“Floating”

The term “floating” originated in the masonry and carpentry professions. It was
used to describe the leveling or smoothing out of plaster. Hence, in equine veterinary
practice, floating involves the removal of enamel points from a horse’s cheek teeth
making their contact with the mouth’s soft tissues less irritating while chewing.

The adult horse has a total of 24 cheek teeth which grow 2-3 mm per year. Therefore,
it is recommended that horses have an oral examination every 6 months to a year
to maintain good dental health.