and examples of record-keeping of the prior to purchase examination: part II. Equine Vet forms used by some authors. Edu 1995;7:43–48. 17. Parker J, Habin DJ. Examinations of the equine eye as part 8. Summary of the prior to purchase examination: part III. Equine Vet Edu 1995;7:94–98. Western horses are used for a variety of purposes. 18. American Quarter Horse Association. Show rules in Official Knowledge of their use and the occupational haz- handbook of rules and regulations. Amarillo, TX, 2009; ards of those uses can be very advantageous to the 124–126. veterinarian. A systematic thorough examination 19. Ramey DW. Prospective evaluation of forelimb flexion test of each horse should help the examining veterinar- in practice: clinical response, radiographs correlations, and predictive value for future lameness, in Proceedings. 43rd ian provide the most useful information to their Annual American Association of Equine Practitioners Con- clients. vention 1997;43:116–120. 20. American Association of Equine Practitioners. AAEP guide- References lines for reporting purchase examinations. In: AAEP re- 1. Moyer WA, Werner HW. Risk reductions in reporting of the source guide and membership directory. Lexington, KY, purchase examinations, in Proceedings. 45th Annual Amer- 1999;6–7.

AAEP PROCEEDINGS ր Vol. 55 ր 2009 295