Thanks for your response. I’m going to pass on him.
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Makes sense to pass. One more thing that indicates you probably made a wise decision: why is he 7 with only 12 starts? Even factoring in the OTT year, that’s still an ~6 year old without many starts, which might be because he kept having physical issues and needed repeated rest/rehab.
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That is the better question, imo 
Granted, of the last several equines I’ve purchased, I only did a true PPE on one (the weanling) and the vet was either horrible or unethical and missed epiphysitis in BOTH stifles, which I had xrayed by him and the films emailed to me for review by my personal vet. Even I could see it on the films 
.He also missed the umbilical hernia that I noticed when she arrived.
Speaking from experience of buying a horse with lameness that came up on the PPE, I think that’s a good decision.
You know, PPEs come in all shapes, sizes and $$. Theres no one size fits all. In many cases( honestly, make that most cases), a decent vet just needs to see the horse move on flat ground, preferably WTC on a lunge but WT on a straight line will do for anything obvious to the vet. Thats pretty inexpensive.
If its off/ moving asymmetrically at that point, the exam is over unless buyer wants to add a zero to the PPE price. You dont have to spend more then the horse is worth for the opinion of an experienced vet on basic suitability for your intended use. Depending on specifics, yor vet and your location, a basic physical exam-look at movement, vision, simple respiration check (with a plastic bag), heart sounds, hoof testers and flexions takes about 20 minutes, doesn’t require expensive equipment and should not exceed 500 if that. Its just to identify a disqualifying problem, not diagnose the cause, thats what runs the PPE costs up.
Tracking down underlying causes of observed unsoundness gets very pricey and should be on the sellers dime not the buyer, particularly since, IME, seller who has owned a horse for a long time KNOWS exactly what and why. Even if they are “nice” and seem surprised,
So, yes you should always get a basic physical exam type PPE unless you are quite experienced and can afford a lay up or extensive dx and treatment to return it to work.
I know you walked here anyway but keep in mind if you cant afford to carry an unusable horse? What makes you think a seller can? Even chucked out in a field, horses cost money and if could possibly be sold, it gets sold. There are good reasons horses might sit but not with a history, or lack thereof, like this 7 year old has in a race stable, most of which are very businesslike and without extra cash for unusable horses that could be sold.
One other thing I learned the hard way, most horses are sweet tempered. Until you get them fed up, healthy and fit then expect them to behave and work on a regular basis. Then they start acting like brats and reveal the holes…or craters…in their training and attitude.
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Just one of my mistakes- I liked a lovely sizeable OTTB so much that when the first PPE vet pointed out an issue that would very likely be problematic, I got a second opinion. Second vet said same thing. As much as i wanted it to work out, I had to pass.
Also, Findeight’s post says it best as my own experiences over the years have been similar.
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