Preparing your horse for seeing the dentist!

If you take the time to prepare your horse for his dental experience you will both benefit.

First your horse is going to be much less nervous when he is being examined and he will be better to work with around his head and mouth – which is good for anything you may be asking him to do with you!

Make it a routine to touch and rub your horse’s head and face. Get him used to you lifting his lips up and running your fingers along the bars of his mouth. Rub his gums. Run your hands gently but firmly up and down the sides of his face where the molars are.

Do these things in stages and in short lengths of time, at first. Increase the length of time as your horse becomes used to your doing it. Doing a little bit of this often will soon have him used to being touched around his face and in his mouth.