Don’t forget about the teeth! Horses are grazing animals, and having proper dental care is important so that can digest their food properly. Good dental care can help prevent colic, choke, weight loss, and poor feed utilization. Dental issues can also lead to bitting issues and poor performance.
Horses have between 36 and 42 teeth. This number varies because of the presence of canines (typically in males and “wolf” teeth). In order to grind their food, the upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw in a horse. Over time, sharp edges form on the outer edge of the upper teeth and the inside of the lower teeth. These sharp edges can cause ulcers in the mouth and are actually quite painful. Other common dental problems are broken teeth (which need to be removed), caps, and wolf teeth (which can interfere with the bit). You should have your horses teeth checked at least once a year.
Floating refers to the process of filing sharp edges down to create a proper grinding surface. Your horse will be sedated so that we can place a speculum in his mouth. This allows us to be able to properly visualize all the teeth. The points will be filed with power float. We also make sure no teeth need to be pulled.
Please call to schedule a float.
