Dentistry
Unfortunately most horse owners have neglected proper dental care. Most people assume that if their horse isn’t losing weight or dropping grain then their teeth are fine. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The picture to the left shows the teeth of a fat, well cared for, Quarter horse mare that wasn’t dropping any feed while eating.
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The teeth were checked as part of a routine exam. The massive hooks on the upper cheek teeth were so long they were jabbing her in the lower jaw every time she closed her mouth. This is just one of many examples of how tough horses can be. They can have some very severe abnormalities although they may show very little signs of being in pain.
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Horses teeth are very different from ours. They continuously erupt throughout the horse’s life and are constantly being ground down during normal eating. The fact that the lower teeth are narrower than the upper teeth and that the upper and lower teeth meet at an angle allows for very sharp edges to form on the outer surface of the upper teeth and the inner surface of the lower teeth. Most horses need these sharp points ground down at least once a year in order to remain comfortable.
Yearly dental exams and floats should not only be performed to keep your horse comfortable now but also to help prolong its life. Maintaining proper balance between the upper and lower teeth helps them to wear evenly.
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This insures that as your horse gets older, it doesn’t run out of teeth due to improper wear. With routine exams problems such as fractured teeth, retained caps and uneven wear can be corrected before it becomes a threat to your horse’s health.
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An additional advantage that many owners report after having their horse’s teeth floated is less fighting of the bit. Sharp points and other dental abnormalities can cause pain when the rider places pressure on the bit.
Often times horses who have been bad about tossing their heads or resisting turning one breitling replica direction or the other become much more cooperative after the pain is removed.
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If all of the above hasn’t convinced you that your horse needs a dental exam and float at least once a year then consider this. Research has shown that horses that have had proper dental care chew their food better and therefore not only do they have a lower incidence of colic but are also able to derive more nutrients out of less food.
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That equals money in your pocket by being able to feed as much as two pounds less grain per horse per day. Over the course of a year this more than makes up for the cost of replica watches uk a float.
Please contact our office to schedule your horse’s dental exam.