CHAPTER VII I. 



The age of a horse is easily ascertained when the 

 progressive appearances of the teeth are explained. 

 A horse has forty teeth ; the twenty-four beyond the 

 bars (the hollow space, where the row of teeth is dis- 

 continued, and the palate is marked by transverse 

 ridges,) are never changed, and of course give no 

 indication of age ; the twelve front teeth are cast at 

 different periods ; till cast, they are called foal teeth. 

 When they change, the two centre teeth in each jaw 

 are called nippers or gatherers ; these appear at the 

 age of three : the two teeth adjoining the gatherers 

 on either side, are called middling ; they appear at 

 four years : the two next the middling teeth are 

 called the corner teeth ; they rise above the gum at 

 five : the remaining two in either jaw are called 

 tushes, corresponding in form with the eye-teeth in 

 man: the appearance of the tushes is not regular, 



