Posterhorse Presents: Reflections of the Rockies

Have you ever wondered if your horse’s teeth need floated?

Have you ever heard the old saying ‘Long in the tooth’? There
is a reason for that saying when speaking of horses. A horse’s
teeth are constantly growing throughout their entire life span.
Hence, the saying, ‘Long in the Tooth’. A horse grazes and
eats continuously, they are eating machines. As a result the
grinding surface of the teeth wear down over time but they do
not always wear evenly, which would be wonderful. Uneven wear
on the grinding surfaces of the horses teeth and may result in
hooks or sharp points that will cause considerable pain and
discomfort to your horse.

Many horse owners (not all) seem to neglect their horses mouth hygiene
until the horse goes off his feed.  If your horse seems hesitant
when it is feeding time or large amounts of feed drops from the horses
mouth you may need to have your horses teeth checked for sharp points in
his mouth or uneven wearing of his teeth which will hinder his
eating habits. Some horses become difficult to bit-up, chewing
constantly on the bit and tossing their heads; this is usually
a sign of a tooth problem.

Your veterinarian will examine your horse’s teeth and mouth
for any problems.  They may just need floated (this is when the
vet removes any hooks from the horse’s mouth and smooth out any
rough or uneven edges with his file). After the vet has
corrected the horse’s teeth you will see an immense difference
in his eating habits.

You should have your horses teeth and mouth checked once
a year. Make it part of your horses yearly check-up for
optimum horse health.

Hope this helps!
Michele Anderson
Posterhorse.com

Tags: equine dental hygiene, horse care, horse health, teeth floating