06/02/2026
Callahan Equine Dental Services came out to work on the crew today and I figured this would be the perfect time to discuss why dental is so important!
Rocket is done on a 6 month schedule, and the rest of my crew done yearly, to ensure the teeth have no sharp edges or other problems that could cause pain.
If this is not upkept it can cause many joint and muscle issues. This is often in the poll, tmj, cervical spine, thoracic spine, and neck/back muscles however it can affect essentially the whole body right down to the feet due to compensation patterns that arise. All of these spots can cause incredible pain, and heavily affect a horses performance.
Some symptoms to look for if your teeth may need done include
Fighting undersaddle *buck, rear, aggression*
Mouth agape
Ears pinned
Aggression on ground (often from poll tension due to teeth)
Bit sour
Head tossing
Even tail swishing when bit pressure is applied!
Poor performance
Difficult to turn OR stop
Difficulty engaging back + hind end or gain collection
Although, if these symptoms arise you are clearly OVERDUE for dental. Please keep your horses on schedule yearly at bare minimum. Rocket, due to his progressive parrot mouth, is always upkept every 6 months and horses with known issues (especially reccomended by a dentist or vet) should do the same.
Very happy with Callahan's work on my horses, their teeth are looking so nice!! Be sure to keep up with your horses dental!
