Whew what a year it’s been! You could argue that 2015 has been the year of the horse, especially with American Pharoah winning the Triple Crown and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. There have been exciting developments when it comes to horses and their health, how we can take care of them better, what really makes them tick, and so forth, much of which we have covered in this blog. Now that we are peering down the hole of 2016, we must ponder what the year will hold for our equine friends and us – and it all starts with the mouth not what our horses say, but what is inside of their mouths: The teeth.
Heather Smith Thomas of The Horse writes, “When your older horse’s pearly whites are past their prime, keep an eye out for signs of specific problems and schedule frequent dental exams.” Yes, teeth are essential to a horse’s health and just a few years ago, it was impossible for horses to live a long life if their teeth are falling apart. With all the improvements in healthcare and diet, older horses with bad teeth do have a second shot at life. We just have to be proactive in noticing teeth problems and then taking care of them.
Thomas writes, “Some senior horses show clear signs of dental problems, such as an inability to eat properly, but other signs are less obvious.” These signs include things such as a change in eating habits, bad breath, diarrhea, lost teeth, infection, wave mouth, sharp points and hooks, food between teeth, incisor problems, and more.
In 2016, at Deer Creek Structures we want you to pay close attention to your horse’s teeth. If you want to take a bite out of life, which should be the goal of every New Year, you have to make sure the teeth are up to snuff.