0-2 Years Old:

Dental check-ups for foals are both necessary and helpful. It will ensure that your foals teeth are erupting properly, and will also accustom him to having his mouth handled. When a newborn foal is first born, the veterinarian will check its teeth for abnormalities which may interfere with nursing. As the foal grows, the veterinarian will check that all 24 deciduous teeth come in properly, and removes wolf teeth.

2-3 Years Old:

When a horse reaches 2-3 years old, its permanent teeth begin to come in. The veterinarian will check that the eruption of these new teeth isn't causing irritation to the soft tissues in the mouth. He will also check that the teeth are erupting at the right time.

4-5 Years Old:

In most horses, the permanent teeth erupt within 5 years of age. The veterinarian makes sure that the permanent teeth erupt cleanly with no impactions or irritation. In stallions and geldings, canine teeth will erupt at about 4-5 years. The veterinarian will trim the canine teeth and first cheek teeth to ensure that the bit will fit comfortable in the horse's mouth.

6+ Years Old:

At this age, all permanent teeth should have erupted. The veterinarian will look for and trim sharp edges or points on the horse's teeth, and checks for decay and damage. Keeping your dental schedule consistent and frequent, you can ensure that your horse retains his teeth up to 5 years longer than horses who do not have regular dental care.

About the author:

Cheryl's goal is to educate horse owners on how to develop a trusting and respectful partnership with their horses. The training methods she uses and teaches are ones that promote a horse's confidence and willingness to please.

As the President of Equusite.com (The Ultimate Horse Resource), Cheryl teaches her methods of horsemanship online in a simple step-by-step fashion to ensure that horsemen and women of all ages and disciplines are able to understand and use her methods easily.

For more information, see Cheryl' bio page or contact her:

Cheryl McNamee-Sutor
President, Equusite.com
cheryl@equusite.com
(630) 267-9397

© 2001 TodaysHorse.com - all Rights Reserved.