Horses have two types of teeth. The long, narrow front incisors are designed to cut blades of grass. The flat, blunt molars grind grass into smaller pieces. You may not notice your horse actually chewing when he eats, because the very act of bringing the front teeth together causes to molars to perform their grinding action. Of course, at times, your horse may raise her head to look at something while eating, and you may be able to watch her chew then.
Like our hooves, our teeth will continue to grow throughout our lives. After a while, uneven wear on the teeth can cause sharp points and hooks. Eventually, these edges can cut the tongue, cheeks, or gums. These sores can make it painful to eat. Mom once saw a horse whose bottom tooth had actually perforated the top of the mouth into the nose; the hole was so large that feed would start to come out the horse's nose.
If you notice your horse spilling feed as he chews, or if he's losing weight despite a good diet and being properly dewormed, it may be time to have his teeth looked at. Your vet can do a simple procedure called floating. Your horse might be lightly sedated, and a halter-like speculum may be inserted into his mouth to keep it open. The vet will use a metal rasp, like a file, to file down the sharp points of the teeth. This won't cause your horse any pain, and will make eating more comfortable for him.
Some male horses grow extra teeth, called Wolf teeth in the bar of the mouth, the space between the front teeth and the molars. Because this bar is the same place a bit rests on when the horse is wearing a bridle, Wolf teeth may sometimes interfere with the action of the bit, or cause pain when the horse is ridden. These teeth do not go very deep into the jaw, and can easily be pulled by a vet.
Horse people may recommend having a vet check your horse's teeth every year, and twice a year after the age of 15. I've never had my teeth looked at by a vet. But mom watches me eat, keeps track of my weight, and often looks into my mouth herself. I'm confident that when it's time to have my teeth floated, she'll know.
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Keeping a Backyard Horse
No FicciónHay is for horses! Everyone knows that, but do you know how much hay they need? Or how much water? Did you know your horse can talk to you with his ears? Or that he can sleep standing up? Follow along with Athena the horse as she explains the basics...
