26 



The Teeth 



the teeth to help them through. Probably the most common trouble 

 with the teeth of the horse is due to uneven wear. Nature fosr some 

 cause provided the horse with a wide(r upper jaw than lower. As a re- 

 sult the upper and loweq- molars wear off uneven. The upper molars 

 wear to a shatp edge next to the cheek and may cut the cheek. The 

 lower molars wear long and sharp on the inside and may cut the tongue, 

 as the horse chews his food. In such cases the sharp edge should 

 be made blunt by a special file called a float (See cut of instruments on 

 page 17, fig. 2) Float the lower incisop-s and molars on the inside and 

 the uppers next to the cheek. 



Sometimes a molar gets knocked out or decays and falls out or breaks 

 off. In such a case the tooth opposite has nothing to wear against and 



__ _ _ __1 5%-6 years 



_ _.„. 2 61/2-7 5^ears 



— — — _ _ _3 7^/^-8 years 



(Cut showing the order in which the cups wear away in the perma- 

 nent teeth.) 



continues to grow long and finally wears against the tender gum and 

 none of the teeth can come together. As a iresult the food can not be 

 chewed and the grain may pass through the horse unground. In this 

 case every few months it is necessary to clip such a tooth off level with 

 the other molars. 



