24 Oct 2025
A new declaration, requiring sellers to disclose key clinical information before a pre-purchase examination takes place, will streamline the process for them, their buyers and vets.
Allister Webb
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A new document has been unveiled that officials hope will mean equine vets no longer need to act as “a middleman” during horse sales.
The new Seller’s Declaration is part of a revised Pre-Purchase Examination (PPE) toolkit that BEVA officials believe can improve the process for all parties.
The document, which replaces a previous PPE worksheet that listed questions for attending clinicians to raise, now requires sellers to disclose key information such as previous veterinary interventions before a PPE takes place.
BEVA veterinary projects officer Lucy Grieve said that would make the process “smoother and more efficient” for the seller, buyer and vet alike.
She added: “The advantage is it cuts out the vet as a middleman, asking if the horse has received any medication, or coughs on dry hay and so on.
“The new Seller’s Declaration means that the seller should declare those things to the buyer straight off.
“If completed in advance, it should give the buyer more robust information on which to base proceeding with the PPE or not.”
The project has been developed with the support of both British Equestrian and the British Horse Society, whose director of horse care and welfare, Gemma Stanford, described the document as “a great, supportive resource” to the sales process.
She said: “Sellers can easily input all the information required in one go, while buyers have peace of mind that they’re making an informed decision. Critically, it’ll ensure that the welfare of the horse is always the key priority.”
Further information for sellers is also available via the BEVA website.
