07/07/2026
Caring for the Older Horse - Teeth
As our horses age there are various things to look out for which may impact their comfort and ability to thrive, dentistry being one of them.
Zaira is 28 and although still relatively healthy she has various age-related challenges.
Her teeth have started to soften and loosen and today she had to have an extraction.
As well as the equine dentist every 6-12 months, dental signs to look out for are that they may be quidding their food or hay.
This means that they are dropping balls of partially chewed hay or chaff, as they cannot chew it well enough to swallow it. This is what I had noticed Zaira doing.
My dentist could not remove the tooth without IV sedation so my vet came out to remove it.
Zai has been on a diet of soaked mash and beet pulp for a good few years, which helps her to be able to take in the nutrients she needs without too much chewing.
Should her teeth continue to affect her food intake I may also need to replace her hay ration with a soaked alternative. This might be more crucial in winter when she lives more on hay.
Now that Zai has had that tooth extracted she will need more regular dental visits to keep the opposing teeth from over growing.
It’s really important to look out for signs of dental issues in our horses in order to give them the best quality of life as they age. 💝🐴
