HORSES’ TEETH

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20446, 17 June 1936, Page 3

HORSES’ TEETH

PROPER MASTICATION NECESSARY

Many cases of so-called colic, and others of general unthriftiness are attributable to faulty teeth, says a writer in the Australasian. The construction of the horse’s stomach is such that the food must be digested by the gastric juices and passed out quickly if he is to get sufficient to eat. If the food is not presented to the stomach in a thoroughly masticated condition and well mixed with saliva, delay in digestion takes place, and overloading of the stomach, which should be about two-thirds full for rapid digestion. The teeth must be in good order to ensure that the food shall be properly prepared for the gastric juices. In young horses, owing to faulty shedding of the first teeth, and in old horses due to the edges becoming long and worn, proper mastication is often impossible. It is advisable, therefore, to inspect frequently the mouths of horses, and especially in cases where “quids” of partly chewed food are found in the manger. A good horse master with a proper rasp can soon remedy any small irregularity, but in bad cases, if a veterinary surgeon is available, it is better to secure his services, as with the proper Instruments he can do the work in a very short time accurately, and without danger of blood-poison-ing. Bolting food will cause just as much trouble, and is a habit with some horses easily picked up where they are fed at boxes or troughs in a common yard. Every horse should be tied up to his own feed-box, even if stables are not used.