Adult female horses (mares) usually have 36 teeth. A mare may have up to 40 teeth if she happens to have any canine teeth, which is possible but less common. Adult males have between 40 and 44 teeth. (These figures do not include wolf teeth.)
“Wolf teeth” in horses are teeth that are vestigial premolars. “Vestigial” means something that has lost most or all of its original function through evolution. Wolf teeth are usually just on the upper jaw but are sometimes found on the lower jaw, too. Wolf teeth can be a serious nuisance and most horsemen have them removed. Since wolf teeth typically have poorly developed roots, they are usually quickly and easily removed.
Wolf teeth cannot always be seen. They can remain below the surface of the gum where they are called “unerrupted” or “blind” wolf teeth. However, they can usually be felt as little bumps in the gum. Blind wolf teeth often cause a horse a great deal of soreness in the mouth so they should be removed the same as wolf teeth that have erupted above the gum line. Be careful if you decide to feel for blind wolf teeth in a horse’s mouth - a horse may react suddenly and violently if you touch a sore spot on its gum.