Vetting

Veterinary examination can be useful when purchasing a new horse or sometimes for insurance purposes. A full vetting consists of five stages:

Stage 1

Preliminary examination is a complete physical examination including general appearance/condition, teeth, heart, eyes, skin, limbs, feet, joints and back.

Stage 2

Trotting up detects gross abnormalities of gait and action; flexion tests of the joints can be done here.

Stage 3

Strenuous exercise can detect abnormal breathing, heart defects, stiffness or lameness.

Stage 4

Period of rest can reveal breathing and heart abnormalities as resting heart level returns.

Stage 5

Second trot up highlights any locomotor problems induced by exercise and rest. Reflexes are tested by sharp turns and backing up.

On purchasing a new horse we would always recommend that all five stages be undertaken. However, two stages is an option in some circumstances (restricted to stage 1 and stage 2).