It is not so much the growth , but older horses might need the fronts filed down besides the molars. If you ever look at a horse's jaw and teeth, the molar wear is always sloped from the outside (the cheek side) to downwards on the tongue side. The horse chews, moving his lower jaw sideways eventually causing the outer edge( cheek side) to develop points on the molars that interfere with chewing and can cause cuts in the cheek.
Floating refers to filing those points down that not only stops cuts to the cheek, but aids in the side to side chewing.
Unless you have one of those contraptions that locks a horse's mouth open, the only way you can effectively check a horse's molars for those points is to reach in and grab the tongue, pull it out and to the side of the mouth. Then you can safely stick a few fingers to the back of the horse's mouth while you are holding the tongue and feel for those points
Regular dental care of floating every 2-3 years helps the horse chew better so that they are more thrifty with their food.
Last edited by saddlesore; 06/22/14.
