DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 49 



incisor teeth differ from the permanent ones by being smaller in 

 size, having a prominent neck, and much whiter appearance. 

 The first permanent grinder, the fourth on the jaw, conies 

 through when the col't is about one year old; and at about 

 eighteen months old the second grinder, the fifth on each side 

 of each jaw, comes through. At about two and one-half years 

 of age, the colt sheds its nippers, middle front teeth, and the first 

 two on each jaw of its grinders, and they are all taken place by 

 ptimanent teeth. Between three and four years, the colt sheds 

 its lateral front teeth, and the third temporary grinder, and they 

 are taken place by permanent teeth; also, at about this age, the 

 sixth permanent grinder comes through. Therefore, a colt, at 

 four years of age, has a full set of permanent grinders. Between 

 four and five, he sheds his corner incisors and gets the permanent 

 ones, and at about this time the tusks come through, making a 

 horse at five years of age have a "full mouth." 



AGE OF A HORSE. 



How to tell the age- of a horse is something that must be ac- 

 quired by practice, and not theory alone. Most any one can 

 learn, by a little study and practice, how to detect the age up to 

 six or eight years in most cases, but beyond this age is very much 

 harder to tell accurately; in fact, no one can tell within one or 

 two years after a horse has passed the age of ten years. If all 

 hcrses had a uniform wear and growth of th/e teeth, it would be 

 a great deal easier to tell the exact age, but different breeds of 

 horses, and different kinds of food, greatly change the wear and 

 shape of the teeth. Hard, gritty food wears the teeth much faster 

 than soft food, free from .sand and other gritty substances. A . 

 horse's teeth are continually growing and wearing off, no matter 

 how old the horse. It is estimated that they grow one inch in 

 about ten or twelve years. 



