A normal day as an Equine Dentist starts with coffee and a drive to my first client, to work with animals you have to be calm, confident and have a good sense of humour and coffee always helps with this! When I first meet a horse there are several things I look at before I even go near the mouth. I look at overall health, coat, tail and hoof quality as well as body scoring their condition. I then discuss with the owner any issues they may be having, if there is a specific problem I may ask to see it (for example: watching the horse eat) then once I have a good over view of the horse, I start looking at the mouth. Dental issues can often affect a horse systemically (for example: poor coat, hooves and immune system as well as weight loss, and poor muscle recovery) they can also cause physical signs such as issues riding, bridling and eating. While some issues in a horse’s mouth are fairly straight forward to correct, sometimes a horse will have several issues going on at once and it can be a difficult process to correct them. In all cases after a thorough examination I discuss with the owner what I have found, how I believe it could be affecting their horse and then what I believe would be the best way to treat it. This step is very important, while an owner is often aware of signs from issues in their horse’s mouth, it is a very hard area for them to monitor themselves so it is vital they fully understand their horse’s individual dental requirements and what to be looking for as indicators for potential problems. It is then a case of executing the treatment plan, and then checking in later with the owner to make sure that their horse is showing improvement and that the treatment plan is effective. My day then moves forward from horse to horse, and is made all the more enjoyable with by my fabulous clients and their horses with their funny and unique personalities!