Dr. Hand suggests the key to success is performing prepurchase exams consistently and confidently, with an understanding of the clients' goals. | Photo: Kevin Thompson/The Horse

As much as buyers want veterinarians to perform a prepurchase exam and predict a horse’s future, the equine doctor’s medical kit doesn’t include a crystal ball.

“The client does want us to predict,” Reese Hand, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, told practitioners at the 65th Annual American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 7-11, 2019, in Denver, Colorado. “They want us to tell them that a horse is going to be sound for so many years and that he’s going to be productive at whatever job he’s going to be asked to do.

“But keep in mind, the prepurchase exam is not a guarantee,” he continued. “You’re looking at this horse at one point in time, and you’re trying to give the buyer as much information as you can—including possible risk factors—so he can make a proper decision. But it’s a window