So what does it mean to float a horse's teeth? I'm sure
you've heard this a time or two (if you haven't, sooner or later
you will from another horse owner or from your vet), and if you're
like me, you imagined for the longest time what this could possibly
mean and wondered what it involved.
To float a horse's teeth certainly sounds funny, too.
Floating means to smooth or contour your horse's teeth
with a file (called a "float"). Unlike your own teeth, your horse's
teeth keep growing. At times, your horse's teeth may develop sharp
edges, making it difficult for her to chew food, hold a bit, or
simply have pain and discomfort inside her mouth.
An adult horse may have between 36-44 permanent teeth. And just
like humans, your horse gets two sets of teeth in her lifetime.
Your horse starts out with temporary baby teeth and by age five,
will most likely have her full set of permanent teeth.
The horse's front teeth cut hay and grass, while the top and bottom
cheek teeth grind the forage between the flat surfaces in a sideways
motion. This grinding action breaks down the food into a pulp before
swallowing which helps it to be digested better. If your horse is
unable to grind down food all the way due to uneven teeth surfaces,
the unchewed food will not be digested as well.
Most often, points develop on the upper cheek teeth toward the outside
of the mouth next to your horse's cheek. And on the bottom cheek
teeth toward the inside of the mouth next to your horse's tongue.
These points can then cut into the cheek and tongue making your
Though it may seem tedious and like a burden, you know having routine
dentist check-ups contribute to the overall good health of your
own teeth. Well, your horse is no different and deserves some of
the same attention to her teeth as you give to yours. Confined horses
or those that do not have the ability to graze all day are more
prone to teeth overgrowth, as they are not naturally grinding their
teeth all day to keep them smooth. Also, just like you, your horse
can have other dental problems. A horse can have excessively worn
teeth, loose or broken teeth, or infected gums.
One sign that your horse's teeth may need to be floated is if she
is consistently dropping food from her mouth and you start seeing
signs of weight loss. Your horse may also exhibit behavior like
head-tossing or opening her mouth frequently.
Possible horse dental problem indicators:
- Drops food from her mouth
- Exhibits difficulty in chewing
- Excessive salivation
- Loss of weight
- Undigested food particles in manure
- Excessive bit chewing
- Resisting having the bridle put on
- Difficult handling while riding
- Mouth odor
- Blood in the mouth
- Face swelling
- Nasal discharge
Because horses are adaptable creatures, even if they are having discomfort,
some do not show any signs of dental problems. So don't assume that
if there are no symptoms, there are no problems.
Sharp teeth edges can hurt the inside of your horse's mouth causing
pain and creating sores on her tongue or cheeks. Your horse may show
resistance when riding due to added pain from the bit pressing against
The vet or equine dentist will carefully file all your horse's teeth
that need smoothing to achieve a flat grinding surface between the
upper and lower teeth. Having your horse's teeth floated is well worth
it so she digests her food better, is in better spirits, and makes
riding more enjoyable for you both.
How often floating is necessary varies quite a bit from one horse
to another. Some horses seem to have slower-growing teeth and may
require floating only once every several years while others may require
floating every few months. Even if your horse does not require her
teeth to be floated often, it is still a good idea to have her teeth
and gums examined once a year.
The procedure the vet typically uses to float your horse's teeth is
to first sedate your horse to make her relaxed. A special halter is
put on with a rope thrown over a ceiling rafter or the equivalent
in order to hold your horse's head up. A mouth speculum is used to
keep your horse's mouth open. The vet will then either manually file
your horse's teeth using a rasp in a back and forth motion to flatten
the high points, or may use a power tool. The whole procedure is quick
and painless - taking about 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
If you're like me, you cringe at the thought of someone filing away
on your teeth with a rasp. You can imagine the shooting pain from
the nerves in your teeth. Personally, the dentist can't give me enough
Novocain to make me feel comfortable before poking around or drilling
in my mouth.
Unlike us, a horse's nerves end close to the gumline, so there is
no nerve where the tooth is being worked on, and therefore does not
feel any nerve pain. We humans should be so lucky.
About the Author
Randall Holman, site owner
of Front Range Frenzy and horse enthusiast, is the author of the above
article. You will find other easy and practical basic horse care information
on his website: http://www.FrontRangeFrenzy.com