May 18, 2010

Smile...though your heart is aching.

The Equine Dentist visited the farm a couple of days ago. His name is Mr. Nice (really, truly) and he brushed, flossed, and handed out toothbrushes to his horsey patients. Equine dentistry is a field that has grown exponentially as we have learned more about the care and keeping of our equine friends. Regular dentistry improves the horse's health and overall quality of life. For our show horses, keeping their teeth in good working order ensures that there are no roadblocks when it comes to wearing a bridle and learning to yield to hand cues.

Here are a few horsey dental facts:
Observation of horses teeth dates back over 2000 years.
Floating of horses teeth (which is smoothing out the uneven edges) dates as far back in England to the 1600's.
The Germans had equine dental charts from the 1800's.
Floats and other instruments have been dated back to 1817.
Power tools have existed since 1895.
A horse's teeth continue to erupt their entire life at the rate of about 1/8th of an inch/year.

Mr. Nice comes with a menacing array of dental toys and devices that would intimidate even the most stalwart patient. His thorough exam identifies areas of the mouth where the teeth may be causing abrasions to the cheek, not wearing evenly with one another, or perhaps an occasional reluctant baby tooth on a young horse. Below are photos of Chevy during his routine dental exam.

2 comments:

  1. The things I'm learning today!! Thanks!

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  2. Wow! Some great facts here! I think that equine dentistry is coming more to the front now alongside the rise in animal welfare and wellbeing. My new horse had a visit from the dentist and had some Equine Capps Inserts fitted, although it still startles me the number of horse owners who take their horses to the vet instead of an specialist equine dentist!

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