The shame - am I the only person...

[siennamum]

I remember as child - in the early 70's being show by the farrier how he would hold the tongue out of the way to run a hand up the side of the horses teeth to see if he needed to smooth them down a bit. I became an expert at doing it myself (H&S anyone!)

Maybe I lived in a particularly enlightened part of the world, but this nonsense about horses teeth not needing doing in the good old days, just makes me realise how much other people's horses used to suffer. I'm speechless that people don't get their horses teeth checked at the moment, it's just neglect.

 

[mcnaughty]

Very good point about the lami!!
When I was a kid, horses were nearly always healthy, sound, around the right weight etc.
They just didn't have the problems they have today.

Same with Humans though isn't it?
We as a nation are getting fatter and more unhealthy and every week and new medical condition is discovered...........lol x

I do remember a couple of very nasty lami cases when I was a kid (30 odd years ago....) but I do believe we over-rug our animals and they therefore do not loose enough weight coming into the spring that they would naturally.

 

[moneypit1]

You know, We are all different and all have a different perception of what is 'right'. To me, I like to keep my horses immaculately groomed, well rugged, teeth checked, backs checked, saddles checked etc. Thats me, my preference. My very good friend keeps her horses completely differently. They are kept in a very 'basic' manner. They are well fed, shod etc but rarely have anything checked and they are all sound as a pound and win far more than my pampered equines!

 

[Kenzo]

If it's eating, breathing and not bucking you off at every chance, I'm sure people won't burn you at the stake.

What did people do many years ago, before people used horse dentists and back people etc....ok some horses suffered in silence, were mis understood, but I'm sure a hell of a lot were just also just fine with knowledgable and caring owners.

Saddle fitters...pah, I've had saddles fitted wrongly by them, hence needing back people, anyways...you get my drift.

 

[Bessieboo]

I have to say being fairly new to the horse owning game I am having to learn things as I go along.

For instance I did not have my horses teeth checked until I had owned her for 6 months as I did not realise that this was something that needed doing.

I haven't had her back checked either but I have bought a new saddle for her and had it properly fitted and she has no problems with this.

I was offered some kind of "horse healing/reading" thing where a lady basically spends time putting her hands over your horse and then she can tell you what is wrong with it and also how it feels etc. I didn't take them up on this offer as personally I feel I have a close relationship with my mare and would notice pretty much immediately if she wasn't feeling herself.

I pretty much do a mix of both old school and new school I guess. I listen to what other more experienced people advise and of course look on forums like this and then use my gut instinct and commensense to decided what I should do.

I honestly can say without doubt my little mare is the best kept horse on the yard and of course the most loved too

 

[chestnut cob]

What did people do many years ago, before people used horse dentists

Got the vet to do it?! I have never used an equine dentist, I always have the vet do it.

Starbucks... you might find your insurance policy is invalid if you've never had your horse's teeth done. My policy states in big letters at the start that I must have his teeth done and jabs done annually plus regular farriery otherwise the policy is invalid and they won't pay out.

 

[Lolo]

People say the 'olden' days were better, but I reckon that there's a reason why horse's like my old boy didn't make it past 15! He lived to 28, something virtually unheard of 10 years ago (he was a TB ex-racer, with a tendency to skinniness).

We have my sister's eventer's teeth, back, saddle, feet checked on a regular basis, he's on a worming programme and he looks amazing off it. His coat is gleaming, and in under a year he has gone from a little under-developed hat rack to a massive event horse, who is ready to take on the world.

If the services are available, why not use them? You wouldn't dream of walking round with crippling back pain and sore teeth, so why expect your horse to?

(And I think chiro's use the phrase "out" as it makes more sense to laymen like me. Ie. our old pony had an obviously unlevel pelvis- it was "out" of it's usual place.)

 

[Lolo]

Got the vet to do it?! I have never used an equine dentist, I always have the vet do it.

Starbucks... you might find your insurance policy is invalid if you've never had your horse's teeth done. My policy states in big letters at the start that I must have his teeth done and jabs done annually plus regular farriery otherwise the policy is invalid and they won't pay out.

Agh! Hope your vet is qualified enough to do a good job! Our vet (who is very good, and we trust them) looked at our horse's teeth and said they were fine, just a bit sharp and rasped them. He was a bit unsteady in his mouth still, so we asked an EDT to come out- his teeth had hooks on, and were sharp, and there was one tooth that had something iffy going on. Afterwards, he was so much calmer and sweeter to ride!

 

[Kenzo]

Got the vet to do it?! I have never used an equine dentist, I always have the vet do it.

Starbucks... you might find your insurance policy is invalid if you've never had your horse's teeth done. My policy states in big letters at the start that I must have his teeth done and jabs done annually plus regular farriery otherwise the policy is invalid and they won't pay out.

True, we one did that, he told us a that our 21 year old registered section D was about 12, but he rasped his teeth, so I guess that's all that really mattered at the time.

 

[Dolcé]

I don't think anyone is saying that it is wrong to have all these checks done on your horse, if it makes you feel better then all is well and good. I also don't think I am guilty of neglecting mine because I don't have them done routinely, I would know if there was a problem and deal with it as it arose, using my vet or farrier. I just think there are a lot of people out there making lots of money from horse people when it is perhaps not always necessary. Many of these things are done because they are fashionable rather than because the horse 'needs' it. The person that bought the horse from the knowledgeable traditional person obviously didn't realise that that person was obviously NOT knowledgeable, perhaps just someone who thought they were! I think anyone who is involved with any animal can always learn something new so don't think I know everything but feel I am competent enough to be able to recognise whether or not one of my animals needs a vet.

 

[brighteyes]

Aw, I loved both new zealands (and , in fact have one for pony mare from the good old days - how about that, how many people have a rug still in use from 30 odd years ago!!) and jute rugs, and they were it! I bet the young uns would have a bloody fit if they saw what we had to use!! We haven't had a single case of lami this year from a group of 8 ponies and one very prone horse despite no management whatsoever, in fact turning onto new fields every few weeks, I am convinced it was because they all came out of the harsh winter leaner that ever before! They are only just getting to the stage where I think they don't want to be getting any fatter but given the time of year I am not too worried, more grass bellies than fat! It has been nice allowing them to be horses and eat properly all summer rather than worrying about starving them. I think this winter will be more of the same whether it is harsh or not, I am definitely going to be very careful and let them drop more weight that I would normally like. Our sweet itch pony hasn't needed to be rugged once either, nor has he rubbed - work that one out! I suspect a detox has taken place over the winter!

Hurrah! Someone else has got it! Just you and me I think...

People are OBSESSED with feeding this and that and supplements and conditioning the other. I'll give you vitamins of a broad pectrum type are probably beneficial if you are going down the basic rations route and for oldies and youngstock some TLC is in order. But for natives of most ages No No NO NO NO!

But a word about teeth. What we feed now, and in the recent past, is not what horses teeth are designed to chew. Grass takes minimal effort by the teeth and jaw muscles to grind to a paste. Compare this to the majority of horses who now mostly eat hay, haylage, their straw beds, nuts, mixes and lord knows what other fibre, and you find overworked teeth (with the resultant sharp edges and points) TMJ pain and the surrounding muscles sore and oversized..

I'm sorry but you really should be getting a dentist or someone in to check for sharp edges, you really should. You'd be amazed at what they put up with, dental horror-wise. And those of you who stand by your viewpoint about them eating OK so there's nothing wrong, it has been well researched and documented that horses will continue to eat despite suffering severe discomfort or pain.

 

[LoopyLouise]

OMG I miss New Zealand and jute rugs we also use to make our own under blankets with quilted material cut to shape hem with a ribbon material and then ever sew front together or put a buckle on the front it we had one. All the horses where fed 2 scoops pony nut 1 scoop sugar beet ponies 1 scoop pony nuts 1/2 sugar and any thing between 14h and 14.3 1 1/2 nuts 1'2 sugar beet. Sunday night bran mash and nothing monday. Wormed 4 times a year if lame cold hosed turned away for a week or box rested depending on why and how they became lame (which I will say out of 20ish horses most never where lame and the ones that did was normally from a kick or bang or the worst was standing on a farrier nail
Vet came once a year for tetanus jabs and teeth done once a year.
we only ever had one pony with Lami and he came to us like that but in the whole time he was with us he never had a bout of lami. All also had a Monday in the fields and 2 weeks off over xmas and yes there are 3 mares still alive and still being riding well into the 30's Bring back the old ways.
PS yes this was a RS too

 

[chestnut cob]

Agh! Hope your vet is qualified enough to do a good job! Our vet (who is very good, and we trust them) looked at our horse's teeth and said they were fine, just a bit sharp and rasped them. He was a bit unsteady in his mouth still, so we asked an EDT to come out- his teeth had hooks on, and were sharp, and there was one tooth that had something iffy going on. Afterwards, he was so much calmer and sweeter to ride!

Hey... at least I bother to have my horse's teeth checked!! Vet does a perfectly good job, thanks for your concern.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

The person that bought the horse from the knowledgeable traditional person obviously didn't realise that that person was obviously NOT knowledgeable, perhaps just someone who thought they were!

In this case, the seller was knowledgeable, had lived with horses for all of his 50 years and owned a private competition yard. He just didn't care enough. As long as the horse was doing its job, he wasn't going to spend any money on 'extras'. Use 'em up and sell 'em on.
The difference for me is that, I don't just want to get what I can out of my horses for a limited amount of time. I want to ensure optimal health for a long working life and onto retirement.If I put a bit in their mouths and a saddle and rider on their backs and ask them to work in ways that is unatural to them, than, I feel it is fair to keep the mouth and back comforatble.

How many of those who don't have teeth done routinely ever run their hands inside the mouth for check for sharp edges and sores ?
Do you check your saddle for lumps, sharp edges or twisted tree ?