73 



ON THE AGE OF THE HORSE. 



Although the. Age of a Horse catuiot he 

 classed among the Causes of Unsoundness, 

 yet^ as a Breach of Warranty may occur 

 in regard to the Age, as well as to the 

 Soundness of the Animal, I thought it 

 would be of some Utility to give the Rules 

 by which the Age is generally known. 



Most Quadrupeds furnish some visible mark, 

 whereby their age may be ascertained with 

 tolerable certainty. Thus, the ox acquires an- 

 nually an additional ring on his horn ; the buck, 

 an additional branch to the palm. 



In the horse it is manifested by an alteration 

 in the appearance of the teeth, and certain parts 

 of the mouth. The horse possesses forty teeth, 

 viz. twelve front teeth, or incisores, or nippers, 

 twenty-four molares or grinders, and four canine 

 teeth, which are called tushes : these last are 

 wanting in the mare, except in some very few 

 instances. Until five years old, the age of the 

 horse is ascertained by the successive shedding 

 of the twelve front teeth or incisores, which 

 process begins at two years and a half old, and 

 is carried on in the follow- ing order, namely, 

 from two years and a half until three, he sheds 



