DENTAL INDICATIONS OF THE AGE OF A HORSE. 219 



four, the central pair of incisors will be nearly perfect, and 

 the second pair will have been shed, and a vacant space left 

 where they were inserted ; the corner ones will have become 

 narrower, and their surface considerably worn down, with 

 the mark small and indistinct. The second pair of grinders 

 fall at this time. 



At four vears the central incisors will have attained their 

 full size; and the sharp edge which always accompanies the 

 teeth while growing will now be considerably worn off. The 

 mark becomes shorter and wider, and more faint, (see fig. 6.) 

 The second pair will be grown, but still a little smaller, 

 with the mark very deep, and extending entirely across the 

 surface. The corner nippers will be somewhat larger than 

 the inside ones, although a little smaller than they were, 

 and with their surface flat and the mark nearly obliterated ; 

 the sixth grinder will have grown level with the others, and 

 the tushes considerably developed. The mouth will be still 

 shallow, the fore hand of the animal will still be low, and 

 with a considerable degree of legginess, which are additional 

 indications of the age of the horse. 



The last important change takes place in the mouth of 

 the horse between four years and a half to five years. The 

 corner incisors are shed, and the permanent ones make their 

 appearance ; the central ones are considerably worn, and 

 the next pair are beginning to exhibit marks of wear The 

 tushes are now fully half an inch above the gums, with an 

 external rounded prominence, and a groove on each side. 

 Up to the period of the reproduction of the corner incisor 

 the animal is designated a colt, but it now assumes the 

 name of horse ; the female, which up to this time has been 

 denominated filley, is now called mare. 



The mouth of the horse is nearly perfect at the age 

 of five years. The corner incisors are fully developed, with 



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