At what age did your horse first see the dentist?

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MrVelvet

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My boys is 3 and has only had the vet have a quick look at his peggies when he had his foal ID. I have booked him a visit for this month. There are no wolf teeth visible and I have no other concerns - I just want her to have a check over really. I doubt he will need any work doing. I have told people I am having this visit and am now getting mixed responses. Some are saying I should have done it earlier, some are saying not til he's being backed, some are saying not til they are 5-6. So I'm confused.. hence my question. :)

When did your horse first receive dental care? Why did you call the dentist?
 
Fany was 13! Well that is what we believe any way, and what the EDT thought too, she sees the EDT once a year but we check her very regularly.
Cappy is an ex-pro comp horse so that side was always seen to, he tends to see the dentist 2 x a year because he is on hoof growth supplement that also grows his teeth.

My YO has her foals teeth checked when they are still young, her potential stallion is 2 and has had his looked at a couple of times.

Personally leaving it until he is backed is too late for me, but it is an area I am very fussy about, they can't tell you if they are in pain and Fany has a wolf tooth that needs checking regularly. That said never had any problems with it at all. She also chews the inside of her mouth, nothing wrong again just a habit of hers, so needs checking on a regular basis.
FDC
 
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One of mine is three and a half and will be starting to wear a bridle more regularly in preparation for backing at Easter so I will have his teeth checked before all that because I don't want him to potentially be uncomfortable.
 
My last baby got seen by my EDT soon after I bought her, so she would have been around 7/8 months. Just wanted her mouth checked and introduced to the EDT alongside my older ones. Any problems would have been noted at that time. She also saw the farrier right from purchase after weaning.
 
Between 2 and 3 imho. Certainly before you consider putting a bit in their mouths would be best, otherwise you risk teaching them that being broken in is painful.

My gelding had three - yes, three - wolf teeth and retained caps as well.
 
Also between 2/3, possible earlier if you have any concerns. Any developing abnormalities can usually be corrected from a young age, at 5/6 years plus...correcting something like a severe parrot mouth/wave mouth etc can be a very long and expensive process, wolf teeth can become difficult to remve

Young horses tend to have quite sharp enamel points, so they may just need a quick rasp, and retained caps checked or removed before they cause any further problems (permanent tooth not having room to grow)

I would also personally get them checked for wolf teeth, and depending on if they may interfere with the bit...have them removed.
 
Thanks everyone! I'll keep my appointment then!! I hope he's a good boy. OH is having to hold him due to my irrational fear of dentists/teeth related metal things :(

I can't see/feel any wolf teeth but I suppose it won't for her to check for unerrupted (sp??) ones!
 
I asked my vet who specialises in young horses and whose partner is a qualified vet and dentist. He said do it shortly before they have a bit in their mouth for the first time. He wasn't keen on messing around as he put it before that unless they had a parrot mouth or some conformational defect with their head. he said his partner though may say otherwise. I am going to do that with my youngsters. With my older horses in practice it was much older partly because that was the norm in the old days and partly because dentistry for horses was quite barbaric then.
 
Two of mine had their teeth done when I first bought them and every year since. One I have on loan and he had his teeth done this year, and the vet (who is a teeth specialist) was convinced that he was 7 (he's 10, my friend bred him.....) and that his teeth had been done within the last few months - never been done at all!

He obviously has a very good mouth. He is a bit backward for his age though in more ways than just his teeth. :)
 
My boy was 10 yrs old, the age he was when I bought him, applied to tet and flu jabs as well!

His teeth were done annually until the last few years, he is now done every 6 months as he had a tooth removed as it was cracked and parted in the middle. Quite worrying really as I had no idea anything was wrong!
 
Janah said:
My boy was 10 yrs old, the age he was when I bought him, applied to tet and flu jabs as well!

His teeth were done annually until the last few years, he is now done every 6 months as he had a tooth removed as it was cracked and parted in the middle. Quite worrying really as I had no idea anything was wrong!
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We are lucky our EDT taught us how to check my horses' teeth, she took a while showing us and then let us do it and was really patient and helpful, so now both mine get a hand stuck in and a good feel around. Her best advice was feel don't look, get used to what they feel like and you'll quickly spot any issues. Could you get your EDT to show you?
FDC
 
My boy hadn't had his teeth checked before I had him earlier this year (he's 4) but the dentist rated his teeth as 8/10 said he had such sharp edges that the inside of his mouth was cut :( - I'm so glad it was one of the first things I had checked when I got him!
 
13, I've only had her a few weeks. Dentist has been today, she had to be sedated and he spent nearly an hour with the power tools in there. :eek:

He said that she would have been in that much pain he couldn't believe she was rideable and only gave her another year if she hadn't been sorted before she wouldn't have been able to eat at all.

6 monthly checks from now on and depending on how we go either once a year or every two years she will need sedating again for another go with the power tools.
 
well going by the way he was about hot shoeing and the sound of the trimmers not the clippers when he 1st came in from ireland at 5 i said to my vet sedate him instead of scareing the life out of him and now hes a dream come true
 
Mine's 3 and a half and she saw dentist this summer. Four of her baby teeth (with big, sharp root bits on them) came out while he was poking in her mouth and she'd have struggled without his intervention so I'm glad I got dentist out. It gave me peace of mind that a bit wouldn't be causing her problems.
 
I have only had my 3 year old for 2 months and the owners beforehand had never had him done, so hes getting done early in december when others on the yard get done. Ive recently bitted him but want his teeth checking to ensure there are no problems before I start doing some work with him, my vets had a look and said theres no wolf teeth there either.

Best to get checked once a year.
 
I had my mare done as a yearling when i bought her, My EDT recommends every 6 months until their about 5 then once a year after that (Unless the horse has problems that need sorting more regularly. Ramps etc.)

We always have to foals looked at to check everythings ok and coming through properly too.
 
Fany Du Champ said:
We are lucky our EDT taught us how to check my horses' teeth, she took a while showing us and then let us do it and was really patient and helpful, so now both mine get a hand stuck in and a good feel around. Her best advice was feel don't look, get used to what they feel like and you'll quickly spot any issues. Could you get your EDT to show you?
FDC
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Sorry, I don't do teeth or eyes for that matter!

My boy showed no discomfort when bridled, ridden or eating! He is a very brave soldier!
 
My just 3yr old was done last week.

I wanted to check everything was ok before he got bitted. Well I'm glad I got him done, he had some very sharpe edges and will need treatment every 6-8months. ESP as the mouth is changing rapilldy as they grow.

Going to bit him next week.
 
thanks for all the replies guys!! Hes getting done this month, he has been bitted since 18 months and never had a problem but the EDT will give me more peace of mind too!! I'll get some pics of the snazzy head gear :D
 
My spotty boy was 4 (as far as we know as he probably wasn't done in Ireland!) and has been done every six months since. :) My ISH was 5 and he came from Ireland too and probably hadn't been done before and has also been done every six months since. Our welsh rescue pony who is in her 30s hasn't got very good teeth bless her and our EDT doesn't think she has ever had hers done before she came to us (aged approx 30)
 
ShowJumping Superstars said:
My spotty boy was 4 (as far as we know as he probably wasn't done in Ireland!) and has been done every six months since. :) My ISH was 5 and he came from Ireland too and probably hadn't been done before and has also been done every six months since. Our welsh rescue pony who is in her 30s hasn't got very good teeth bless her and our EDT doesn't think she has ever had hers done before she came to us (aged approx 30)
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there are some extremely tolerant horses and ponies out there!! makes you wonder when people rant on about their naughty horses and ones that rear etc...
 
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