[1] Upon completion of the prepurchase exam, the veterinarian may use a variety of terms to describe the horse's current health status.
A horse may be categorized as "serviceably sound" if it has some structural problems, but is able to perform its intended purpose.
A urine sample is usually required of competition horses to ensure the absence of performance-altering medications.
Radiography, nuclear scans and ultrasonography may be necessary to determine soundness, with special emphasis placed on the examination of the navicular bone and distal phalanx.
Higher radiographic grades of these areas are usually indicative of lameness and should be noted in a prepurchase exam.