12 MODERN FARRIER, 



very short ones. Five days after birth, the four front- 

 teeth or nippers begin to shoot. In a few months, 

 they are increased to six above and six below. — 

 They are easily distinguished from tlie teeth that 

 come afterwards by their smallness and whiteness. 



When the colt is about two years and a half old, 

 he casts the four middlemost of his foal-teeth ; but 

 in some instances they are retained nearly three 

 years. The new teeth, which are stronger, and al- 

 ways twice title size of the foal teeth, are called inci- 

 sors or gatherers. When a horse has got these four 

 teeth complete, he is reckoned three years old. 

 When lie is about three and a half, he casts out four 

 more of his foal-teeth, viz, two above and two be- 

 low, one on each side of the middle teeth. Shortly 

 I after, the tushes usually appear, though sometimes 

 ■ not till the horse is full four years old. In a young 

 horse, they have a round edge all round the top and 

 on both sides, the inside being somewhat flattish» 

 and inclined to hollowness. 

 ^ When a horse comes five, or rather in the spring 

 I before he is five, the corner teeth begin to appear, 

 * but at first just equal with the gums, which look 

 rather rawish. These teeth grow leisurely, and are 

 seldom much above the gums till a horse is full five. 

 They are known by their resemblance to a shell,, 

 and environing the flesh in the middle half way 

 round ; as they grow, the flesh disappears, leaving a 

 distinct hollowness on the inside. In six months, 

 they usually grow about a quarter of an inch high, 

 or more ; and when a horse is six, they will be near 

 half an inch about the gums. 



When a horse is full six years old, the cavities in 

 the corner-teeth begin to fill up, and turn to a. 

 brownish spot, like the eye of a garden bean. This 

 mark becomes very faint, as the horse approaches 

 his seventh year. At eight, the mark generally 

 disappears ; though some retain the vestiges of it a 

 long time. After this, a horse is said to be past 



