I love words that make no sense whatsoever when you first hear them, and then, after someone explains the word, you make that lightbulb-over-the-head face! I love those words. The word "floating" is a word like that, but you have to say it in context for it not to make sense. You can float down a river, make a root beer float, or buy a floatation device, but when I first heard someone say they were getting their horse floated, I had to think about that one. I didn't want to appear stupid, so I just listened and did a little nodding of the head until the person said something that put the phrase in context - OK, yeah, I get it.
Floating your horse means you're about to have someone come out and work on their teeth, like an equine dentist. In most states now, it's supposed to be a licensed dentist, but it really doesn't have to be. You can find good floaters who do the work, get the job done, and as long as you buy your own sedative (meaning they don't sell it to you, or bring it with them when they come onto your property), you're good. There's always a way around something if you need it to happen.
We've used the same floater for years, and he's one of the best. He uses the legal type of sedation for horses; the type he's allowed to buy and carry. If we needed something stronger, we'd literally walk or drive across the street to our vet and pick it up. They're not opposed to selling it to us since they've seen the horses professionally and know the man doing the floating. He's good. He has a very good reputation with owners and veterinarians. They use him too!
If you've never seen a horse being floated, it's worth watching the video, but it's even better if you can go watch; most ranches will let you tag along if you know the animal's owners. It's an incredible thing to see a 1200-pound beast drunk on his legs while his head is held just high enough by a sling-type apparatus that both holds his mouth open and his neck steady. Wyatt (today) didn't need the apparatus; he wasn't out that strongly, just enough to keep him from being scared or nervous around the drill. Like you and I going to the dentist, the abrupt sound of the drill scraping our teeth can be unnerving, to say the least.
Because he was a former racehorse and he had probably been given illegal drugs before, Wyatt wasn't bothered when my floater gave him a dose of Ace, the legal sedative. He just stood there, almost as if he remembered. He didn't stomp, he didn't move away, he basically stared the floater down until he was loose and limp and just sort of giggled while the man did his thing with the irrigator. The horse has to be irrigated first, and that's always hilarious. It's amazing how much grass they can keep up in their cheeks, teeth, and gums.
First, the irrigator; then the exam; and decisions are made on the type of drill and the coarseness of the tools to use. Again, Wyatt just took it -- like a champ. He sighed a big, low, long sigh, and let out a really big poop. He was so very, very relaxed. The floater got in there, grabbed Wyatt's tongue, and moved it to one side, then the next. He ran the drill over the teeth that needed to be filed, and he spot-checked himself a few times, being sure to align the teeth over and over to see that they were matching up correctly on the top and the bottom; they did.
Remember, Wyatt is a rescue. I've only had him for 2 weeks. Sometime between last month and six years back, he was kicked in the face at least once, breaking off his teeth, cutting through his gums, and making a mess out of his pearly yellows. You thought I was going to say whites, huh? Nope, that boy's teeth are not bright. I teased my non-horse co-workers today, telling them I was having Wyatt's teeth cleaned, whitened, and set up for braces. They believed me. It was hilarious.
Overall, the floater said he had two badly broken teeth and one slightly broken tooth. He lost two when he was injured, and they're probably not going to fully come back. (Horses' teeth continue to erupt) He has a really pretty smile now, and the two teeth that are shorter, well, he has character! He's able to eat well, and that's what really matters. Before today, he was dropping food because the sharp points made it hard for him to bite down and hold it in his mouth. He's perfect again, or as close as he can be. He's a very happy Thoroughbred; I can tell you that.
So, the floater today, the farrier last week, and next week he'll see his chiropractor. Yes, I'm not teasing about that one. I can give you her name; she won't mind. Dr. Lacey Hoel in Oklahoma! She's the best. Best. Best. Best. We love the stuffings out of that woman. She's been our equine back cracker for years. I wouldn't trust anyone else with my babies. I'll keep you posted and send photos!! He's gonna love her, too. He just doesn't realize it yet. That boy is going to be the most spoiled gelding this side of Heaven.
Photo Credit: Me. Wyatt with Laura and the floater.
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