Did you know that domestic horses need regular dental check ups?
A combination of factors, including how a horse chews his food
and the way a horse’s teeth continue to erupt through the gum
during his lifetime, can create sharp edges or hooks that can
actually cut his cheeks and tongue, affecting his eating and
making it painful to be ridden with a bit in his mouth. Properly
cared for teeth help the horse chew feed more effectively—he
won’t drop as much, and there won’t be a build-up of improperly
chewed food in his stomach that could cause impaction colic.
Veterinarians often perform horse dental work, and there are
also specialized equine dentists. They generally recommend
dental check ups every six months to a year, depending on the
horse’s needs. When a vet or equine dentist takes off those
sharp edges with a file, it’s called “floating” the teeth. This
used to be done with a hand tool that looks like a large file
(called a “float”), but many vets and equine dentists now use a
power file with a diamond he