Use this teaching guide for unmounted lessons that help Teal Level students accurately identify equine teeth and signs of aging, demonstrating knowledge of how the horse’s teeth grow and the consequences of overlooking routine dental care.
A horse’s dental health has a tremendous impact on his comfort, digestion, and even soundness and athletic ability. But for many students, a horse’s teeth are out of sight, out of mind!
Teal Level students should become familiar enough with dental anatomy that they can spot abnormalities, converse comfortably with an equine dentist, and be able to estimate a horse’s general age from his teeth. While it is important to emphasize that aging a horse is NOT an exact science, students should be able to identify structures such as cups, stars and the Galvayne Groove, and demonstrate understanding of how a horse’s teeth develop and wear over time.
Lessons cover:
- ideas for hands-on teaching tools that help students visualize equine teeth.
- criteria for evaluating a horse's healthy dental condition.
- activities to help students become familiar with changes to equine teeth as horses age.
- assessing pros and cons of different methods of equine dentistry.
- recognizing warning signs of a horse with dental pain.
Teaching tips include:
- creative ideas for teaching this topic with both private and group lessons.
- suggested Challenge materials (games, worksheets, etc.) and other teaching tools.
- strategies for adapting for your unique teaching situation.
If this is your first time using our unmounted teaching guides, please make sure that you download and read:
HOW TO TEACH HORSESENSE USING OUR TEACHING GUIDES – IMPORTANT INFORMATION
