Dental disease is a leading cause of welfare impairment in horses and ponies, with routine professional dental care essential for maintaining quality of life.
Equine dental welfare is often neglected because horses rarely refuse food even with severe dental disease — they compensate through altered chewing patterns that mask pain indicators. Quidding (dropping food), head tilting during eating, difficulty with the bit and weight loss are all late signs of significant dental disease. Annual professional dental examination by a qualified equine dental technician or veterinary surgeon provides the preventive monitoring necessary to address issues before they cause significant welfare impairment. Owner education about early behavioural signs is the primary early-detection tool.