Q: A farming neighbour
recently told me that I can rasp my horse's teeth myself - is this correct? If so, where can I buy the right equipment and what do I need?
A: This question has a two-fold answer. From a
legal point of view, there are no laws or restrictions that prevent you from
rasping your own horse’s teeth. In fact, the Veterinary
Surgeons Act 1996 states that any lay-person can rasp equine teeth without
prior training in equine dentistry, although this does not include the more
advanced aspects, such as the removal of wolf teeth.
However, I would strongly discourage you from rasping your horse’s teeth - or allowing anyone else to do so - without the correct training. Horse’s teeth are balanced to grind and break down food effectively to maximise nutritional value, and anyone carrying out dental maintenance must fully understands the bio-mechanics of the horse’s mouth. There are a number of possible pitfalls:
Accidentally changing the natural 12 to 15 degree angle at which the cheek teeth sit can put excessive pressure on certain parts of the teeth, potentially causing tooth fractures.
Over-rasping the surface of the cheek teeth can prevent them from touching during the eating process, leading to the horse swallowing food that has not been sufficiently broken down - and possibly colic. An untrained person can do as much damage by rasping too much as they can by not doing enough.
Leaving a horse with 'hooks' (which sometimes develop on cheek teeth) may not only effect his ability to eat, but also prevent him from carrying himself in the correct manner when ridden, as hooks can inhibit jaw movement.
Failure to remove sharp edges can lead to a lacerated tongue or cheeks.
To ensure correct care for your horse’s teeth, I suggest you contact a qualified equine dental technician (EDT). In a routine check up, the EDT will use a full mouth speculum to hold the mouth open, around eight rasps and various other instruments to ensure the mouth is comfortable, functional and balanced. Due to the expense of dentistry equipment, it is also more economical to employ someone who has the correct instruments than to purchase them.