Young Horse Prepurchase examinations

We often get asked what do you look for on a young horse prepurchase? Well this time can be difficult. 

Less than a year old is very hard time to vet check a horse. This is because there are limitations on what you can look for and things can change. By this I mean there can be the appearance of OCD lesions in a joint, which can disappear by the time the horse reaches 18 months of age. So examining a horse less than 12 months we are looking at the basic body systems to ensure no issues. 

As a horse progresses to 12 months + we can start to see with more certainty what is happening with the joints. At this age we are looking for OCD lesions. The main areas to survey would include: Stifle, Hock, Fetlock joints and possibly feet. Stifle and hock would be the main areas to concentrate. At this age we recommend at least x-rays of the stifles and hocks. The reason for this is often surgery may be needed to correct any issues in this area. Equally if you have a stifle cyst surgery can be performed but we are still unsure of the long term success of the surgery. Removing fragments from a joint such as a stifle or hock often carries a good prognosis depending on the size and extent of an OCD lesion, but you may not want to have to perform surgery. 

So the take home is that at a young age you have to balance trying to assess a young horse as much as possible but you are limited. We recommend some x-rays to screen for OCD lesions. If in doubt give us a call to have a chat.