What are wolf teeth? Does my horse need them?
Not all horses have wolf teeth. A wolf tooth is the first tooth usually found in the upper arcades in front of the pre-molars. This tooth serves no purpose in the modern day horse. When a horse carries a bit in his mouth, the bit pressure can cause irritation by pinching soft tissue from the corner of the mouth into the wolf tooth. Also, bit pressure can also cause the wolf tooth to loosen or fracture due to little or no root structure, which will cause a constant toothache to the horse. Blind wolf teeth are wolf teeth that have not erupted through the gum line. In this case, the bit applies pressure on the gum to the wolf tooth, which causes a constant pain.
