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Horsing around
Bulldogger moonlights as equine dentist
By Troy Schwidt
K.C. Jones is a horse's best friend. If they could talk - Mr. Ed not withstanding - they'd say so.
Instead, Jones' equine buddies let him know by effortlessly chomping on their food and by gladly giving their best each time they step into the box or are loaded into the bucking chutes.
Besides being one of the world's elite bulldoggers, the Las Animas, Colo., cowboy moonlights as an equine dentist.
It's an unusual profession that has helped rodeo's version of Dr. Doolittle stay on the road, and has given him immeasurable job satisfaction.
"Just imagine if you had a toothache and finally someone comes and fixes it," said Jones, who finished tied for the top slot on the recently-completed 10-city Wrangler ProRodeo Tour
"I mean that's a good guy. These horses can't talk, so it's neat to work a horse and see their reaction."
Unlike human's teeth, a horse's teeth - they can have 44 - are jagged and grow outward throughout the animal's life.
Those jagged edges can fut into the horse's cheek and tongue, and when a bit is placed inside the mouth, the horse can feel the pain or discomfort.
A sore mouth can affect a horse's ability to grind its food, thus diminishing its performance.
"You can have a lot of bad behavior and that can be a big part of it," said Jones, 31. "I'm just helping fine tune the horse to where there are no problems between rider and whatever you put in his mouth.
"When we back into the box or run barrels, the horse has to be at its peak. You can't have anything interfere and there are a lot of times where their teeth will keep a horse from being able to compete or win."
Jones takes care of not only his own horses, which have carried him to this month's U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Cup Finale in Dallas, but many other top-level cowboys.
He's worked on Kelly Yates' outstanding barrel horse, Firewater Fiesta, and Herbert Theriot's horse of the year, Easy.
Legendary horseman Jimmy Powers used Jones to care for his bulldogging fleet, which included superstar, Scooter, now retired.
Jones hauls two boxes with him on the road. They contain some pretty high-end, expensive equipment used to smooth jagged edges and "balance the mouth."
One instrument is a tungsten carbide blade, whish is also used by diamond cutters.
It takes about 45 minutes to an hour for a standard dentist appointment. One session with Jones usually can keep a horse's mouth healthy for up to a year.
"We don't necessarily clean them," said Jones, who's also in a prime position to qualify for his first Wrangler NFR. " What we do is go in there and take the sharp points off and also balance the mouth so when they grind they are getting the maximum grind when they eat.
"So when you set up the horse's mouth, they can eat a lot more efficiently and you don't have to feed them as much. If you can keep their teeth right, you can save up to two pounds of feed a day."
Jones works on horses who compete at both ends of the arena and one hour with Jones can make his four-legged pals feel like a million bucks.
"You go in there and a lot of horses are a little nervous about it," said Jones, ranked fourth in the world standings with $74,083. "But I can go in there with a bronc, who they'll say, ÔHe's not going to like it and I bet you can't do anything with him.'
"But in 45 minutes I can have his mouth set up exactly like I want it and he'll think I've hung the moon."
Jones starts by reminding the horse where the sores are. He then takes off the sharp points and lets them feel that sensation.
They'll take a deep breath and start licking their lips and from there they are putty in my hands," Jones said.
Horses let their owners know there's a problem in several ways.
Some will drop grain or eat in an unusual way. Some won't take the bit well and throw their head back.
In others it's more obvious. Their ribs are noticeable because they are not eating well.
For Jones, doing a good job is paramount.
"I like to work every horse to where anybody could look at him and say that's one of the best jobs I've ever seen
"It takes a lot of work and personal perseverance in wanting to become one of the best dentists."
Jones broke into the equine dentistry after completing his business and marketing degree from the University of Wyoming in Laramie, where he also competed on the rodeo team.
With not much money in his pocket, he needed a way to help pay for his rodeo dream.
While at a rodeo with a buddy who was an equine dentist, Jones was introduced to the profession.
"I had a horse who was real bad in the box; he didn't want to score and wasn't cooperating," Jones said.
"The guy I was with said he could fix him, so I let him and it mad a world of difference. I was fascinated how 45 minutes worth of time on a horse could change his whole attitude and behavior."
Jones decided to attend an equine dentistry academy in Glenns Ferry, Idaho, where he learned the trade.
He served ad apprenticeship, which gave the Colorado cowboy plenty of hands-on training and a few bucks to put in his Wranglers.
The secondary income he said, is nice considering the lofty cost to stay on the road.
"But it's pretty physically taxing," Jones said. "You are pulling big blades and keeping the horse's head straight. It wears on your body."
Last year, Jones failed to qualify for the Wrangler NFR, missing rodeo's Super Bowl by just $560.
Having his equine dentistry practice to fall back on when he got home helped pay the bills while he geared up for the upcoming season.
This year, he hopes a big Wrangler NFR payday will enable him to take a much -needed vacation.
TIDBITS ABOUT K.C.:
- K.C. Jones will marry barrel racer Gayle Peralta in California during the Grand National Rodeo in San Francisco.
- Jones' parents - Ruby and Charlie - taught at Las Animas (Colo.) High School. Ruby now teaches ag-business at nearby Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colo., while Charlie, a retired wood shop teacher, farms and runs a cow-calf operation.
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