29/03/2025
Are you preparing to introduce your young horse to work this spring? It’s really important before you start your young horse to ensure their mouth comfort.
🦷 Before the age of 5 years horses undergo significant dental changes including:
- the shedding of 24 deciduous (baby) teeth
- the eruption of 24 permanent molars, 12 incisors, possibly four canines and possibly wolf teeth.
This period generally coincides with the introduction of the bit and bridle and then ridden work.
🗓️ Regular check-ups every six months for young horses are extremely important, providing an opportunity to detect and address issues early, also paving the way to allow the horse to perform at their maximum potential.
🔍 Common dental problems in young horses include:
Sharp Enamel Points
As horses teeth erupt and come into wear, they are gradually worn down from chewing. This natural process creates sharp enamel points that may cause painful ulcers on the cheeks and tongue. These sharp points develop on the outside of the upper cheek teeth and the inside of the lower cheek teeth. When a horse has a bit in and a bridle on, the tack can press the soft tissue against these sharp points, increasing the risk of painful soft tissue damage. Thorough rasping of the teeth removes these sharp edges and helps maintain balanced dental arcades, reducing the likelihood of future malocclusions. Because horses have hypsodont teeth, meaning their teeth continuously erupt, sharp points will keep forming over time. Regular dental treatments will give your young horse the best possible experience of a comfortable mouth as they start their career.
Problematic Wolf Teeth
Wolf teeth are small, vestigial teeth that typically erupt between 6 and 18 months of age. Wolf teeth can be present in both male and female equines. They are most commonly found on the upper jaw and rarely on the lower jaw. While the impact of wolf teeth on performance is widely debated, it’s traditionally common practice to remove them in young horses as they serve no useful purpose. Lower wolf teeth almost always certainly need to be removed and upper wolf teeth are usually assessed on a case-by-case basis depending on their location.
Retained Deciduous Teeth (Caps)
Retained deciduous teeth are baby teeth that are present beyond their normal shedding time, which can affect the proper eruption of adult teeth. Mobile caps or those with a clear junction between the baby and adult tooth should be extracted to prevent issues like food trapping, gum inflammation (gingivitis), or more severe problems such as periodontal disease, or even apical infections. Retained teeth may also cause dental displacements, which may lead to diastemata with periodontal disease, and soft tissue trauma if they are out of line and pressing against the cheek or tongue. However careful assessment of deciduous teeth is really important as premature removal can damage underlying adult teeth.
By prioritising early dental care, you’re not only ensuring your young horse’s comfort and willingness to accept the bit but also reducing the risk of dental disease in later life. It’s a really important component of your horses overall life long wellbeing and every horse should have regular dental treatments.
