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A Pre-Purchase Exam (PPE, or “vetting”) is an independent veterinary assessment of a horse before you buy. You commission and pay for it — ideally using a vet with no prior relationship to the seller.

What the vet checks

• Eyes, heart and lungs — at rest and after exercise
• Limbs, feet, and flexion tests for signs of lameness
• Teeth, skin, and overall condition
• A full exam also works the horse hard, then re-assesses it after a rest period

Basic vs full

• 2-stage (basic): cheaper, no strenuous work — suits low-value or light-use horses
• 5-stage (full): recommended for performance or higher-value horses

Rough cost

Expect roughly £250–£600 in the UK or $250–$700 in the US, more with x-rays or blood tests. Ask for blood to be stored so it can be tested later for masking drugs.

Ask these before you travel or pay anything. Vague or defensive answers are themselves a signal.

History

• Why is the horse for sale?
• How long have you owned it?
• Who has ridden it, and at what level?
• Has it been vetted before — can I see the report?

Health

• Any current or past lameness, injury, or medication?
• Is it on any supplements or painkillers right now?
• Any vices — weaving, crib-biting, box-walking?
• Any allergies or sweet itch?

Trying the horse

• Can I see it caught, tacked up, and ridden by you first?
• Can I ride it more than once?
• Will you agree to a vetting by my own vet?

Most horse-sale fraud follows a few patterns. None alone proves a scam, but treat them as stop signs.

Common scams

• Photo theft — the same photos appear on other listings (reverse-image-search them)
• Deposit scams — pressure to wire a deposit to “hold” a horse you haven’t seen
• Bait-and-switch — the horse that arrives isn’t the one advertised
• Off-platform pivot — the seller pushes you to WhatsApp or email straight away

Protect yourself

• Ask for a short selfie video of the horse with today’s date written on paper
• Never send deposits by bank transfer or gift card
• See the horse in person before any money changes hands
• Be wary of prices well below market for the breed, age, and level

The listing pushes a fast sale — “must go this week”, “first to see will buy”, “moving abroad, need gone”.

Why it matters

Time pressure is designed to stop you vetting or viewing properly. Genuine sellers of sound horses rarely need to rush you.

What to ask

Why the deadline? Can I still arrange a vetting? — and be ready to walk away if you’re pushed.

Phrases like “needs an experienced rider”, “not a novice ride”, “green”, or “would suit a confident home”.

Why it matters

“Project” often means training gaps or behaviour issues — fine if that’s what you want, costly and risky if you expected a finished horse.

What to ask

What exactly does it struggle with? What does it do when worried? Can I see it ridden in that situation?

Conditions like “sold as seen”, “no vetting”, “no trials”, or “cash only”.

Why it matters

These shift all the risk to you and block the normal protections — vetting, trying, traceable payment.

What to ask

Why no vetting or trial? Refusal to allow an independent vetting is a strong reason to walk away.

The seller has owned the horse only weeks or months, or is selling “for a friend”.

Why it matters

Quick flips can hide a problem the seller found — or mean they can’t actually answer questions about the horse’s history.

What to ask

When and where did you buy it, and why sell so soon? Who knows its full history?

Signs the seller is a dealer with many horses — multiple live listings, a trade or yard name, high turnover.

Why it matters

Dealers aren’t bad, but your consumer rights, return terms, and how long they’ve actually known the horse differ from a private sale.

What to ask

Are you a registered dealer? How long have you had this horse, and what are your return terms?

Health described in fuzzy, reassuring terms — “no known issues”, “sound as far as I know”, “never needed the vet”.

Why it matters

Absence of records isn’t proof of health; vague wording can paper over known problems.

What to ask

Any lameness, medication, or vet visits ever? Can I see vaccination, dental, and any past vetting records?

Superlatives with nothing behind them — “bombproof”, “100% in every way”, “perfect first pony”, “will do anything”.

Why it matters

No horse is 100% anything; over-the-top claims often don’t survive a viewing and set false expectations.

What to ask

Ask for specifics and proof — video in traffic, clipping, loading; competition records; references.

A combination of cues that can mean a horse is medicated to mask lameness or calm it for the sale — unusually quiet demeanour together with “sold as seen”, urgency, and no vetting.

Why it matters

Common masking drugs — bute, painkillers, sedatives — wash out within days, so problems can reappear after you buy.

What to ask

Insist on a vetting that takes a blood sample, stored so it can be tested later for masking drugs.