Chip and the Case of the Floating Teeth

Chip is a former racehorse who is owned by Marianne in Austin, TX. Just like humans, horses have a dentist take care of their teeth. In this photo Chip is having his teeth "floated."  The equine dentist has put a brace in to hold Chip's mouth open (see the silver bar around the edge of his mouth?) so he can use the rasp to smooth the sharp edges.

A horse's digestive system is not as well developed as many mammals, and their body cannot process food efficiently if it is not chewed up into minuscule pieces.  If Chip's teeth were allowed to continue to grow without being floated, the sharp edges would hurt and he wouldn't chew as well as he should, causing him to lose weight.

Horses in the wild don't get their teeth floated, but they eat in a way that is more natural for them. The take a bite or two of grass, walk a few steps, take another bite or two and walk a few more steps. They eat almost all the time they are awake and the constant grinding keep their teeth from needing work. 

If you look closely on the wall above Chip's head you can see a photo of one of his foals.  


Do you know how many teeth an adult horse has?