The initial exam
on each of my
horses showed they
all had a few issues
that could be remedied
with a good float.
Heigh-ho, heigh-ho.
It’s off to the
Equine Dentist
we must go…
by Tara Needham
26 Miniature Horse World
Au g u s t / S e p t e m b e r 2 0 16
R
aise your hand if you like going to
the dentist? C’mon now, it can’t be
that bad, can it? I can only imagine
our little equine friends are not going to be
too quick to raise a hoof either. Or maybe I
am wrong. After a recent trip to the dentist
with the Stampede of Love Miniature Horse
Therapy team, I firmly believe that they are
grateful for the needed attention.
I have owned Miniature horses for over thirteen years with never a dull moment around
these little characters. I’m always learning
new things about them. Having their larger
equine counterparts in my life for many years
has helped considerably.
One thing I have learned over the years is
that it is not easy to find veterinarians who
are willing to float the teeth of these little
guys. Can you blame them? Most are probably not well equipped to handle the tiny
spaces inside our Miniatures mouths. Not to
mention, Minis seem to have a lot more dental issues than their larger relatives. Therefore, we must be diligent in caring for their
unique situations. I have discovered size is
everything. With two of my Minis under 27”
in height, the challenge turned into a slightly desperate search, especially when one of
them (Leo) began losing weight and stopped
eating well.
Continued on page 28.