Real Story: Horse’s Bizarre Behaviour Led Us to a Shocking Discovery

A few years back, we were called out to a stable to check on a horse with… let’s say… some unusual habits.

Every time this guy went to eat, he’d do a little circle around his stable—grab a bite from his food bin, circle around, and WHACK— he’d bang the side of his face on the doorpost.

Then off he’d go again, like it was part of a weird routine.

The owner even padded the post because the poor boy kept smacking the side

of his face into it.

They were baffled.

We were intrigued.

So we stood there with the owner, just watching.

Round and round he went!

We opened his mouth-

And there it was: a fractured molar jutting into the soft flesh of his cheek.

His inner cheek was so cut up, it had developed thick calluses. Turns out the “face-bashing” was his DIY way of trying to numb the pain or shift things around so he could chew.

Clever… but painful.

We got to work—removed the loose fracture, sorted out the sharp enamel points, and gave his poor mouth the TLC it desperately needed.

Then came the moment of truth: we handed him a bit of food.

He still circled the stable while he chewed, but no head butts!

It’s moments like these that remind us exactly why we do what we do.

Dental checks every 6 to 8 months can catch these hidden problems before they become painful puzzles (or doorpost-denting routines).

If your horse has odd eating habits—or you just haven’t had their teeth checked in a while—maybe it’s time to book a visit.

Your horse might not be as dramatic as our Limpopo legend… but they still deserve to eat pain-free.