• Canine teeth are also known as Tushes or Tusks.
• 100% of stallions and geldings have canine teeth, 2 in the upper and 2 in the lower jaw.
• Only 25% of mares have canine teeth, which are much smaller in size and vary between 1 and 4 in quantity.
• The canine teeth appear between the ages of 4 and 5 years.
• The canine teeth are the fighting teeth, and are not used in the eating process.
• The canine teeth sit further forward in the horse's mouth than the wolf teeth, and are totally separate teeth.
• Unlike the other teeth present in the horse's mouth, when the mouth is closed the upper and lower canine teeth do not meet. The lower canines sit slightly further forward than the uppers.
• Large canines can not only cause damage to other horses during fighting, but can also cause damage to the horse's tongue and handler's hand! They can be reduced in height by your Equine Dental Technician.
• Large canines can reduce the amount of space the tongue has within the horse's mouth, leading to possible discomfort when a bit is added.
• Canines are often subject to a build up of tartar or dental plaque, which in turn can cause gum disease and pain to the horse.
Below are two photos of the same canine tooth, before and after the removal of tartar. Had the tartar not been removed, the horse would have gone on to suffer from possible gum and periodontal disease.