Your horse needs regular dental care from a professional veterinarian or equine dentist. They will examine their teeth for issues and file down sharp points. When communicating with your dentist, you’ll want to use correct terminology. This list should prove to be helpful!

Equine Dental Terms

1. Floating: An examination and adjustment performed on the teeth. It often means to level or file down.
2. Cap: A baby tooth sitting on top of an adult tooth that is ready to erupt.
3. Permanent: A horse’s adult teeth.
4. Deciduous: The baby teeth, which are replaced by permanent ones.
5. Incisors: The front teeth used to grasp and pull grass.
6. Premolars: Used for grinding, these teeth are the first three sets of large teeth on the top and bottom jaw.
7. Molars: The 2nd three sets of large teeth found on the top and bottom jaw. They’re also used for grinding.
8. Wolf teeth: The first premolar teeth. They don’t have a chewing function and are often extracted before training begins.
9. Crown: The part of the tooth that has erupted above the surface, not the root.
10. Eruption: The act of the tooth crown coming out into the mouth from the jaw bone.

There are many other terms that could be helpful to learn, but this top ten list will get you started on the right tract.

Spring Checklist

1. Submit a fecal sample to your veterinarian or use a mail-in kit. You can create a deworming program around the results.
2. Schedule an appointment with your equine dentist. They can give your horse an annual float and look for problem areas.
3. Have your farrier pull off snow pads if you used them this winter. You’ll also want to keep your horse on a regular trimming schedule. Expect lots of growth this new season!
4. Use a weight tape and rate your horse’s body condition. You may need to make changes with hay, grain, and supplements.
5. Discuss with your veterinarian which vaccines they recommend for your area.
6. Update their Coggins, especially if you plan to show or travel.
7. Develop a plan to steadily bring your horse back into working condition.
8. Check your tack for proper fit. Your horse’s body could have experienced changes over winter.
9. Slowly adjust your horse to spring pasture, and be aware of their risk for laminitis.
10. Examine your fencing and gates. Makes sure they’re safe and secure!

Who’s ready for warmer weather and more riding?!?

You can take measure to make life a little easier for your older guy or gal. Follow these helpful tips!

5 Tips for Senior Horse Care

1. Regular dental appointments: Your equine dentist should be checking your older horse’s teeth more frequently. If their teeth begin to cause them trouble, then they may start dropping food from their mouth or refusing to eat altogether. The dentist will be able to diagnosis any problems.

2. Switch their grain: In many cases, an older horse will have trouble with regular grain. If they begin to drop weight or lose condition, then it might be time to switch them to a senior feed. Most contain easily digestible fiber sources, higher protein, and trace minerals.

3. Adequate protection: Your senior horse will benefit from a run-in shelter and possibly blankets. They require extra protection from the rain, snow, wind, and sun.

4. Regular vaccines: Vaccinations will help to protect your horse from infectious disease. With age, they tend to be more susceptible.

5. Exercise if possible: As long as your horse is able, it’s ideal to provide them with some sort of exercise. It can help to minimize joint stiffness and prevent muscle loss. Saddle work isn’t the only way to exercise them. You can also drive, hand walk, or even lunge them.

The best thing you can do- pay attention! Look for changes in their behavior and body. If something is going on, you want to identify it right away.

You may also find ‘How To Feed The Senior Horse In Your Barn‘ helpful!

Top Causes of an Underweight Horse

Dental problems: An equine dentist should perform a checkup on your horse annually. In the meantime, watch out for a horse that drops feed while chewing, a foul smell, and facial swellings.

Gastric ulcers: Small, frequent meals and plenty of field time can decrease your horse’s chance of ulcers. If they have them, you may notice an attitude change and poor appetite.

Stress: Vices like stall weaving, cribbing, and pacing are good indicators of stress. Try to get your horse outside more in a herd environment.

Parasites: A dull coat, itchy tail, and lack of appetite could suggest your horse has a worm problem. Make sure to perform a fecal count and practice proper field management.

Illness: Certain diseases can make it difficult for your horse to absorb the nutrients from their food properly. Speak to your veterinarian, if you believe this may be the case.

Not enough food: Some horses just need more intake. They may burn it easily or just be hard keepers. An equine nutritionist can offer advice on proper feed amounts.

Act fast if your horse is underweight! It can cause serious health issues.

1. Geldings and stallions have between 36 and 44 permanent teeth. Adult mares have between 36 and 40.

2. In the front of the mouth, each horse has six upper and six lower teeth that are known as incisors. These handy teeth grab grass and other foliage.

3. The back of the mouth is home to 12 upper and lower molars. These bad boys help your horse grind their food for digestion.

4. Young horses have 24 milk teeth, also known as caps.

5. Teeth begin to surface within a week of birth. At six months, a mouth of caps should be present. By age five, the milk teeth should be replaced with permanent adult teeth.

6. Wolf teeth can be found in some horses. This vestigial tooth is usually removed when the horse is still young in order to prevent problems in the future. They’re similar to a person’s wisdom teeth.

7. They’re continuously surfacing and erupting from the gum. Nearly 1/8 inch per year of tooth eruption should be expected. Luckily, as your horse grinds their food they wear their teeth down.

8. Once a year, an equine dentist can come to your farm to ‘float’ your horse’s teeth. This process removes sharp edges.

9. Your horse may have a dental problem if they begin to lose weight, have cheek sensitivity, and excess salivation.

10. Lastly, horse teeth take up more space in their heads than their brains!

Whoa! That’s a whole lot of information. What new facts did you learn?

1. Farrier – They provide care to the hooves of your horse. This may include trimming, shaping, applying shoes, and resolving lameness. Depending on experience and location, farriers can charge as little as $60 for shoes or as much as $300. Salaries can range considerably, but the average reported is around $92,623 a year.
2. Veterinarian – Services such as annual exams and shots, emergency care, reproductive health, and soundness evaluations can all be part of their job duties. Those with an established practice may yield approximately $85,000 annually.
3. Dental Technician – Earning as much as $76,000 a year, dental technicians float teeth and resolve problems in the mouth.
4. Sales Representative – Those specializing in the sale of equine products and feed may make nearly $70,000 annually. Some jobs may be inside sales or outside sales, depending on the company and position. Many will require at least some travel.
5. Mounted Police Officer – By enforcing the law and controlling crowds, the average mounted police officer yields around $53,000 a year.
6. Broodmare Manager – They assist in the breeding operation of show or race horses. This can include foal watch, teasing mares, and the aftercare of mare and foal. Salaries are about $40,000 a year.

Choosing a career in the horse industry can be difficult, but with proper research you’ll be on your way to a high-earning equine position!