Horse Dental Welfare and Floating

Equine dental care is fundamental to horse welfare, affecting the ability to chew, nutritional status, ridden behavior, and comfort throughout life.

Key Facts

Horses have hypsodont teeth that erupt continuously throughout life — dental problems are progressive and common
Sharp enamel points on the outer edges of upper cheek teeth and inner edges of lower cheek teeth cause cheek and tongue lacerations
Wave mouth, step mouth, and hooks are common dental abnormalities that impair chewing efficiency
Equine dental examination requires appropriate sedation and full-mouth speculum for adequate visualization
Annual dental examinations for adult horses and more frequent checks for young and senior horses are recommended

Welfare Considerations

Equine dental disease causes chronic pain that is often invisible to owners because horses continue to eat despite significant discomfort. A horse with sharp enamel points lacerating the inside of its cheeks every time it chews, or a dental hook causing jaw pain, eats differently — dropping food, head tilting, reluctance to take the bit — but continues to function. These behavioral adaptations mask the pain that regular dental assessment would reveal. The welfare investment in annual dental examinations under sedation with a qualified equine dentist or veterinary dental specialist is one of the most impactful routine welfare measures available to horse owners.

What You Can Do

Schedule annual dental examinations with a qualified equine dental technician or veterinary dentist
Ensure examinations are performed under sedation with a full-mouth speculum for adequate visualization
Watch for signs of dental discomfort: dropping food, slow eating, quidding, and behavioral changes under saddle
Increase examination frequency for horses under 5 years and over 15 years — these age groups have more rapid changes
Do not allow dental care to lapse due to cost — untreated dental disease becomes more expensive to address and more painful to experience