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ave you noticed that your horse is tossing their head more than normal? Perhaps spitting out gobs of feed? It may be that your horse needs their teeth done.
Equine dentists can be found around the country, some do their work by hand while others use power tools. They don’t brush your horse’s teeth, rather they help make sure the teeth are wearing well and file off any sharp points caused by irregular wear. Some veternarians also do dental procedures but they usually don’t specialize in the work. Horses younger than 5 years old should see a dentist about every six months. Young horses may have teeth that are coming in wrong and, as they age, they may have wolf teeth that need to be removed.
Tonya Corra is a equine dentist who has found rivets (above) and sticks (below) in the mouths of horses.
Wolf teeth are small teeth that are located in front of the first upper molars. Just like some people need their molars removed, some horses need their wolf teeth removed, Because wolf teeth are small, they can have small, sensitive roots; the combination can be very irritating to a horse when he has a bit in his mouth. After age five, a horse may only need to see the equine dentist annually. However if your horse suddenly starts shaking their head a lot, loosing weight, has a odor from their mouth, or just seems uncomfortable in the mouth area it may be time to have them looked at. Regular dental care is a relatively easy and low-cost way to help your equine stay healthy. (left) Twenty-two year old, Draken, is relaxed but alert as equine dentist Nola Haupert-Keill files down a sharpedged tooth.