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https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/straight-into-the-horses-mouth

JOHN PERIAM talks to two equine dental technicians about their work and their practice which started in the 1990s and now has about 2,000 horses on the books, both in the UK and further afield

CHRIS Warren and his partner Duncan Gipson, both equine dental technicians, run the Equine Dental Practice based at Hickstead in West Sussex.

Chris’s interest in horses developed 35 years ago when he was a National Hunt Jockey, having ridden twice in the Grand National, but a bad injury stopped his career in 1990.

Explaining his career move, he said that he had always been interested in the horse’s mouth and it was through the interest of a top international showjumper, Kevin Bacon, that he was encouraged to look at starting up in the field of equine dentistry. “In those days,” says he, “it was a very grey area of the horse anatomy and often neglected. Checks were only made if there was a problem.

“Learning then was very much left up to me as an individual and I found the best way was to purchase some horses at sales and treat them. I met up with retired professional dressage rider, Duncan Gipson, and we formed a partnership to look at developing an equine dental practice. It was a massive learning curve for us both as we were very much in a profession in its infancy.”

Eventually, equine dentistry became more recognised and it became necessary to take an examination relating to this subject. This was set up by the Worldwide Association of Equine Dentists. There is a set route new candidates must follow; then an assessment followed by an entrance exam and then a level two exam which is the highest level one can take.

Chris continues: “It is something you cannot pick up in a classroom; being out in the field and seeing real case scenarios is what it is all about. Of course there is theory to learn.

“It is one of those things you have to be passionate about and it is very hard work. To date we have trained several new dentists and currently have David Ward, now in his fourth year, learning all about what is required.

“I was very lucky in meeting the late Douglas Bunn, Master of Hickstead, and he could see how dedicated I was in wanting to start up this practice. He supported me from my early days and we now have a treatment area at the All England Jumping Course whilst the office is at home around the corner.”

The practice knows how their year is planned out well in advance and they work closely with the competition horses’ owners. Every six to eight months they get checked to see how comfortable they are with the bit as well as checking that the mouth is functioning efficiently.

“Our role is that of an adviser,” says Chris, “and like most human beings regular dental check-ups make sure that any early signs of problems are diagnosed sooner rather than later.

“We are well aware that we as a practice are equine dentists and not qualified veterinary surgeons. As a result we respect what vets do and in return they respect what we offer.

“We often meet and share cases that may have issues relating to dental problems. Both Duncan and I do a lot of referral work and this takes us across the world working with competition horses that we have an affinity with.

“Sedation is very rarely used for routine treatment; however, for remedial work sedation is often necessary and we use a local veterinarian. For example, last April four of us visited several stables in Oslo and looked at a large number of horses, sedating only when necessary.”

Currently, the practice has about 2,000 horses they visit on a regular call cycle from Scandinavia to the West Indies, not forgetting the UK. “We have to guarantee them the treatment they deserve, and if needed will fly out just to see one horse.”

Most dental injuries to horses are related to those caused by the bit. “We were on a television programme treating one of Peter Charles’ horses [Peter won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London] which showed what can happen. We also look after Olympic Eventing medallist Tina Cook and her brother Nick Gifford’s racing stables at Findon. They have now used us for over 18 years, which is a good recommendation.”

Top showjumper William Funnell and his wife Pippa said, “We only use Chris because he is the very best and he has shown us just how important dental care is when it comes to looking after our horses.”

The most common problem is the Incisor malocclusion. Partners Duncan Gipson (left) and Chris Warren. Below: Chris’ unusual numberplate. removal of sharp hooks and edges from teeth. Chris specialises in the treatment of diastema (when the jaw is out of line). “The horses we deal with are very far removed from nature: they look nice, jump high, and then people breed from them.

“A horse is designed to eat roughage for 16 hours, but in a domestic environment horses can be chewing as little as a third of this time. What happens is that the teeth are not getting the wear they should and that is when we have to intervene when necessary for performance and comfort.”

Duncan adds: “There will always be accidents and the practice has had and seen its fair share of them – from horses involved in road incidents to others that have collided with stable walls.

“Each morning when we start another day we never know what to expect; that is what makes our work just that bit different.”


Chris Warren's interview with John Periam from veterinary-Practice.com

Category 2 Qualified Dentist, WWAED Committee Member, WWAED Disciplinary Representative, WWAED Examiner, WWAED Full Member

Chris has spent much of his life surrounded by equines, starting off at the age of eight on ponies, he worked his way up through the ranks of Ponies; going on to have a successful twelve-year career as a national hunt jockey.

At the height of his racing career, he rode in both the Grand National, and The Gold Cup; until, tragedy struck, and an accident cut short his dream career.

Unsure of what to do next, Chris credits Kevin Bacon – the Australian Showjumper – as his inspiration, and for helping to teach him a lot of what he knows about horsemanship. This is what ultimately led him to find his genuine passion – Equine Dentistry.

01. Chris Warren

THE REAL TOOTH FAIRIES – Equine Dentistry Magic 

https://www.equilifeworld.com/insight/real-tooth-fairies-equine-dentistry-magic/

Most people know Chris Warren as “The Real Tooth Fairy,” the equine dentist able to work magic, notably due to his extraordinary horsemanship skills. Chris, and his team work with their equine patients with such serenity, and skill that only rarely do they use sedation. We witnessed his skills in action, with a notoriously tricky patient – the editor’s own horse Reckless.

I must preface with the fact that the Irish horse Reckless is an older chap (25), and set in his ways – so much so that he usually requires a lot of sedation. But with Chris; all it took was ten minutes of getting to know each other. And voila – what was once a horse that always required sedation – was now standing calmly to have his teeth done!

Chris has spent much of his life surrounded by equines, starting off at the age of eight on a scrappy little pony, he worked his way up through the ranks of Pony Club; going on to have a successful twelve-year career as a national hunt jockey.

At the height of his racing career, he rode in both the Grand National, and The Gold Cup; until, tragedy struck, and an accident cut short his dream career.

Unsure of what to do next, Chris credits Kevin Bacon – the Australian Showjumper – as his inspiration, and for helping to teach him a lot of what he knows about horsemanship. This is what ultimately led him to find his genuine passion – Equine Dentistry.

TEAMWORK

You’ll find Chris travelling the country, and in fact – the world, providing owners with the ultimate in equine dentistry care, with superior knowledge and compassion. But he’s not doing it alone, Chris works together with two other equine dentists, Duncan Gipson, and David Ward.

Chris and Duncan have been working together for twenty years, and David joined the dream team six years ago. They all have backgrounds in equestrianism, and it’s their prowess for horsemanship that has led them to hold the reputation as Equine Dentists of the elite.

We spoke with Chris and asked him about the importance of a healthy mouth, how he deals with tricky patients, and to find out just how he and his team can work sedation-free.

WHY IS EQUINE DENTISTRY SO IMPORTANT?

– There are three key areas vital to the overall health, performance, and longevity of a horse; these are – the hoof, the stomach, and the mouth. The saying “No foot, no horse” is known far and wide, and it can, of course, be easier to spot problems with the hoof – as it’s outwardly visible – you usually see when something goes wrong. But, it doesn’t make the other two areas any less important – it just means that it’s your job as an owner to be astute, and watch for any changes. When it comes to problems with the mouth, this will affect not only your horse’s performance, but also his eating, drinking, and behaviour. We’ve seen equines with severe behaviour issues become calm, and happy after some remedial work – which just goes to show how serious of an issue dental problems can be.

DO YOU CREDIT HORSEMANSHIP AS HOW YOU’RE ABLE TO WORK SEDATION FREE?

– Yes. As a team, we’re all skilled horsemen – and proud of it. Our first passion is horses, and that’s why we’re in the business that we’re in. No matter whether you’re a rider, a groom, or a dentist – it’s important to have horsemanship skills. It takes a certain type of person to truly have a feel for each horse that they come across; it’s difficult to explain, I think that it’s something that you’re born with, or you aren’t. One of the key methods that we work by, and that everyone can apply – is to take your time. Horses don’t like to be rushed, or have people rushing around them; their instinct is to pick up on the feelings of those around them. It seems obvious that by being stressed around a horse, they will assume that whatever is happening – is worthy of being stressed about. For many busy owners, it’s a struggle to take that extra five minutes, but I believe that the shortest way is always the longest way. It sounds counterintuitive, but what I mean by that is – if you try to take a shortcut, be it with day to day yard chores, or examining a horse’s mouth – it will ultimately take longer.

The best approach is always to do it right in the first place!

“One of the key methods that we work by, and that everyone can apply – is to take your time. Horses don’t like to be rushed, or have people rushing around them; their instinct is to pick up on the feelings of those around them.”
AT WHAT AGE SHOULD HORSES BEGIN TO SEE THE DENTIST?

– It’s always a good idea to start them young, that way it’s not something scary, and foreign to them. Having said that, if you’ve got a yearling with no apparent dental issues who is eating, and drinking well, I’d say leave them be for now. Once they start getting to an age that they’re going to be bitted – it’s important to get started with their dental care.

HOW DO I TEACH MY HORSE TO ACCEPT WORKING WITH THE DENTIST?

– We are lucky enough to do most of our work with professional competition yards; we’re working with animals that on a daily basis. They’re used to having work done from a young age and stand there quite happily for their twice annually exams, and treatment. When working with a new horse, we encourage owners to ensure that their horses have good ground manners.

Examining a horse that stands still when told, and is accustomed to having their face handled makes our job a lot easier; so the main thing that an owner can do is – practice good horsemanship on a daily basis!

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH A DIFFICULT PATIENT?

– I must say, we have rarely worked with a horse that has been impossible.

It comes down to having great clients, the experience of working with all types of horse, and of course – a feel for what approach will fit with each. We do pride ourselves being able to work with equines that are, perhaps, seen as difficult by others, and we are usually able to work with them sedation-free. Having said that – it’s crucial to note that our foremost concern is the safety, and welfare of ourselves, and the horses that we work with. If we’re working with a horse that has suffered from abuse in the past, we would never stress the patient by insisting on trying to work sedation-free. Not only can that scare the horse, but this could make him lash out – purely through fear – and injure myself, Duncan, David, or his owner. In this kind of scenario, we will call a vet to administer sedation. And talk with the horse’s owner about how they can work with their horse, to get them accustomed to the handling that they will receive next time, at which point we will try again – re-evaluating whether sedation is necessary.

WHAT CAN OWNERS DO TO MAKE IT AN EASIER PROCESS?

– Horse owners are fantastic; they know their horses inside out, and in fact – I’d go as far as to say that some of them know their horses better than their wives or husbands! Whenever we start working with a new horse, we do need a few things from the owner. First of all, for the horse to be in a clean stable for us to work from. Then we need some background info on the horse, including: If any eating or digestion problems are present. You may be surprised to hear that many digestive issues aren’t actually to do with the gut, but in fact due to a change in the way that the horse consumes his food from pain in the mouth.Whether the horse has any vices, these can affect our safety – and in the case of crib-biting for example – the integrity of the teeth.And any behavioural changes. Finally, we want the owner to understand that we will always put their horse’s health and well-being as priority number one!

WHERE DO YOU WORK THROUGHOUT THE WORLD?

– As well as working in our native England, we started operating in Norway over sixteen years ago, and today have a substantial portion of our business there. We’ve been lucky with our clients in Norway, they’re fantastic, and because we’re there intermittently; they’re very organised in catching us while we’re there and fitting to our schedule.

WHAT TYPE OF CLIENT DO YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH THE MOST?

– Professional yards are one of my favourite types of clients to work with; there’s just something about the level of care that their horses receive. A professional yards business is their horses, and therefore – their care, health, and happiness reign supreme. I know that they’re going to keep an eye on absolutely everything to do with each horse and give me a full report next time that I’m up there. And the same works the other way, we provide each of our client’s with a report on each horse that we work with, as keeping accurate medical records are vital for the best care long term.

The proof is in the pudding, and with top clients including; Scott Brash, Tina Cook, Dane Rawlins, Peter Charles, William Funnell, Shane Breen, and Fiona Bigwood to name but a few – It’s safe to say that Chris, Duncan, and David are exceptional at what they do.

It was a pleasure to interview Chris, and hear first-hand his passion for good horsemanship, and the welfare of these majestic animals. His knowledge of equine dentistry is unsurpassable, and his enthusiasm contagious. I would happily entrust any of my horses to his care, and I think that’s the truest test!

Chris Warren's interview with Nadia Aslam from equilifeworld.com

Training and sales stage for multiple disciplines.

Based near Hickstead in West Sussex, Chris Warren and Duncan Gipson have an extensive wealth of experience in producing horses for the top of the sport. Also offering training at your own premises or at a training venue, Chris and Duncan can help you with all elements of competition preparation. Please get in contact for further information.

Chris Warren's interview with John Periam from veterinary-Practice.com

31 August 2022

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Chris Warren's interview with Nadia Aslam from equilifeworld.com