My Horses Get a Visit From their Lay Equine Dentist
A comprehensive preventive health care program for horses should always include regular dental visits.
Twice a year, my horses are seen by their lay equine dentist, Brian Stuart. Unlike human teeth, equine teeth are constantly growing, which means their bites are always changing. Because of this, it is very important for a horse’s mouth to be examined for any sharp edges or misaligned molars. The process of correcting these conditions is called floating - filing or rasping an equine’s teeth so that chewing surfaces are smooth and properly contoured for eating. These days, power floating has become a popular method, but I prefer the all-natural, more traditional hand filing process. Yesterday, Brian came to my stable to check on all my horses, including the newest residents, Geert and Hylke.
Here are some photos.
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- This is the Stable, located at the foot of my long Boxwood Allee and within view of my Winter House. Currently, my stable has 10 equids – my five donkeys, Rufus, Billie, Clive, Jude “JJ” Junior, and Truman “TJ” Junior, my four Friesian horses – Rinze, Bond, Hylke, and Geert, and my Fell pony, Banchunch.
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- Yesterday, all my Friesians and Banchunch got their teeth checked. These are Brian’s tools of the trade. They are called floats. When not being used on a horse, Brian soaks them in a Chlorhexidine solution, an antimicrobial disinfectant.
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- Each float is fitted with a sharp tungsten carbide blade made of chips that are bonded to the base. This is what files each tooth during the floating process. Brian has 10-floats in his bucket. The floats also come in varying angles for use on different teeth. By using these floats, Brian can file sharp enamel points to correct any dental imbalances.
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- Floats are about 21-inches long. The long handles allow Brian to get to the back molars.
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- This is an “s” file, a two-sided file used for finishing areas and for polishing the front of the molars section where the horse’s bit sits.
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- The key to working with horses is to gain their trust, which in turn helps them calm down. Brian spends a few minutes just talking to each horse before he begins working. Here is Hylke meeting Brian for the first time.
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- Brian has been practicing for more than 30-years. He always works in the horse stalls where they are most relaxed. He starts by checking on Hylke’s front teeth. Hylke is comfortable with him from the very beginning.
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- This is a McPherson full mouth speculum. It keeps the horse’s mouth open during the floating process.
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- Brian places the speculum on Hylke – he doesn’t seem to mind it at all.
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- After feeling his teeth with his hand, Brian reaches in with a float to assess the back molars and float those that need it.
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- Hylke remains still for the entire process. Brian continues to speak softly to keep Hylke relaxed. Fortunately, Hylke has had regular floating at his last stable, so his teeth are in good condition.
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- After a half hour, he is back to eating hay and watching all the farm activities from his stall window. Good boy, Hylke.
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- Next is Geert.
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- Much of Brian’s work is done through feel. He feels for any abnormalities in Geert’s mouth. Horses have 42 teeth in all. Of those, 24 are molars and premolars that are constantly growing and being worn away.
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- Regular dental exams and floating are an important part of a horse’s preventative health care plan, so Brian comes to my stable twice a year. Over the years, power floating has become more popular than traditional hand filing, but this manual method is more natural and does not require anesthesia. All that is needed is a knowledgeable practitioner and a trusting relationship between horse and dentist. Geert is also very good during the entire session.
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- Brian uses a float to file any uneven or high edges of the front molars. The process of teeth floating and occlusion adjustment are not painful, but the sound of the rasp may need some getting used to, especially for a horse that is new to dental care.
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- Brian secures the speculum on Geert’s head. Geert is also accustomed to this apparatus and doesn’t mind wearing it.
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- Then, Brian feels every tooth and assesses its condition. He also runs his hand up and down the cheek to check for scratches or sores or anything unusual.
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- Brian is very gentle when floating teeth – being a lay equine dentist requires excellent horse skills. Geert is also done within 30-minutes.
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- What a good boy you are, Geert. All five of my horses received good reports and all five have healthy well-aligned teeth.
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- After their dental exams and some hay, they’ll all go back out to their paddocks where they can run, roll, and graze – their favorite activities – for several hours and then return for grooming. See you soon, Geert and Hylke.
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