How often are your horses/ ponies teeth checked ?

B

BBH

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 April 2007
Messages
9,357
Visit site
I have recently offered a home to two rescue ponies from a national charity and they have asked their teeth be done every six months .

When I had horses I did them every year and wondered if the thinking has changed .
 
I had my cob checked the other day for the first time as he had choke ....he is 20...his teeth were fine.
I won't bother again unless he has a problem
 
The edt will tell you. Maybe these ones had particular issues. One of my minis needs done every six months due to his back teeth growing faster than the rest.
 
My older one is ok with every 12 months but my younger horse has slight overbite so needs them doing every 6 months. My older one is from rescue but don't think they told me how often he had to be done.
 
Mine are once a year, but I've heard the opinion that oldies should be done more often. .

I don't though, I would wsit for my vet to tell me they needed done more often.

Fiona.
 
Meant to be once a year, but he's been done twice in a year because I felt his teeth were getting a little sore, generally throws his head around when his teeth arent right and he started that. Stopped once teeth were done. So basically I let him tell me, if he throws his head around when being ridden, I know he's not right and get the vet out to check them.
 
Once a year is normally fine, but it is advisable to get them checked every 6 months for youngsters, older horses, or horses that have dental issues.
 
Thanks everyone, they are minis of 22 and 14 so maybe an age thing, vet is coming next Wednesday so will be guided by her.
 
All mine are checked twice yearly except J who is at least four time but I could write as much as war and peace about his mouth .
 
always did mine every six months, but bit obsessed with stuff like that ( back/saddle) six monthly too.
Congratulations on your new ponies, will you be posting pics when they arrive??!!
 
BBH said:
Thanks everyone, they are minis of 22 and 14 so maybe an age thing, vet is coming next Wednesday so will be guided by her.
Click to expand...


If they are minis then that is probably why they are advising every 6 months, also that they are older. Generally their mouths can be a bit over crowded and dental problems quite common.
 
Last edited:
I tended to go for twice a year as I'd have the vet to do jabs/teeth/sheath in summer, and sheath/teeth in winter (as he gets a bit sore with water retention in winter).

I had an EDT out not long after the vet this year though as I wasn't convinced everything was fine; turns out it's just his age and his teeth are almost completely worn down. She said he'd probably be OK being seen every 12 months really, but just to keep an eye on anything changing. I guess once they get to a certain point it's more about losing teeth/inability to chew rather than getting hooks etc?
 
I think once in regular pattern of checks it depends on the individual horse/pony. My vet who is very good at teeth recommends mine can go a year - he has gone a bit beyond that on occasion but not by much. When the person I bought him from first got him he was 7 and she discovered he had never had his teeth looked at ever in his life...fine on grass but couldn't eat hay at all and was in some discomfort from sores in his mouth where he had hooks etc and needed quite a bit of work. Subsequently we have a bit of a reaction to having our teeth done these days :) but just shows importance of having them checked regularly. I think as they age important too as a check on older teeth and jaw etc.
 
Last horse was every six months.

New horse was done in December at the vetting, April as the advised six-month follow up just before we moved yards, because I wanted to use the very good equine vet who has an equine dentistry qualification, and three weeks later when the EDT worked his way down the row and did mine by accident - and found bits that needed attention...

She'll stay on six month visits until we have an appointment and nothing is required.
 
My boy sees the dentist 6 monthly as he has a slight over bite. Last one had fab teeth (about the only thing about him that was straightforward!) and the dentist only wanted to see him every 9-12 months.
 
Mine get checked every 6 months, though I do have one horse that often needs done more regularly.

I would rather them done regularly so that there is only a little rasping needed, they are more confortable in their mouths and the rasping experience doesn't turn into a major event.

Some horses will go longer, be advised by your EDT or Vet.
 
Mine are done every six months. I have an older lad who needs checking and a Clydesdale that had never seen the dentist until February, his mouth is in a terrible state and will take ages to get right. I have an EDT and I follow his advice. It's a simple and easy check, not even that expensive. I can not see why any horse owner would not have at least a yearly check up.
 
When the vet calls to do annual vaccinations. neither myself or the vet trust EDTs. As he says they often do unnecessary work on the teeth and this shortens the life of the horse as it only has a set amount of tooth to keep erupting and they get filed away too much. mostly they are never rasped I had a horse with a slight misalignment and the vet filed that lightly once a year.
 
6 monthly here. There is always something that needs work by 6 months. I once left him 9 months due to being away come the 6 month mark and dentist being booked up. Pony had an ulcer caused by a sharp tooth, so now I never let it go over the 6 months.
 
Downton Dame said:
When the vet calls to do annual vaccinations. neither myself or the vet trust EDTs. As he says they often do unnecessary work on the teeth and this shortens the life of the horse as it only has a set amount of tooth to keep erupting and they get filed away too much. mostly they are never rasped I had a horse with a slight misalignment and the vet filed that lightly once a year.
Click to expand...

Do you have any evidence to suggest that EDT's shorten horses lives?
 
My vet does my horses, used to have it annually to fit in with Vacs but Mr B has fleshy cheeks and is very sensitive and the old TB has a loose tooth and needs a bit more tlc these days so I'm doing it every 8/9 months now. I prefer to use the vet who has trained to do teeth rather than an EDT as the old tb needs a bit of sedation to do a proper job.
 
Mine is done every 6 months. It used to be every year but my vet suggested they get looked at every 8 months as issues were building up and not being noticed early enough with an annual check.
I actually do them evey 6 months instead of 8 so that at least one check a year ties with vaccinations.
 
Downton Dame said:
When the vet calls to do annual vaccinations. neither myself or the vet trust EDTs. As he says they often do unnecessary work on the teeth and this shortens the life of the horse as it only has a set amount of tooth to keep erupting and they get filed away too much. mostly they are never rasped I had a horse with a slight misalignment and the vet filed that lightly once a year.
Click to expand...

I agree with you. First time I have ever heard anyone but my vet saying it. Horses can only grow so much teeth, if you frantically file them away every six months they will end up with no teeth sooner. Yes, you can feed hay replacer and keep them alive but it is not really natural is it? Horses that graze freely and are fed hay from the floor should not need their teeth doing. Ridden ones I get looked at annually, non ridden only if they show signs or soreness or quidding.
 
Mine get checked every year but don't necessarily have anything done each time. They're both 20 and Archie seems to only need doing every 2 years now. M has a slight wave mouth so usually needs a little bit of work each time. The dentist only does the bare minimum so as not to risk loosening any as they get older.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top