How To Choose Who Works On Your Horse



You want to make the right and best choice of who takes care or the dental treatment for your horse. 

I want you and your horses to receive the very best care and dental treatment. 

So how can we make sure this happens? 

Please only use practitioners who are registered and listed on the WWAED or BAEDT websites. There are only 16 vets in the UK who are qualified dentists and have completed formal taining and exams.  You will find their details on the BAEDT website.  All vets receive some dental training but this is very often only a few hours or a weekend course.

Here are some important questions you should ask before you allow anyone to carry out any dental  procedures on your horse.

  • Can your dentist show you certificates from a certfied academy, school or association, to prove that they have received formal training, passed the level 2 examinations required and attended CPD courses in order to work on your horse? 
  • Does your dentist supply you with dental charts for your horses to show the procedures required and the work that has been done?  (Unqualified people don't usually bother about charts). 
  • Do they carry out a physical check of your horses condition before they start to work?
  • How long do they take to work on your horse?  (Anything under thirty minutes may suggest they are not be carrying out all the corrective procedures required) 
  • Do they encourage you to feel the teeth before and after the corrective work so that you have a better idea of what is going on inside your horses mouth?
  • Do they explain what they are doing,  why they are doing it and encourage you to ask questions?

Some things to ask yourself
  • Does your dentist check inside your horses mouth to ensure that everything looks and feels right before, during and after any corrective  procedures are carried out?
  • Do you feel satisfied with the work that has been done and has it made a difference in how your horse eats, feels and works?
  • Do they treat your horse with the patience and respect they deserve?

For the sake of your horse!

There are some people working on horses who do not use a speculum in order to open the horses mouth, instead of this they grab hold of the tongue and pull it out to the side of the mouth while they attempt to rasp part of your horses teeth.  If they get this wrong they can cause serious irreversible damage to your horses tongue and the hyoid apparatus.  Also working in this way may not allow the person attempting to do the work to carry out all the procedures that are required.  

At the end of the day it is your choice who works with your horse.

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