Aging The Horse By The Teeth - #070 The Horse’s Advocate Podcast

The Horse's Advocate Podcast

In 1979, I memorized the standard chart for aging the horse using the ware patterns of the teeth over time. The incisors were used rather than the cheek teeth because they were readily available by lifting the lips. The recorded features included the cups, dental star, and Galvayne's Groove. Horse owners and buyers used the chart for maybe a century, but in the 1980s, many equine dentists started to describe the incisors' bite. They noticed uneven wear patterns representing them as a smile, a frown, a diagonal, or a V-shape.

In 1983, I floated my first horse, and since, I have floated over 77,000 horses. I officially aged horses many times. I started to notice that if horses wore the incisors unevenly, the horse could be one age when viewed from the left side and another age when viewed from the right. The old aging chart needed fixing.

Several years ago, I asked owners with horses of verified age (papers or lip tattoos) to allow me to photograph the incisors. I imaged the left and right lateral, the straight-on, and the open mouth of the lower occlusal surface views. My goal within the project's time constraints was to get ten random horses of every age between 2 years and 30+ years. I could do this in most age groups, while I could only find one or two verified horses in other age groups. This podcast describes my findings.

**********

TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about horses, horse barns and farms. There is a membership side of the website where horse owners can attend live meetings to ask questions and get a deeper understanding of things they have learned on the site. Membership helps support this message, helping to spread it to everyone worldwide working with horses.

HorsemanshipDentistry.com is a website that discusses how and why I perform equine dentistry without immobilization or the automatic use of drugs. I only accept new clients in Florida. Make an appointment in FL.

HorsemanshipDentistrySchool.com is a website for those interested in learning how to perform equine dentistry without drugs on 97% of horses. There are eight spots a year for interested students PLUS, there is a separate online course for those wanting to learn how to do this but can never get to South Florida for hands-on training.

Show support for The Horse's Advocate by wearing a hat or shirt or drinking from a cup, all with the official logo. Go to this link for our swag (https://the-horses-advocate.creator-spring.com/).

Please give a thumbs up or 5-star review and share these everywhere. I know horse owners worldwide listen, and the horses need every one of you in "Helping Horses Thrive In A Human World."