Straight from the Horse’s Mouth – Equine Dental Care is a Must!

Is your horse evading the bit?  Tossing his head?  Refusing to flex or turn?  Believe it or not, the teeth can have a lot to do with this!  

Annual tooth care is the general rule, but age, conformation and health can dictate more frequent exams.  Youngsters are shedding baby teeth and it's important to check on proper exfoliation.  The mouths of middle-aged horses have stabilized, but it’s important to prevent wave mouth or ramping with at least annual floating. Seniors can fracture molars, form pockets that trap food or develop uneven wear, all of which can become critical, so it’s important to stay ahead of these issues with annual or more frequent exams.  

When your Veterinarian or Equine Dentist comes to provide tooth care, be sure they use a speculum with a bright light and examine all the way back....not just pull a cheek off to the side for a quick peek.  The majority of problems happen in the back 1/3rd of the mouth, including ulcers, wave, ramps, hooks, and lacerations of the tongue and cheeks. 

And, when treatment is required, less is better when it comes to removing tooth structure.  Your horse needs to be able properly chew his food to stay healthy and happy well into his 20s.

At Cold River , we take a whole horse approach to horse care, and that includes effective dental treatments.  And you can take that “straight from the horse’s mouth!”