A horse is a large animal, and anyone that raises them will know that there are a thousand and one different factors to keep in mind when it comes to maintaining the animal’s health. New horses owners will go to great lengths to ensure that their animal’s coat and hooves are in good shape, but it’s not uncommon for them to completely forget to keep track of the horse’s dental health.
Horses rely on their teeth to grind down the fibrous foods that they eat, so it’s important that their teeth are always kept in great health as much as possible. Here we will look at some helpful hints and tricks for maintaining a horse’s long-term dental health.
Checking The Horse’s Teeth
One of the easiest ways of getting on top of the dental health before it becomes a major problem is by scheduling regular check-ups with a vet. In general, it’s recommended that a vet check out a horse’s dental health at least once every 12 months, but there’s nothing wrong with getting it checked more frequently if the horse seems to be having any issues with its teeth. In many countries, there are strict regulations in place in terms of the vets that are allowed to oversee dental health and perform the necessary surgery or other fixes.
Their Diet
Much like us, the diet of the animal can affect the overall health of its teeth, which is why owners will want to make sure that their horse is getting the right diet to make sure their dental health is at its maximum. Horses will need frequent access to good pastureland, where they can get all the minerals and nutrients that they need.
On top of this, a source of hay or other types of feeding will provide the fibre that they need. Diet makes a huge difference to overall dental health, so it might be worth talking with a vet and getting a good understanding of what kind of foods need to be given to the animal to maximise the health of its teeth. This is especially helpful after the animal has received a check-up so that the vet has a good understanding of what’s going on and what the horse needs.
Next Is Hygiene
Horses need to be kept in a clean, warm, and dry environment, especially when they are in a stable. This means frequent changes of its hay and any old or rotten food items that the horse might try to eat. Another trick that owners can use is to flush out the horse’s mouth with a hose, which can help remove all of the bits of feed that are stuck in between the teeth, but it’s worth doing to if it means getting back to playing the best online slots in Canada.
It can take some time for the horse to become used to this, but after a while it will become more accustomed to the process, making that much easier to do on a regular basis.