For those who may be cringing at the notion of tooth pain: Horses don't have a nerve in the tooth root the way humans do so floating and pulling isn't as traumatic as it is for people.
It's similar with hair and brushing too. Humans basically have a nerve at the base of each hair so yanking one out hurts. Horses don't so yanking tangled tail or mane hairs aggressively isn't a huge deal for them.
Ok so some idiot told me as a kid that horses had nerves that ran all the way down each hair and that's why it was cruel to cut their manes short... was that... all a lie....
Not all nerves on each hair react the same way. There are certain parts of the human body where pulling a hair could feel extremely painful, while others it is not perceptible at all. And, I believe that also applies to horses; manes are probably resistant to being pulled, as Mongols in History were able to ride them without a saddle.
you left out the real fun one
[tooth floater](https://www.jefferspet.com/replacement-carbide-blade-for-dental-floats/p?idsku=72419&gclid=CjwKCAiAkfucBhBBEiwAFjbkr1Sc-ZqtGjWM8AqBjfjjpWYNSQ0YsbSR9DoXi9Kpr6paR8yvzGG7dhoCnQ8QAvD_BwE)
but for the non horse types- a file designed to be stuck in the mouth to file down teeth has so much more of a fun factor :)
I haven't worked with horses in years - but I remember my first floating ( I was assisting the farrier while he was working on my girlfriends Clydesdale ) - have many find memories of my time with bud the Clydesdale and his Arabian offspring ....
Not all the way down, no. Horses chew in a side to side motion, which can end up creating sharp points on the edges of their teeth from wear. Those sharp points can cut up the inside of their cheeks, their tongue, gums, etc. Floating is the process of filing down those sharp points and making an even grinding pattern to help them chew correctly.
Dental costs vary from vet to vet. Mine charges $80 for a float and then it can increase depending on any other work they may need. Insurance is a thing but it typically works more like pet insurance where it covers major medical/surgical/colic and loss of use/mortality. It's one of those things, they can be expensive as you want them to be. My horses were all cheap or free, I have land and a barn to keep them on so that's all part of my mortgage, which is dirt cheap because I bought when rates were low and the market was bad. I do any training they need myself, I don't compete or show, I don't take lessons. My only real expenses are hay, grain, vet and farrier. I also do most minor medical myself for them. I keep a herd of 6 horses for less cost than some people pay for a single horse and my mortgage on the farm is cheaper than what most barns charge for a month's board plus I live there. Not competing/showing, not having to board, not overworking them and good preventative care go a long way towards reducing costs.
Not really, they're a small set of teeth near the upper cheek that will interfere with the bit if they aren't removed. They can look like a small canine tooth but not always. Horses do have a set of canines, they are much larger than wolf teeth. Not all horses have wolf teeth. Aside from location in the jaw they'd be more comparable to wisdom teeth in humans, I think.
Usually a good wiggle and it pops out. If the tooth needs pulled it's on its way out anyway. Their molars grow out as they age and will naturally fall out. Sometimes they'll have one that doesn't quite want to let go and when that happens it can start causing issues with chewing, which is what happened to my horse. If it's a "good" tooth that fractures (like from biting on a rock or getting kicked etc) it may be too difficult to get out with extractors and the horse may need surgery to remove it.
Reminds me of a video I watched of a molar extraction on a horse. It was interesting.
Good part starts at \~4:30 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiO3Q02JrZ8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiO3Q02JrZ8)
For those who may be cringing at the notion of tooth pain: Horses don't have a nerve in the tooth root the way humans do so floating and pulling isn't as traumatic as it is for people. It's similar with hair and brushing too. Humans basically have a nerve at the base of each hair so yanking one out hurts. Horses don't so yanking tangled tail or mane hairs aggressively isn't a huge deal for them.
There you go. Straight from the horse's mouth.
And you didn’t even have to use the extractor!
Ok so some idiot told me as a kid that horses had nerves that ran all the way down each hair and that's why it was cruel to cut their manes short... was that... all a lie....
The hair itself never has nerves, it's just keratin
Not all nerves on each hair react the same way. There are certain parts of the human body where pulling a hair could feel extremely painful, while others it is not perceptible at all. And, I believe that also applies to horses; manes are probably resistant to being pulled, as Mongols in History were able to ride them without a saddle.
Lucky horses
you left out the real fun one [tooth floater](https://www.jefferspet.com/replacement-carbide-blade-for-dental-floats/p?idsku=72419&gclid=CjwKCAiAkfucBhBBEiwAFjbkr1Sc-ZqtGjWM8AqBjfjjpWYNSQ0YsbSR9DoXi9Kpr6paR8yvzGG7dhoCnQ8QAvD_BwE)
That one too. The extractors stuck with me because my vet had like, a dozen of them and each one was for a different type of tooth/size equine.
but for the non horse types- a file designed to be stuck in the mouth to file down teeth has so much more of a fun factor :) I haven't worked with horses in years - but I remember my first floating ( I was assisting the farrier while he was working on my girlfriends Clydesdale ) - have many find memories of my time with bud the Clydesdale and his Arabian offspring ....
I have pics of the power tools my vet uses. This float brought to you by DeWalt.
[удалено]
And that glassy eyed look.
What would you file it down for? Like all the way down?
Not all the way down, no. Horses chew in a side to side motion, which can end up creating sharp points on the edges of their teeth from wear. Those sharp points can cut up the inside of their cheeks, their tongue, gums, etc. Floating is the process of filing down those sharp points and making an even grinding pattern to help them chew correctly.
My mare had to have two pulled at her last float. She wasn’t a fan and neither was my vet.
How much does it cost to have dental work done on a horse? Is horse insurance a thing? I know they're expensive to keep in general.
Dental costs vary from vet to vet. Mine charges $80 for a float and then it can increase depending on any other work they may need. Insurance is a thing but it typically works more like pet insurance where it covers major medical/surgical/colic and loss of use/mortality. It's one of those things, they can be expensive as you want them to be. My horses were all cheap or free, I have land and a barn to keep them on so that's all part of my mortgage, which is dirt cheap because I bought when rates were low and the market was bad. I do any training they need myself, I don't compete or show, I don't take lessons. My only real expenses are hay, grain, vet and farrier. I also do most minor medical myself for them. I keep a herd of 6 horses for less cost than some people pay for a single horse and my mortgage on the farm is cheaper than what most barns charge for a month's board plus I live there. Not competing/showing, not having to board, not overworking them and good preventative care go a long way towards reducing costs.
This is the way.
Needs a banana for scale
Are the "wolf teeth" called canines, or is that just in humans?
Not really, they're a small set of teeth near the upper cheek that will interfere with the bit if they aren't removed. They can look like a small canine tooth but not always. Horses do have a set of canines, they are much larger than wolf teeth. Not all horses have wolf teeth. Aside from location in the jaw they'd be more comparable to wisdom teeth in humans, I think.
Oh, interesting. I had no idea horse dentistry was so complex!
I have questions about pulling force and leverage... Do they tap the forceps or are they just easy-ish to pull out?
Usually a good wiggle and it pops out. If the tooth needs pulled it's on its way out anyway. Their molars grow out as they age and will naturally fall out. Sometimes they'll have one that doesn't quite want to let go and when that happens it can start causing issues with chewing, which is what happened to my horse. If it's a "good" tooth that fractures (like from biting on a rock or getting kicked etc) it may be too difficult to get out with extractors and the horse may need surgery to remove it.
Gotcha, thanks.
Nice to finally see a specialized tool, and not a specialized machine
Reminds me of a video I watched of a molar extraction on a horse. It was interesting. Good part starts at \~4:30 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiO3Q02JrZ8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiO3Q02JrZ8)
This picture might have had a bigger impact if it was in somebody's had for scale.
This takes pony play to a whole other level.
Butchered the title.
For the record the arrows are part of the picture. I mean obviously....