# What age to start floating a horses teeth?



## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

That is exactly the opposite of what I've always heard...interesting.

I've always heard that young horses, under ten, need to have their teeth done _more_ regularly since their mouths are going through so many changes [teeth falling out, new teeth growing in, wolf teeth, etc].

Unfortunately, we, as owners, can't check the teeth thoroughly ourselves - to get to the back of the mouth [where most tooth problems are to occur] we'd have to stick our entire arms in the horses mouth... Close-to-the-front issues can definitely be seen/felt, but not the real potentially problematic teeth.


In terms of him holding his weight well, that's great! 
But thats' not always a sure sign that his teeth are ok - my older mare, who passed away recently, was always a superrrr easy keeper so, after I first got her and due to money issues, she went 2 or 3 years before I had her teeth done [I had no idea when they had been done last so it could have been even longer].
When I finally got the money to get them done, she was still holding her weight fantastically [too well! haha] but what the vet showed me inside her mouth was HORRIBLE. 
The sides of her mouth were completely shredded from all the hooks and points but, somehow, she was ignoring it all and eating fine anyway.


My personal thought is that, if you can, you probably want to get his teeth done sooner rather than later - especially if he's never had them done.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Your vet sounds like he has limited equine dental experience. Young horses can retain caps and need those floated off. Before I ever put a bit in a horse's mouth and start asking him to give to the pressure, he has his teeth looked at. Early & correct floating will make a horse the most responsive to proper bit pressure, there is no distractions from an irritation.


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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

Only get his teeth done if they need it/show signs of it. Or if your vet advises they do.


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

I would only float his teeth if he needs it. My horses haven't had theirs foated in over ten years because they didn't need it. They got it done about two years ago and now they are good to go until they pass. (they are both 23)


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I had my youngest mare first done when she was four (I got her as a two year old). She's eight now and has had them done every year since that time 'cause she just needs it - its minor work that is done but this pretty much guarantees her teeth will last her life time.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

I've got a 39 yr old that has never had her teeth done and she can eat fine. She's been checked a few times and there's just no need. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

I do realize she is a rarity at this point in her life.


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## Clava (Nov 9, 2010)

I get mine done at 4 years old and my vet felt that was the correct time to start now she is in ridden work. All my horses have their teeth checked , usually rasped, once a year.


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

When under my care, every horse under 4 years of age gets their teeth done every 6 months - there are just so many changes (baby teeth coming in, wolf teeth needing removal, growth in jaw shape and size affecting how biting surfaces meet) that anything less is irresponsible, IMO. Aged horses are checked yearly and floated if needed.

My current 3.5 year old has seen the dentist every six months since I got him at 20 months of age. He's had retained caps (baby teeth) and sharp edges cutting his cheeks on every visit. Why wouldn't I want to fix these things promptly?!


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

I get my horses teeth done once a year. When I got my AQHA filly at 2, I had her teeth done with the rest. They are almost due against, but last year my filly was 4, my senior was 26 (he has since passed) & my Arab mare was 14.

My dentist will only do what is needed for each horse, so I have no worries about that. He is really good about explaining what he did and why he did it ... which always makes me wonder why more people don't have it done regularly. But, to each his own. For me, once a year does just fine.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I had my filly's teeth floated for the first time at 24 months. I found it to be very necessary because she was a cribber and I wanted to minimize damage. She had retained a cap and had a few hooks to file down, and the vet said to have her checked every 6 months-1 year, with 1 year being absolute max. She also said it is very important to have their teeth done before introducing bit work, so I held off on mouthing her until after that first visit. She took to bits immediately afterwards, because I made sure that she was going to be comfortable, and I also asked the vet to give me comments on whether she has a high/low pallete, large tongue, etc so I could know from the beginning at least a general idea of what type of bit would be best for her.

My mini mare had her teeth done for the first time at 4 years old, when I bought her.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

I bought a 16 month old colt and the following spring when I had him checked, he had 4 impacted baby teeth that had to be removed plus some minor sharp edges already formed.

I'm really shocked that your vet would give you that advice but then a vet is concerned with the horse as a whole picture while a certified, good equine dentist can pick up things in the mouth that vets miss. My vet who was a great one with horses (gave up and went to small animals:-(), missed some very bad issues in my 14 year old gelding at spring vaccination time, even though he gets checked every year by a certified equine dentist. So, no matter how good a vet is, they aren't always right.

To me, I owe it to my horses to make sure that they aren't in pain(-after all, they can't exactly complain about it!) and get them checked every single year.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

Thanks for all the awesome responses, guys! I'm getting my gelding teeth done when I get my mares done again. She had hers done last November, and the vet reccommended every two years from now on, so she's getting done in March/April.


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## BadWolf (Oct 12, 2012)

We do ours as needed, no fixed schedule. 
Age isn't as much of a consideration as is how their teeth look and feel, how they're eating, taking a bit, etc.

When one needs done, everyone gets a peek to see when they might need to be scheduled next.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

My horse needs his teeth done slightly more often than once a year and he just turned 10 this year. I had him done at 10 month increments the last couple times. He holds his weight just fine, but he gets hooks/sharp edges that tear up the inside of his mouth. This last time I suspected he was due because he started leaning heavily on one side of the bit; he did this for a few weeks before his teeth were done and stopped immediately after.

How often horses need dental floating is very individual, but a vet saying horses don't need even dental _checks_ before 10 y/o would be a huge red flag to me that perhaps this vet hasn't kept up to date...


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

:shock:

I am very, very surprised to hear that so many people think that just because the horse isn't underweight, isn't dropping grain, or isn't having any problems, then they must be fine. 



Britt said:


> My gelding will be 9 y/o next year and he was born here on our land. He's never had his teeth floated and my vet told me, when I asked, that typically horses don't need their teeth done until they turn ten.


In all honestly, I would find a new vet. That's rubbish. 

I've been fortunate to have several VERY good equine dentists in my area to work on my horses. All of them have told me to start having a horse checked when they are 2 years old. While they might not need much work done, at the very minimum, a horse should be checked once a year. Some horses need dental work every 6 months. 

Keeping good dental care all throughout life can help preserve the teeth and make them function the most effective they can. 



Britt said:


> For the record, my gelding is overweight and has always been easy to keep weight on. He doesn't act like his teeth bother him and I've felt around for sharp edges in his mouth and didn't find any. He doesn't drop feed or anything.


Did you actually FEEL all the way back to the molars?











Most people try to look inside a horse's mouth or feel back there, but don't realize they aren't reaching ALL the teeth. 

A lot of the time too, people don't notice how much softer their horse could be with the bit until they've have the dental work done. It may not be that they were having a problem necessarily with the bit, but had no idea _it could be better_.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I did mine every year from 2 on and maybe twice a year when younger because they change so much but can't remember for sure. I would say it is a rare occurrence that a horse wears them properly and not need attention.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

You can also push on there skin on the side of their face and if there are sharp points they will open there mouth.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

Obviously I can't reach 'all' the way back to the very far back teeth, but I felt up as far as I could and felt no hooks, etc... I have pushed/rubbed along his face/jaw where his teeth are and he doesn't do anything. 

Regardless, though, he will be having his teeth checked and done in Spring when the vet comes to do my mare's teeth.  I'm pretty sure he probably needs some sort of work, since he has never had any dental work done before.

I'll just have to remember to let the vet know in advance that my gelding is NOT a lightweight, lol.


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## Dakota23 (Aug 31, 2014)

I just got my mares done when the vet was last out. I have only had her a few months, the previous owner didn't have her teeth floated at all. She is 7 years old, and when the vet checked them she said they were horrendous. She wasn't showing any signs that she was in pain, or dropping food or weight. She is a super easy keeper too(she's a little too chunky!), so luckily I had her checked. 

I didn't know she needed them done so early either. The vet I used to use said they typicallly didn't need to be done until they hit their teens so around 10. My current vet said that used to be the case, but now they say you should start around 2 years old and check them every six months to a year. It is a better preventative. Instead of waiting until they absolutely need it and are in pain, its better to maintain them at an early age.

Once the sedative wore off, I turned her out and she just started chowing on the grass! So she must have felt so much better!


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## VickiRose (Jul 13, 2013)

I will be getting both of mine done fairly soon. Boston has funky front teeth that have a sort of side ways slant that was caused by a retained cap (according to his previous owner) The cap was only discovered and removed two years ago, and he is 15. So no telling what sort of dental care he had before that. I will base further decisions on dental care on the vets advice from there.


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## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

I recommend and feel that horses teeth should be checked annually. Doesn't necessarily mean they need to be floated, but they should be checked. Just like us, some are lucky and naturally have good teeth that wear well and shed their baby caps like they're supposed to, but others don't, and I'm not willing to potentially subject my horse to preventable pain by skipping out on having them checked. So far, my horse has only needed work once, just after I got him and even that was fairly minor. He seems like he has a naturally good mouth. I still get him checked each year to be sure though.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Mine are checked annually. If they need it it is done if not we wait until next year. If there's any sort of problem or on an older horse the vet may suggest a 6 month interval.

I would get someone who knows what they are doing and have them check. If he doesn't need it don't do it but I would not have someone who doesn't seem to understand dentistry tell me not to do it.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Haven't read responses & I'm 100% sure others will also have said something similar...

Sounds to me like your vet maybe doesn't know much about teeth. What age to start? Unless there were obvious issues, I probably wouldn't bother having a foal seen to until he was around 6mo. Then I'd have him checked at least yearly for a couple of years, then every 1-2 years(or as per dentist's advice) until he was around 25yo, when I'd start getting them checked more often again.

It's true that a horse *may* not need his teeth floated. Ever. But especially if there are any imbalances in the jaw, they generally need maintenance every year or 2, younger & very old horses often more frequently, so it's a good move to have them checked yearly, and unless you have a dentist's 'gag'(looks like a medieval contraption), you won't be able to reliably feel the back teeth.


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

Horse's teeth go through "big" changes at 3, and 5. If you have any bit issues, or the horse quids then get the ED out.

I was hosing my old horse off, and he was grinning. Another saw a cap which I couldn't dislodge myself, so called my ED out to pull it.

The horse may not seem like he needs it, but a check up every 12 months would be advised. Your horse can get sharps, ridges or gaps in their teeth can fill with feed and be very uncomfortable.


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