Aging Horses by Their Teeth

Authors

Karl Hoopes, Utah State UniversityFollow
Patricia Evans
Nancy Jack

Document Type

Factsheet

Publisher

Utah State University Extension

Publication Date

6-4-2020

First Page

1

Last Page

5

Abstract

This publication tells how to pinpoint a horses age, within a fairly narrow range, by examining its teeth. Being able to pinpoint age can be of use to owners of unregistered horses or horses whose age is unknown for any reason. Many health and nutrition management decisions are directly related to age and dental wear, making it even more important for all horse owners to have a general understanding of how a horse’s mouth changes with age. From a historical perspective, up until recently when organized associations started keeping birth dates on registered horses, most horse professionals took great pride in their ability to determine age by examining the teeth of any horse. Aging the horse by its teeth is not an exact science, but changes do occur that can help determine approximate age, and anyone can learn the basics.

Recommended Citation

Hoopes, Karl; Evans, Patricia; and Jack, Nancy, "Aging Horses by Their Teeth" (2020). All Current Publications. Paper 128.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/extension_curall/128