Horses have a total of 12 premolar and 12 molar teeth divided into an upper and lower row each of 6 cheek teeth on both the left and right sides of the mouth. What is a cheek tooth in a horse? In the horse, the term ‘cheek teeth’ is often Read more…
Wooden tongue, sometimes referred to as “woody tongue” is an infection caused by bacteria; Actinobacillus lignieresii. This disease can be expressed as either abscesses or wooden tongue or both. The bacteria that cause wooden tongue can be found in the mouth of normal healthy animals. What are the symptoms of Read more…
A Quarter Horse tattoo has four or five numbers followed by a letter, making it easy to tell from a Thoroughbred tattoo. You can get more info about Quarter Horse tattoos and registration here and AQHA will look up a tattoo number for free if you call them at 806-376-4811. Read more…
Lip tattooing is found on Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds, Appaloosas, Arabians and Quarter Horses, because these breeds also race. What horses have a lip tattoo? Thoroughbred horses are required by most state racing commission rules to be lip tattooed in order to participate in an official Thoroughbred race. The tattoo serves as Read more…
“Shear mouth” is the abnormally steep angle of the meeting of upper and lower molars (cheek teeth). This results in the upper and lower jaws being incapable of sliding side to side in a natural circular chewing motion. What causes wave mouth in horses? Over time some horses can develop Read more…
Use of a fly sheet can help to eliminate bumps, welts, rashes or other skin irritations caused by biting flies and bugs. Additionally, some bugs, such as mosquitoes, carry disease, so protecting your horse from these bites can be very beneficial. When should a horse wear a fly sheet? In Read more…
Tommy speaks with Charles immediately, explaining the reasoning for his actions: the horse was sick, and so it was killed out of mercy. “I put him to sleep,” Tommy says, “It’s what you do.” However, the young boy isn’t convinced and states, “No, it’s what YOU do. Was a real Read more…
The tool is often used to help horses stay calm in the paddock or around the stable area, but is not as commonly worn while the horse is under saddle. Why does a horse wear a lip chain? The lip chain just gives the handler an advantage while handling their Read more…
A: A flash is a thin strap attached at the center of a regular noseband (also called a cavesson) and secured under the horse’s chin. It is supposed to stabilize the noseband in his mouth and prevent him from crossing his jaw or putting his tongue over the bit—actions that Read more…
As it turns out, the vast majority of the time a noseband isn’t needed, especially if we develop fine hands and a light horse. In fact, allowing the mouth to be free, and encouraging it to softly chew and relax can be helpful in creating a light horse and in Read more…