THE TEETH. 



141 



This cut will represent a three-year- 

 old mouth. The central teeth are larger 

 than the others, with two grooves in the 

 outer convex surface, and the mark is 

 long, narrow, deep and black ; and not 

 having yet attained their full growth, 

 they are not so high as the others. The 

 mark in the two next nippers is nearly 

 worn out, and it is wearing away in the 

 corner nippers. Is it possible to give this 

 mouth to an early two-year-old? The 

 ages of all horses are reckoned from May, 

 but some are foaled even so early as Jan- 

 uary, and being actually four months over the two years, if they have been 

 well nursed and fed, and are strong and large, they may, with the inexpe- 

 rienced have an additional year put upon them. The central nippers are 

 punched or drawn out, and the others appear three or four months earlier 

 than tliey otherwise would. In the natural process, they could only rise 

 by long pressing upon, and causing the absorption of the first set. The 

 first set mechanically oppose their rising, and that opposition being removed, 

 it is reasonable to imagine that their progress will be more rapid. Three 

 or four months will be gained, and these three or four months may enable 

 the l)reeder to term him a late colt of a preceding year. To him, how- 

 ever, who is accustomed to horses, (although it is long practice alone 

 which could give this facility of judgment,) the general form of the animal, 

 the little development of the forehand, the continuance of the mark on 

 the next pair of nippers, its more evident existence in the corner ones, 

 some enlargement or irregularity about the gums from violence used 

 in forcing out the teeth, the small growth of the first and fifth grinders, and 

 the non-appearance of the sixth grinder, which, if it is not through the 

 gum at three years old, is swelling under it, and preparing to get through, 

 any or all of these circumstances, carefully attended to, will be a sufficient 

 security against deception. 



It is so unusual to look at the teeth in the upper jaw of a young horse, 

 that the dealer who wishes to give a false appearance of age, frequently 

 confines his operations to the lower jaw, and, in consequence of this, when 

 the teeth of the lower jaw are thus made to push out, they are still below 

 the gum in the upper jaw, although, in the natural process, they are cut a 

 little sooner in the upper than in the lower jaw. It may, therefore, be 

 good policy always to examine both jaws. 



A horse then at three years old ought to have the central permanent 

 nippers growing, the other two pairs wasting, six grinders in each jaw, 

 above and below, the first and fifth molars level with the others, and the 

 sixth protruding. The sharp edge of the new incisors, although it could 

 not be well expressed in our cut, will be very evident when compared with 

 the neighbouring teeth. 



As the permanent nippers grow, and press upon the teeth at their side, 

 those teeth will begin gradually to diminish. Not only will the mark be 

 wearing out, but the crowns of the teeth will be considerabl)' smaller. 



At three years and a half, or between that and four, the next pair of 

 iiippers will be changed, and the mouth at that time cannot be mistaken. 

 The central nippers will have attained nearly their full growth; a vacuity 

 vi\] be left where the second stood, or they will begin to peep above the 

 gum, and the corner ones will be diminished in breadth, worn down, 



