Friends horse not seen dentist

[Tiddlypom]

When I first had horses it was unusual for anyone to get teeth looked at unless there was an obvious problem. I think it has just gradually changed over the years for people to have them done regularly.

I always used to ask the vet to check the teeth at annual jab time. Vet would have the briefest of peeps (no dental gags then) and pronounce everything to be fine. Bet it wasn't fine, but I knew no better in those days (up to the mid 80s).

 

[Gloi]

I always used to ask the vet to check the teeth at annual jab time. Vet would have the briefest of peeps (no dental gags then) and pronounce everything to be fine. Bet it wasn't fine, but I knew no better in those days (up to the mid 80s).

Yes. Grab the tongue, pull it to the side, stick hand in and if nothing drastically obvious that was it, otherwise stick a rasp in and quick file of the worst points.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Gags were certainly around in the 70s, I remember as they came up in my B and H test, plus our vet (was a TV vet at the time too Tony Wilson-Jones) he always used one to check teeth. Did all as routine when out for tet jabs.

 

[Chianti]

In the late 1980s I'd just moved my mare to a new yard and was asked by another livery if she needed her teeth done. I said 'yes'. Doing the teeth was a real old horseman called Jack Bines, who went round the yard with a manual rasp and did everyone's horse. Looking back I'm quite horrified that I agreed. I suppose he'd trained on the job as there certainly wasn't any official training then. Anyway the horse survived and I didn't notice any obvious negative reactions. He was a sweet old guy. He said he liked my mare and that 'they didn't breed them like that anymore' - which was very true then and now!