Victoria is fully BEVA/BVDA (British Equine Veterinary Association/British Veterinary Dental Association) qualified and a member of the BAEDT (British Association of Equine Dental Technicians). After spending some time with a US trained equine dental technician (EDT), she made the decision to go to Idaho and train at the Academy of Equine Dentistry itself and get some of the best training in the world.  

What would you do if you didn’t work with horses I would have been inclined to follow my father’s footsteps and become a commercial airline pilot.  I think I have a couple of good attributes that would make me a good pilot; keeping calm no matter how frantic situations get and having the patience of a saint!

Why did you decide to go into dentistry? Originally, I wanted to become a vet and worked myself down to the ground in order to become one. Unfortunately I didn’t get the grades but I think things happen for a reason and that’s when I started to focus myself on dentistry. I went to Hartpury College and got a BSc (Hons) in Equine Science with the intention of studying dentistry in the USA and UK after graduation. During my degree, it became clear how important dentistry is to horses and the difference it can make to all equines whether they are welfare cases to advanced event horses. I have always had practical ability and decided apply myself to dentistry.   

What is the most common problem you see with horses? The one thing that gives me concern at the moment is the prevalence of peripheral caries (decay to the surface of the tooth) due to dietary changes in horses over the years.  I am finding a fair amount of decay in performance horses whose diet mainly consists concentrated hard feeds and haylage, I think haylage is the problem here because of its lower Ph, making it more acidic in nature. Due to modern day farming methods and weather restrictions, farmers bail and wrap hay earlier and earlier leaving you with a higher moisture content haylage that is actually more like silage.  Of course, haylage has its benefits where the respiratory tract is concerned but I think EDTs really need to monitor the potential damage it can do before it is too late.

How often do horses need to see you? Ideally, I like to see my equine clients every six months. However, there are some horses that I see every nine to 12 months and this is based on their individual dental wear, age and diet. After 12 months it is too long in my opinion for every horse. My clients can’t monitor tooth growth like they can their horse’s feet so I rely on them to trust my judgement. 

Who has the best yard you’ve visited? I've been to many adorable yards that I could quite happily live in myself! Event rider Kitty King has a great yard that is extremely functional but where pure equine luxury is concerned, it has to be Crowcombe Equestrian, home to event rider Ceri Pixie Thomas and base of Clarke Johnston near Minchinhampton Glos. No expense has been spared here from an all rubber walkway in the barn to state of the art CCTV to a bespoke barn built to house her beautiful lorry.

Who was the last horse to leave an impression on you? A horse called Tigger; when I first started treating him, he had recurrent bacterial gut infections, he was underweight, had a dull coat and generally quite poor looking. After a thorough oral examination I found that he had diastemata (gaps between the teeth) which were packing rotting feed and causing severe periodontal disease and pain. As a consequence there was a lot of bacterial build up which he was swallowing and the cause of his recurrent gut infections. After referral to Henry Tremaine at Bristol Langford for diatemata widening and periodontal work in addition to several routine visits from myelf, Tigger really turned a corner and his health improved dramatically.  Incidences like this are why I love my job because dental health affects the whole horse and really can make a difference to their wellbeing. Tigger's owner remains eternally grateful!

When was the last time you went on holiday? Last October to The Cayman Islands, with my family being in the aviation industry and me being fortunate enough to travel the world as a youngster, it has kind of rubbed off on me. I am a sucker for luxurious holidays much to the detriment of my bank account! This only happens once a year though.

What was one of your funniest horse moments? When I was 15 I was galloping my beloved first horse Charlie when I dog ran out in front of us, he stopped dead and needless to say I kept going. I tried to break my fall by grabbing onto the headpiece of his bridle and pulled the whole lot off his head, I sat on the floor looking up at a bemused Charlie with his bridle in my hand!

Whose horse would you like to own and why? I’m afraid I have two; Robert Oliver’s, Loughkeen Dancing Lord aka Ben. To me the perfect heavyweight hunter with a huge heart, he wouldn’t hurt a fly; I fell in love with him straight away.

The next is William a huge Irish beasty at Crowcombe Equestrian; he has the manners of a saint and is just beautiful. For such a big horse he is so gentle. I am figuring out a way of fitting him in my car and taking him home with me on my next visit!

What would you change about your life? I wouldn’t, I am not saying my life is perfect but I have a job I love and horses that may bankrupt me on a daily basis but I adore every one of them.  Perhaps I need to find a long term partner to share it with and hopefully he would put up with my horse obsession.

Who do you think is the one to watch this year? This year and next, I think we all need to keep an eye on Kitty King, she has few really good up and coming youngsters which are proving to be very successful including an first and second at Longleat this year.

How do you relax? Relax? What’s that?!  Horses are my life; I work with them and own four horses so that takes up a majority of my spare time.  When I am forced out of the “horse world” by my non horsey friends I like to go into town for a few drinks, I also love dressing up so go to as many Hunt Balls as possible.

Who inspires you? Has to be Mary King, she is the nation’s favourite event rider for all the right reasons.  A true inspiration to all!

What is your greatest achievement to date? Passing my BEVA/BVDA Equine Dental Technicians exam first time and becoming a member of the British Association of Equine Dental Technicians. This had to be the hardest most stressful examination I have ever done and that includes my degree! The percentage of EDTs that pass it yearly is so low so I was really proud of myself when I did.

What is your top tip for H&C website visitors?  Please check whether your EDT is suitably qualified in the UK. In order to become a member of the BAEDT (British Association of Equine Dental Technicians) the EDT has to have passed the BEVA/BVDA examination. The BAEDT is the only association in the UK that BEVA (British Equine Veterinary Association) endorses in the UK.  With the current legislation it is essential that horse owners use a EDT that is qualified and regulated. BAEDT members throughout the UK can be found on www.baedt.com.

If you would like to contact Victoria or find out more about her work go to http://www.equinedental.co.uk .

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