What does it mean to "float" a horses teeth?

I am sorta new at all this horsey dental stuff. I want to know and so does my Mom and Grandma. Please help us out!





Thanks


-SamiSam

What does it mean to "float" a horses teeth?
A horse is a grain and grass eater, they eat by grinding the food between they teeth side ways. This action pushes the crown of there teeth out words and makes points on the outside of their teeth. When the horse is eating the points are sharp and will cut or hurt the insides of the mouth. You can tell it a horse has points on his teeth because they will try eating with there month open dropping a lot of the grain. You can tell if you reach in a horse’s mouth by the bars and take hold of the horse’s tongs and pull it a side so he will not close his mouth. Reach in with your other hand and using your finger run it lightly over the out side of the teeth to fell the points, being careful not to cut your finger tips. Floating a horse is using a coarse horse mouth file on a 18" handle to file off the points from the horses mouth so they can go back to eating with there mouth close as they should. It is not a hard job, but it is easier to work on a well-mannered horse, than an unruly one that does not like to be worked with
Reply:You use a tool that kind of looks like a giant tooth brush but it has a file instead of brisles. That is used to take down the sharp edges of the horses teeth. If you feel the tops of your own molers you will feel the sharp ridges on them - that is what is filed off basically. There can be a lot more to it ofcorse depending on the needs of the horse.
Reply:Teeth floating is when your vet comes out %26amp; files down their teeth. A horse needs this once a year. My horses just had it done a ccouple days ago. Now is a good time.
Reply:All it means is to have someone come over and grid back the horse's teeth. their teeth grow unlike ours, and can get in the way, and can get very painful with a bit in the mouth.