Re: pre-purchase exams

["sharon dial" <dial@pe.net>]

> I guess my question is, what do you
> think of flexion tests?  are they anything to consider, I know if I held
my
> leg up like that for a minute, I would be slightly off.

Renee,

My understanding of flexion tests is that the vet looks for differences in
the responses from one leg to the other. Naturally all horses will trot away
from the flexion test with discomfort - what they're looking for is
similarity of response. It's that one leg that's more off than the other
three, for instance, that will lead the vet to investigate further to try to
figure out why.

I think the more rigorous the vet check the better job the vet's doing. I
figure it's his/her job to find problems, both big and small. When he gives
you a list of issues - and there will pretty much always be something on the
negative side - then you and the vet can decide which problems you can live
with and which you can't.

Sharon in California