Professional Documents
Culture Documents
December 2011
31
VETERINARY
SALE X-RAYS
of maturity, what sort of racing it will do, and how it will be trained. There are some specific joint lesions which have been shown in Australia and US studies to be closely related to poorer racing performance. If these specific poor prognosis lesions are seen on the x-rays, your veterinarian will advise you of them and explain the risks. In the case of other x-ray changes, your veterinarian will discuss with you your plans for the horse and how the combination of its physical conformation, training and the x-ray changes may affect it. The veterinarian will usually provide the buyer with a risk rating for the horse based on these discussions. When buying any yearling, information from sales x-rays is only one factor in the decision, and x-rays should be considered as part of the whole picture of the horse. Lameness is the major cause of poor performance in racehorses and a major cause of many horses not getting to the track in the first place. Early information on potential problems can help with the design and management of the horses training and racing program. Sales x-rays examined by a veterinarian who understands both the science and the buyers requirements provide the opportunity to make informed decisions on this subject.