RM Equine Dentistry cat2 qualified

20/05/2025

Well done Toby and Roy. 🐎

Dartmoor Pumphill Fandango made a triumphant return to Royal Windsor Horse Show in the Senior Showing and Dressage League (SSADL) ridden championship

14/05/2025

Today I was lucky enough to be asked to treat the wonderful shires from the royal parks shires, and operation centeur
This was the wonderful George who stood like a pro for his dental.
Such big powerful animals but with such a gentle side, they truly are real life bfg’s

27/04/2025

The equine head is truly a fascinating thing.
A complexity of bones, muscles, nerves and other structures.

Do you know the location of the equine cranial nerves?

The equine skull is covered in a thin layer of skin which beneath lies an intricate web of muscle, connective tissue, veins and nerves.

These nerves stem directly from the brain that sit protected within the cranial cavity, giving a self-explanatory name of 'cranial' nerves, 'cranium' meaning skull. The cranial nerves are part of the peripheral nervous system and are found in pairs of 12, with one on each side of the face, before branching off into little networks of their own.

Can you find them all on the Rosca Horsemanship ECN diagram?

1) Olfactory Nerve
2) Optic Nerve
3) Oculomotor Nerve
4) Trochlear Nerve
5) Abducens Nerve
6) Trigeminal Nerve
- 6.1) Opthalmic Branch
- 6.2) Maxillary Branch
- 6.3) Mandibular Branch
7) Facial Nerve
8) Vestibucocochlear Nerve
9) Glossopharyngeal Nerve
10) Vagus Nerve
11) Accessory Nerve
12) Hypoglossal Nerve

All nerves relay information to the brain without delay and play a vital role in a number of sensory and motor functions including vision, taste, touch, hearing and smell, balance, facial movement, breathing and eating; all vital aspects of a horses ability to function.

It can be surprising just how detailed the roadmap is beneath the surface, and this is just the nerves!

We are not able to avoid each and every nerve on the horses face, though by increasing our own awareness of equine anatomy, the function of nerves and the impact that hotspots and pressure may cause, we can enhance both a horses comfort, welfare and performance.

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19/04/2025

So after 20 years since my last ride on a racecourse, I’m doing it again only this time for charity.

On the 6th November 2025 I will be riding at Newbury over 1m on the flat in aid of the British horse society.
Trainer and horse will be announced, but I’m really excited to be back doing what I loved for one last time.

Your support and donations will be greatly appreciated no matter how big or small.
I have also started the ball rolling for a fundraising event tba once I have sorted the details.

I really hope you can support me and I can achieve my £3k goal.
The day will be open to the public so you can come and watch me and also have a great day out and the racecourse that is a few miles from where I had my first job in racing.

https://www.facebook.com/share/18ZGyjAKjm/?mibextid=wwXIfr

17/04/2025

Amazing achievement, well done everyone, especially Hannah Davitt, not only a client but Rowan has also been her team mate when he was playing.
Well deserved. 🐎👕

📣 The grass season is almost upon us, and we have some big announcements to make!!! It's been a busy few months for both our players and our selectors, but now it's time to share the teams that will be joining our U14s in representing the UK on the International stage later this year! 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

First up is the Open Ladies team! Managed by Cathryn Tinker and coached by Jason Webb, our UK Ladies will take on a Barbarians Ladies side at the Kent Target Polocrosse Club tournament, 6th - 8th June. With an exciting mix of experience and new talent, this is going to be a great weekend!

16/04/2025

Tiny tiny wolf tooth today.
https://www.facebook.com/share/16VW3H5bqB/?mibextid=wwXIfr

11/04/2025

Well done Yasmin and George. ❤️🐎

With just one weekend of Red Gorilla Combined Training qualification left to go, we caught up with three riders who shared their experiences of competing at SNEC, Chard Equestrian and Brook Farm in mid-March!

Catch up with their amazing success and learn more about their glorious grey horses here: https://bit.ly/CT-GloriousGreys

01/04/2025

Great day yesterday, with the AGM and some interesting talks, and more cpd.

31/03/2025

Couple of Appointments available on Thursday, around Tonbridge, Marden.
Contact my appointments number to book.

07561 854519

27/03/2025

New Research Highlights Possible Link Between Dental Disease and Gastric Ulcers in Horses

Poor dental health may impact more than just a horse’s ability to chew—it could influence their entire digestive health. Researchers recently explored a possible connection between dental disease and equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS), a common and painful condition in horses.

The hypothesis? Dental issues reduce chewing efficiency, decreasing saliva production. Since saliva helps buffer stomach acid, less chewing may lead to more acidic gastric juices—contributing to ulcer formation. Horses with dental pain may also avoid long-stem forage, eliminating the protective “mat” that normally shields the stomach lining from acid splash.

In a study of 54 horses showing signs of gastric discomfort (e.g., weight loss, poor appetite, colic, girthiness), gastroscopy revealed:
• 56% had moderate-to-severe squamous ulcers
• 17% had significant glandular ulcers
• 13% had both types of ulcers
• 48% had moderate-to-severe dental abnormalities

While a direct link wasn’t confirmed, researchers emphasize that oral and gastric exams should be standard in horses with chronic digestive symptoms.

“Daily digestive buffers and regular dental care are key tools in supporting gastric health—especially in horses with dental challenges or those fed primarily processed forages,” said Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., of Kentucky Equine Research.

Takeaway: Routine dental exams are more than just maintenance—they may be essential for preventing digestive disorders that impact equine health, behavior, and performance.

17/02/2025

Interesting research on something we have all been taught from day one.

** 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗗 **

𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲

Russell MacKechnie-Guire, Hilary Clayton, Jane Williams, David Marlin, Mark Fisher, Diana Fisher, Victoria Walker and Rachel Murray

𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 (𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻) https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/4/537

New research funded by the FEI investigating if pre-determined lateral locations on the horse’s head could be used as additional measuring sites to determine the laxity of the noseband. This is phase 1; the next phase is to test a measuring tool (dimensions informed by data from part 1) on the lateral aspect of the horse’s head. This work is underway.

𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Measuring tools to determine noseband tightness are available but their use requires insertion beneath the noseband on the dorsal nasal bone where the noseband is fitted. There are several locations on the lateral aspect of the head that may be practical and repeatable, offering additional sites. This study investigated the repeatability of using three anatomical locations on the lateral aspect of the horse’s head to determine noseband tightness. One hundred horses were recruited and fitted with a snaffle bridle with a cavesson, Swedish (crank) or dropped noseband. Using an ISES Taper Gauge, noseband tightness was adjusted for each noseband (2.0 to 0.0 finger-equivalents). For each adjustment, a digital calliper determined the distance (mm) between the inner surface of the noseband and three lateral locations on the nasal bone, the maxilla and the mandible. Friedman’s analysis was used to test differences between locations (adjusted significance p < 0.02). At 2.0 and 1.5 finger-equivalent tightness, the coefficient of variation was “good” for the lateral nasal and maxillary sites. These sites could potentially be used as locations in addition to the dorsal nasal site for determining noseband tightness. These data can be used to inform the dimensions of a laterally admitted measuring tool.

𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: thank you to the FEI for funding this project. Thank you to Hartpury University, the research team, research assistants, owners, data collection venues, and of course the horses.