Horses are uniquely adapted in many ways to enable them to consume large amounts of grass and hay. By understanding equine tooth anatomy we can learn to keep our horse’s teeth in the best possible shape.
Horses are quite unusual in their equine tooth anatomy, with some interesting and clever adaptations in the structure of their teeth. The reason for this is the ...
These are the teeth at the front of the mouth, that we can see if we lift the lips of the horse. They are small, sharp teeth, used to grab and tear food such as grass.
Not all horses have canine teeth, and they are more common in male horses than female horses. In ancient times, these pointed teeth would have been used as a weapon in fights, or when ...
Further back in the mouth are the premolars, that sit in a tightly packed line with the molars. Together, these teeth make a formidable grinding surface, turning tough grass ...
Wolf teeth are tiny teeth that sit just in front of the first premolars. Not all horses have wolf teeth, and they have no useful purpose. Wolf teeth are ...
So, as we have learned, equine tooth anatomy is uniquely adapted to enable them to consume large quantities of grass and hay. They have large, strong teeth and powerful jaws, that can grind food and make it easier to digest.