SubscribeGift a Sub
Enable cache 100

Over the Fence: I Heart my Horse Dentist

Call me crazy, but I love hanging around the barn when the horse dentist pays a visit. Dave Butts is a terrific horseman, and always has something interesting to say. He’s also helped keep my horses’ teeth in great shape over the last 15 years.


A certified equine dental technician, Dave owns a Libertytown, Maryland-based equine dental practice that he calls The Horse’s Mouth. He’s also a former vice president of the International Association of Equine Dentists.



The first time I met Dave, he regaled me with stories of filing teeth on a giraffe. While he talked, he worked on the big, young warmblood gelding I had back then. Dave reached into Benny’s mouth and pulled out what looked like a tooth. I nearly passed out. Then I realized what he had pulled out was in fact not a tooth. It was a sharp, uncomfortable cap leftover from a baby tooth in Benny’s mouth. Phew! Dave had it all covered with gentle touch.



This morning, I brought my (muddy, little) 12-year old Welsh Cob gelding Taff up from the field just as Dave got ready to work. Up to his elbow in horse teeth, he told me how people always ask him how horses teeth grow. In fact, he says, they don’t grow at all. Once horse teeth are formed, they simply erupt, uppers and lowers fitting together (held tight by periodontal ligaments) to create perfect food grinding surfaces.

As a horse ages, teeth gradually get loose and “out of wear,” which means they don’t touch well enough anymore to grind as well as they used to – or at all. This is why older horses sometimes spit food out or can’t chew well. He says the development of equine senior feeds and more sophisticated equine dentistry in the past 20 years has helped horses age better and live longer. Teeth are less likely to fall out; proper chewing helps digestion and reduces the likelihood of colic; training problems ease with less tooth-related pain in your horse’s mouth.

What are the biggest mistakes a horse owner can make when it comes to her animal’s teeth, according to Dave? Two things: The first is delaying dental care until a horse is old. Horses between up to five years old and horses over 20 years old should be seen by a certified equine dentist twice a year. In between, an annual visit works well. The second biggest mistake is not working with an equine dentist at all (he doesn’t recommend having your vet do it as part of a health program). Regular dental work from a certified equine dentist, says Dave, can add years to your horse’s life.


In addition to his dental practice, Dave “breaks” hundreds of young horses at the 130-acre farm he owns (Windy Willows Farm) and runs with his wife Deborah in central Maryland.

Back to Over the Fence

View Comments

Recent Posts

ASPCA Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week: Xanthus

Welcome to Horse Illustrated’s weekly installment of the Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, offered in partnership with the…

9 hours ago

Equine Affaire Massachusetts 2024: Four Days Just Isn’t Enough!

The crisp New England autumn air was filled with excitement as Equine Affaire returned to the Eastern States Exposition in…

18 hours ago

A Royal Wrap: 2024 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Synopsis

Things have gone quiet now in Toronto at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds on the waterfront of Lake Ontario after…

19 hours ago

Vet Adventures: Lady Catherine de Bourgh

It was late on a Saturday when the photo popped up on my phone. It was a laceration at the…

2 days ago

Ultimate Guide to Ulcers

Equine ulcers are a significant concern for many horse owners. Ulcers can affect all types of horses and have a…

6 days ago

ASPCA Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week: Vision of Elias

Welcome to Horse Illustrated’s weekly installment of the Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, offered in partnership with the…

1 week ago