The definition of a parrot mouth is when the top incisor teeth’s front edge is further forward that that of the lower teeth. Obviously there are all different degrees of parrot mouth — minor through to severe. Whats a parrot mouth in a horse? Parrot mouth in horses is a Read more…
Although generally only found in male horses, small canine teeth can also be found in some mares. Canine teeth erupt at around 4-5 years of age. The original purpose of canine teeth was as fighting weaponry and as such they serve no useful function in the modern horse. Do male Read more…
This idiom comes from British horse-racing circles, likely because the presumed ideal source for racing tips would be the horse rather than spectators or riders. What does the saying from the horses mouth mean? If you hear something from the horse’s mouth, you hear it from someone who knows that Read more…
incisors. Your horse’s front teeth are called incisors. These teeth efficiently clip the grass as it grazes. These are also the first teeth to appear as the milk teeth grow in and the first to shed as the permanent teeth push through. How many front teeth do horses have? twelve Read more…
The area in the horse’s mouth where a bit communicates our pressures most effectively to the horse is called the bars. These gaps between the front teeth and the back teeth on either side of the jaw consist of tissue-covered, pressure-sensitive cartilage. Why do horses have a metal bar in Read more…
Underbite (“Sow Mouth”) Prognathism (“undershot jaw,” “underbite”) is rare in the horse, except in miniature horses, and is usually clinically insignificant unless there is a total lack of occlusion between the upper and lower incisors. What is an undershot jaw? An undershot jaw occurs when the lower jaw grows faster Read more…
Laryngeal hemiplegia is caused by paralysis of one or both of these cartilages (called the arytenoid cartilage; Figure 1), due to lack of innervation causing atrophy to the muscle that moves the arytenoid cartilage. The left arytenoid cartilage is the most common side affected (up to 95%). What causes recurrent Read more…
Over time some horses can develop a wave mouth due to an abnormal or uneven bite, which causes the molars to wear in an irregular wave-shaped pattern. Horses with an over or underbite may not wear their incisors properly, and these front teeth may require attention as well. What is Read more…
2-5%. While some breeders droop their shoulders and shake their heads when faced with affected foals, floundering in their misfortune, others pick up the phone and call the equine orthodontist. Parrot mouth, long believed to be an inherited condition, reportedly affects 2-5% of the equine population to some degree. Should Read more…
While not common with an underbite, a horse with an overbite could develop ulcers of the soft palate if the misaligned teeth dig into the soft tissues of the horse’s palate. Moderate discomfort from resulting sores or ulcers in the mouth can cause a horse to back off his feed. Read more…