When a final price has been agreed on, we schedule the blood test and the veterinary exam, Lusitano Horse Search works directly with three of the top Equine Veterinarians in Portugal.

If the horse is sold to a non-European country, we highly recommend having it tested for various diseases prior to its exportation. The horse will be tested for the same diseases upon arrival in the destination country. If the horse is sold to the USA, a blood draw must be made to test for the following diseases:

• Equine Piroplasmosis (C-ELISA test, CFT test and immunofluorescence protocol)
• Equine Infections Anaemia (Coggins test)
• Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM test – only required for mares and stallions)

Once the blood draw has been sent to the laboratory, it takes about 5 working days to get the results. It takes 7 working days for the CEM test.

If the horse is negative for the blood tests, we will then do the vet check and x-rays. We ask owners to take videos of the flexions as well as the circles on the hard and soft ground.

We urge sellers to take x-rays of their horse before they present them to clients to make sure there are no major issues although most of the horses we sell have been vetted it might happen though that some horses do not have any x-rays and in that case x-rays and vetting expenses are due to the buyer who will keep the exams for him/herself.