Horse with an overbite?

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PingPongPony

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So I've just been browsing through some Akhal-Teke's for sale, and I have come across this 3 year old colt, he is absolutely stunning, to me anyway as i know that breed isn't everyone's cuppa tea. But he has an overbite hence he is priced lower than others. I'm not looking to buy just yet, in a few years time maybe, but I was just wondering if anyone else on here has come across a horse with an overbite, and how do the horses manage to graze since their front teeth don't meet??
Just curious if an overbite in horses causes any problems to either horse or rider?
And to anyone who's interested here's the boy I'm talking about (quite a noticeable overbite i think!):
http://www.akhal-teke.pro/in-training/Amarilis/
 
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I wouldn't buy a horse with a parrot mouth and horses with parrot mouths are not allowed to be registered in the WB registries I'm affiliated with. In saying that though, people do buy them. You would have to be aware that your dental bills could be higher as the horse could require more frequent treatment. The horses themselves don't seem to suffer unduly providing dental care is given when and as required.

With that particular Akhal Teke I would be more concerned about the incredibly upright pasterns. I actually love Akhal Tekes and have considered purchasing one a handful of times in my life. They are incredibly expensive in my part of the world and I'm not sure what exactly I'd do with one, so I probably will never have one. They're nice to look at though, a true Saluki of the horse world.
 
One of mine has an overbite literally of 2mm - it's hardly noticeable- but it causes havoc with his molars because nothing lines up properly, and it affected his TMJ until we got it sorted.ŷ

So with the akhele teke, I dread to think what state his molars, and tmj, are in!
 
That's not just slightly parrot mouthed, that's seriously parrot mouthed and I would envisage dental problems over time. My boy is slightly parrot mouthed and it does mean that his teeth don't wear evenly so needs frequent rasping. It hasn't caused him any bitting issues so far but I don't know how he will do long term as there is only so much tooth you can take off :(
 
I've just realised he is a 3 year old - he looks like a yearling. Quite a weak looking horse all round :(
 
Yes he is 3, bless him. I still think he's stunning, absolutely love his colour! I do agree however that his conformation and generally his built isn't impressive, and you can certainly see as to why he's priced so much lower, just hope he gets a good home, as in the video at the end when he's being caught and handled, he seems quite sweet :(
They're my favourite breed by far, even though I have never had a chance to see one in person, although, I am due to go to the USA for 11 weeks, and will be staying at an akhal teke breeding farm for 2 weeks so i shall see and touch one, and hopefully get to ride one too (i'm very excited :D )
Thank you for all the replies, always love to learn something new, and a parrot mouth isn't something I have come across before so it's new and very interesting :)
 
There where two on the yard when I lived in Turkey .
They where fabulous one was a chesnut with an amazing green sheen and the was a cream colour and he looked sort of pearlesant like the paint on a expensive lorry they where a bit other worldly seemed to attach to 'their' people .
 
There's a tb on my friends yard who has the worse parrot mouth I have ever seen very similar to this boy. However otherwise he is a picture of health perfect weight and goes out competing etc. In the field he always has to have extra hay/haylage as can't eat the short grass, not sure what extra dental he has to have but he's a lovely boy.
 
PingPongPony said:
So I've just been browsing through some Akhal-Teke's for sale, and I have come across this 3 year old colt, he is absolutely stunning, to me anyway as i know that breed isn't everyone's cuppa tea. But he has an overbite hence he is priced lower than others. I'm not looking to buy just yet, in a few years time maybe, but I was just wondering if anyone else on here has come across a horse with an overbite, and how do the horses manage to graze since their front teeth don't meet??
Just curious if an overbite in horses causes any problems to either horse or rider?
And to anyone who's interested here's the boy I'm talking about (quite a noticeable overbite i think!):
http://www.akhal-teke.pro/in-training/Amarilis/
Click to expand...

Speak to your vet about this as a lot of over bites can correct themselves with age and help the EDT.
No one can predict what is causing this or if there are way to correct this with only external pictures.
 
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I had a pony with a parrot mouth/overbite, although not to that extreme. Never had any problems at all but he did have to have his teeth looked at every 6 months without fail. Didn't use him for showing though so don't know if that would have been a problem. He was a SJ/eventer.
 
I know of a tb that has an awful parrot mouth, the worst one our dentist has seen! However, he is a lovely boy, well schooled, and manages to eat his haylage (awful grass) absolutely fine, and he is at least 25.
He maintains his condition well over winter and summer, although never goes out 24/7.
 
HGA-12 said:
Speak to your vet about this as a lot of over bites can correct themselves with age and help the EDT.
No one can predict what is causing this or if there are way to correct this with only external pictures.
Click to expand...

I think in a 3yo with that degree of deformity it will not correct .
However with the range of foods available nowadays and the better dental care there's no reason why he won't do ok .
Not it's worth bringing hi from Russia to find out though .
 
There is a tb at my yard, too, who has a reasonable overbite. He doesn't seem to have much trouble - can eat hard feed, grass, hay, and goes out competing. :)
 
Cs has a moderate overbite and it doesnt affect him at all.
I prefer all my horses to see the dentist 6 monthly (rather than yearly) and that has been fine for keeping his ramps and sharp edges at bay.
 
My last dwb had a serious parrot mouth - and he was amazing - most trainable attitude , unfussy in the mouth (I had him in a big fat sprenger snaffle with a lozenge ) it never caused him a moments issue .... If your not showing there's no issue...
 
A good dentist is probably all it needs the back teeth have no doubt grown big and pushing the mouth forward, this is what i was told by my fantastic edt, robin earnshawe.
 
I'd love to see a Teke doing well at dressage. I'm sure there was one donkey's years ago that went to the Olympics (Absent?) and did really well.
 
Oh I do like the ones you posted faracat, no more poo stain or mud stain cleaning on the smokey black :)
I won't be at the stud until end of august but I will bombard you all with photos don't you worry :D I'm off to a western ranch first, then to a dressage yard and then to the stud, so over summer I will be posting a lot on here about my experiences and of course lots of photos :)
ETA. I do recall seeing a clip of the one from the Olympics on one of the akhal teke threads a while ago!
Just checked on YouTube and it was a stallion called Absent :)
 
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Goldenstar said:
I think in a 3yo with that degree of deformity it will not correct .
However with the range of foods available nowadays and the better dental care there's no reason why he won't do ok .
Not it's worth bringing hi from Russia to find out though .
Click to expand...

I have known one much improve which had a parrot mouth, they had a good equine EDT who did an amazing job improving it horse was 4 years old.
 
They are my favourite breed too :)

I'd have him. I'm sure it would cause stress and cost money down the road but I'm a sucker for ponies no-one else wants!
 
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