| Unlike humans that chew their food, horses grind their | | | | amount of length to them. This is why elderly horses |
| food; a process called mastication. Because of this | | | | eventually must be fed very soft mixtures of feed |
| grinding motion which is from side to side, horses teeth | | | | because they no longer have teeth that are growing; |
| will become sharp on the outside next to their cheek, | | | | meaning their teeth are worn out and may eventually |
| and on the inside bottom next to their tongue. As you | | | | lose some of the teeth they have left. So it is very |
| can guess, if you do not have a horse dentist come in | | | | important that you have a dentist that knows what he |
| and float their teeth, meaning the dentist will have long | | | | or she is doing. You do not want their teeth taken |
| handled tools called floats, go into their mouths and | | | | down too much as this will affect their ability to |
| take off the sharp edges of both the top and bottom | | | | masticate and shorten the life of their teeth for the |
| of their teeth, your horse will encounter problems | | | | future. |
| grinding and digesting their food in the proper manner. | | | | Personally, as a general rule, I like horses that are not in |
| There are a lot of misconceptions about horses' teeth | | | | training and are full mouthed, (meaning having a full set |
| and how often they need to be floated, and at what | | | | of teeth grown in), usually at the age of five years, |
| age you should start with dentistry. | | | | done every six months. I had racing horses checked |
| Just as in most areas concerning horses, opinions vary | | | | about every three months, just for taking off the |
| greatly. I can only give you the formula that has | | | | edges, checking for caps, and helping to insure proper |
| worked for me and my four legged friends. Because | | | | mastication and digestion. If your horse is not grinding |
| of having two year olds in training, and having food in | | | | their food properly, the grains will not be absorbed as |
| front of them constantly, (which means a lot of food | | | | they should, will flow through the system losing |
| consumption), I started using a dentist for these two | | | | precious nutrients, and may cause loss of weight even |
| year olds in the latter months of the second year. This | | | | though they are being fed the proper amount of food |
| is because as three year olds, they have what they | | | | for their age, size, breed and amount of work. |
| call caps on their back molars which are basically baby | | | | Some horses may go as long as a year between |
| teeth that are being undermined by the growing in of | | | | floatings. This is probably the usual amount of time that |
| their permanent teeth. | | | | the majority of people allow their horses to go in |
| These caps can be left to fall out on their own but | | | | between dental visits. Having your horses teeth floated |
| they usually are very bothersome to the horses, | | | | is just as important as worming and blacksmith work. If |
| sometimes causing them to go off of their feed | | | | you are riding your horse and he or she is constantly |
| because it is hard for them to masticate. Signs of this | | | | flipping their head, giving you a hard time when you ask |
| will be a constant tilting of their head and moving their | | | | the horse to turn, there probably is an issue involving |
| tongue around in an unusual manner. Caps are not the | | | | their teeth. |
| only issue. Wolf teeth can also be painful for the horse | | | | The sharp edges created by mastication can be like |
| when you put the bridle on and the bit in their mouth. | | | | razor blades cutting either into your horses tongue or |
| As the rider pulls back on the reins causing the bit to | | | | onto the cheeks of their mouth. Horse dentists are not |
| move in the horses' mouth up against the wolf tooth, | | | | too terribly expensive and in the long run will save you |
| there can be not only great pain but a very | | | | from going through hardships with your horse. Floating |
| disagreeable head throwing horse to follow. Wolf teeth | | | | the teeth of a horse that has severe edges and is |
| are rogue teeth that are easily removed. It is usually | | | | underweight can make the difference of hundreds of |
| necessary to have them removed as well. | | | | pounds of flesh on their body and will help them to |
| Horses' teeth grow constantly from what is called the | | | | again be a happy horse. Happy horse...happy owner. |
| alveolus. This means that the teeth have only a certain | | | | |