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Equine canine teeth — often called “tushes” or “tusks” — are four sharp, conical teeth that sit between the incisors and cheek teeth in the gum. Almost all geldings and stallions have them. Most mares do not. They have no role in chewing food, can catch the bit, and occasionally cause problems serious enough to need veterinary attention. This guide explains what canine teeth are, when they erupt, how they affect bitting, and what every horse owner should know about managing them.
What Are Equine Canine Teeth?
Canine teeth, also called canines, tushes, or tusks, are small pointed teeth located in the interdental space (bars) of the horse’s mouth — the gap between the front incisors and the grinding cheek teeth (premolars and molars). Each canine is a single-rooted, conical tooth with a long hidden root extending deep into the jaw.
A horse with a full set of canines has four: one upper and one lower on each side. They are usually 1–2 cm visible above the gum line once fully erupted, with roots up to 4 cm long anchoring them in the bone.
Canines are a vestigial feature. In prehistoric equids, they were functional fighting and defensive weapons. In the modern horse, they serve no chewing or digestive purpose. They are essentially cosmetic — and occasionally problematic.
Do Mares Have Canine Teeth?
Usually not. Canine teeth are a sexually dimorphic feature:
- Geldings and stallions: Around 95–100% have visible canine teeth
- Mares: Only about 20–30% have canines. When present in mares, they are typically smaller, erupt less far above the gum, and may stay buried as “blind canines”
If your mare has canines, it’s perfectly normal. If she doesn’t, that’s also normal. Both are within the healthy range of equine anatomy.
When Do Canine Teeth Erupt?
Canines are among the last teeth to erupt in the horse’s developmental timeline:
- Age 4–5 years — lower canines typically erupt first
- Age 5 years — upper canines follow, often 6–12 months behind the lowers
- Fully erupted — by age 6 in most horses
This makes canine eruption one of the common causes of bitting problems and behavioural changes in 4-to-6-year-olds. A young horse that starts fussing with the bit, throwing his head, or refusing contact is frequently cutting canines, or has sore gums around erupting canines combined with the appearance of wolf teeth.
Canine Teeth vs Wolf Teeth: What’s the Difference?
These two are often confused but are completely different teeth:
| Feature | Canine Teeth | Wolf Teeth |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Centre of the bar, between incisors and cheek teeth | Directly in front of the first cheek tooth (upper, usually) |
| Size | Large, conical, 1–2 cm visible | Small, pea-sized, 0.5–1 cm |
| Root | Long, single-rooted, deep | Short, shallow |
| Present in mares | Rarely (20–30%) | About 20–40% of all horses |
| Eruption age | 4–6 years | 5–12 months |
| Routinely removed? | No, unless problematic | Yes, often before bitting |
The practical difference: wolf teeth are routinely removed because they sit where the bit lies. Canines sit further forward in the bar, so they rarely interfere with the bit directly — but they can, particularly with thick snaffles or if the horse carries his head low.
Why Canine Teeth Matter for Bitting
Although canines don’t usually make direct contact with the bit, they can cause trouble in a few ways:
Sharp Points
Canines don’t self-sharpen against opposing teeth the way incisors and molars do. The tip can become needle-sharp over the years, and a grooming accident — the horse knocking the side of his mouth against a stable partition — can cause a painful chipped or fractured canine.
Tartar Build-Up
Because canines sit in saliva flow without food contact, they are the most common site for heavy tartar (calculus) accumulation in the equine mouth. A layer of yellow-brown tartar around the base of the canine irritates the gum, causes gingivitis, and creates bad breath. This is easily missed unless a dental exam is done properly. Lower canines are especially prone to tartar.
Catching the Bit
In horses ridden in thick loose-ring snaffles or with short cheek-pieces, the bit can occasionally slide forward and knock against the canine — particularly when the horse opens his mouth or takes a hard contact. A well-fitted bridle and an appropriate bit size usually prevents this.
Fractured Canines
Horses can break canines by knocking them on fences, stable doors, or occasionally on other horses during play. A fractured canine exposes the root and pulp, is extremely painful, and requires veterinary extraction.
Routine Dental Care and Canines
Every horse should have a dental examination by a qualified equine dental technician (EDT) or vet at least once a year. For young horses (2–6 years) and older horses (15+), twice a year is sensible. During a routine dental, the practitioner will:
- Check the canines for sharp points, chips, or fractures
- Remove tartar build-up with a dental pick or scaler
- File down sharp tips where they are catching the cheek or lip
- Confirm the canines are fully erupted in younger horses
Under British law, only a qualified vet or an EDT on the BAEDT/WWAEDP register may perform equine dentistry. Always confirm credentials — unqualified “tooth rasping” causes more harm than good.
When Should Canines Be Removed?
Unlike wolf teeth, canines are not routinely removed. Extraction is a major procedure because of the long root, the risk of jaw fracture, and the strain on the horse. Canine removal is reserved for:
- Fractured canines with exposed pulp
- Severely infected canine roots (rare)
- Tumours around the canine base
- Canines growing at abnormal angles that chronically injure the cheek or tongue
If extraction is indicated, it is done under sedation and local anaesthetic (or occasionally general anaesthetic) by a veterinary surgeon, not an EDT. Recovery involves soft feed for 1–2 weeks and follow-up radiographs to confirm no root fragments remain.
Tartar Removal: A Job for Every Dental Visit
Tartar build-up on canines is extremely common — particularly in horses over 10 years old. If left, it causes:
- Gingivitis (red, swollen gum at the canine base)
- Gum recession over time
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- Occasional bleeding from the gum line
- Discomfort when the bit presses on the area
The good news: tartar on canines is easy to remove with a dental scaler during routine work. Ask your vet or EDT to specifically check the canines at every visit — it’s a quick job that’s often forgotten if the practitioner is focused on the cheek teeth.
Blind Canines
Sometimes a canine forms in the bone but never fully erupts through the gum. These are called blind canines. They can cause:
- A painful lump or swelling in the gum
- Localised infection if the gum breaks over the tooth
- Behavioural signs similar to cutting canines — head-shaking, bit resistance
Blind canines are diagnosed by palpation and confirmed on dental radiographs. Most resolve with time and require no action; occasional cases need surgical exposure or extraction.
Canine Teeth and the Ageing Horse
Canine teeth continue to erupt slowly throughout a horse’s life, unlike cheek teeth which have a fixed reserve crown. In very old horses (20+), canines may become loose as the root shortens and the periodontal ligament weakens. Signs of a loose canine include:
- Visible wobble when the tooth is touched
- Bleeding from the gum
- Food accumulating around the base
Loose canines in elderly horses are usually extracted easily under sedation. Recovery is quick, and the horse is usually more comfortable afterwards.
Signs Your Horse May Have a Canine Problem
Look out for these clues:
- Head-shaking when ridden, especially when taking contact
- One-sided reluctance to bend or turn
- Dropping feed from one side of the mouth
- Bad breath
- Blood-tinged saliva
- Reluctance to accept the bit
- Visible swelling or redness around a canine
- Refusing to eat hard feed or hay
Any of these warrant a dental check — not just at the canine, but of the entire mouth, because problems often occur alongside issues elsewhere.
Cost of Canine Tooth Care in the UK
Routine dental care is inexpensive compared with the consequences of neglect. Typical UK costs (2026):
- Routine dental exam and float — £70–£120 per visit
- Canine tartar removal — usually included in the above
- Canine extraction (simple, loose) — £150–£300
- Canine extraction (surgical) — £400–£800, sometimes more
- Dental radiographs — £100–£250 depending on number
Annual dentals pay for themselves many times over. Horses with regular dental care perform better, eat more efficiently, and show fewer bitting problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all male horses have canine teeth?
Yes, almost all geldings and stallions — around 95–100% — have four canine teeth. Mares, by contrast, usually do not: only around 20–30% of mares have visible canines.
Are canine teeth painful for the horse?
Healthy, well-maintained canines cause no pain. Problems arise when canines are fractured, have tartar build-up causing gum disease, or are erupting (in 4-to-6-year-olds). Painful canines usually show up as bitting or behavioural issues before the owner spots the tooth.
Should I ask my dentist to remove my horse’s canines?
No, not routinely. Canines are rarely removed because the roots are long and extraction is a significant procedure. Only fractured, infected, or chronically problematic canines need extraction, and that’s a vet job, not a routine EDT task.
Can a horse bite with its canine teeth?
Yes — stallions in particular can inflict serious bite wounds with their canines, both on other horses and on handlers. The conical shape causes deep puncture wounds. This is one reason stallions and entire colts need experienced handling.
How often should my horse’s canines be checked?
At every annual or bi-annual dental exam. In horses over 10 years old, particularly those prone to tartar, ask your vet or EDT to specifically scale the canines each visit.
The Takeaway on Equine Canine Teeth
Canine teeth are a harmless feature of most horses’ mouths most of the time. They don’t chew, they don’t need floating, and most horses live their entire lives with their canines causing no trouble at all. The key for owners is to make sure the annual dental exam specifically includes a canine check — tartar removal, smoothing of any sharp tips, and a look for chips or fractures. Do that, and your horse’s canines will be forgettable, as they should be.
For more on equine dentistry, see our guides to wolf teeth, tooth floating, and general horse care. Authority reading: British Association of Equine Dental Technicians and BEVA.
