Several folks have sent me messages wanting to know how to avoid getting
"took" when buying a horse; most especially, how to recognize drugs that
can mask a serious lameness.

Any drug that's going to affect the demeanor of a bad horse is going to be
fairly obvious but a neurectomy or a nerve block can be both effective and
deceptive as hell.   A posterior digital neurectomy can last for the life of the
horse and an alcohol block can last for weeks - so you want to make damn
sure you don't buy anything that's been nerved or injected with something
that interferes with the transmission of nervous impulses (blocked).

The answer is headslappingly simple and a retractable ballpoint pen is the
weapon of choice.  Before the sale, have the help get whatever horse(s) you're
looking at out of the stall or pen so you can carefully examine the beast's legs
from the knee down.  During your exam, poke the bulb of each heel with your
retracted ballpoint.  No reaction?  Repeat a bit harder. Still no reaction? The
horse has been blocked or nerved.

When you're sure you're not getting a reaction, you might wonder aloud - very
aloud - about what kind of dishonest asshole would try to run a nerved or
blocked horse through a sale ring.

I've seen fistfights over a hell of a lot less at sale barns.