Learn About Your Horse's Teeth

Take a look in your horse's mouth and you’ll see a lot of teeth in there. On average, horses have between 36 and 42 teeth. The number is dependent on the sex of the horse, and whether or not the horse develops extra teeth along the bars of its mouth—the empty space between the front teeth and rear teeth where the bit sits.

Your horse also has a number of different types of teeth. And, throughout its life, it will have two different sets of teeth, just like humans. Specific wear and growth patterns can help you determine the approximate age of a horse. 

Deciduous (Baby) Teeth

The deciduous teeth, or milk or baby teeth, are the first set of teeth that grow in a foal's mouth. These teeth may be apparent when the foal is born. Shortly after the young horse’s second birthday, these teeth are pushed out by the permanent adult teeth as they grow in. There are 24 in all and they are usually replaced entirely by the time the horse is about 5 years old. Occasionally, a young horse may need help shedding baby teeth. The caps, as they are called, may not fall out as they should, and may have to be removed by a veterinarian or equine dentist. 

Permanent Teeth

The permanent or adult teeth continue to grow for most of the horse’s life. These are the ones we look to when we want to learn the approximate age of a horse. When a horse gets really old, the tooth growth ends, and the horse may develop gaps where teeth fall out. This can lead to problems like weight loss and quidding (dropping feed from the mouth in the midst of chewing).  

Wolf and Canine Teeth

As the foal matures to 4 or 5 years of age, some horses may get extra teeth in the inter-dental gap that we call the bars of the mouth. Canine and wolf teeth are slightly more common in stallions and geldings than in mares, where they will also appear smaller in size. They may only grow into the upper jaw, or they may grow in both the upper and lower jaw. Because these teeth can cause discomfort, especially when holding a bit, they can be removed. These teeth can sit beneath the gums in some horses, be quite small, or get quite pronounced.