THE AGE OF THE HORSE. 



THE AGE OF THE HORSE, 



Determined by the appearance of the teeth. 



43 



The safest way of determining the age of a horse is by the appearance of the teeth, 

 which undergo certain changes in the course of years. Although it may be impossible 

 to give any rules which will be found to be exactly connect in every case yet the following 

 classification is generally con-ect; but exceptions will occur, as, for instance, a noble 

 horse ma}^ be taken for younger than he really is, because the strong sti'ucture of all the 

 bones makes the teeth also stronger than those of a horse of the same age, of an inferior 

 breed. 



Eight to fourteen days after birth, the first middle nippers of the set of milk teeth are 

 cut (Fig. 1) ; four to six weeks afterwards, the pair next to them (Fig. 2); and finally, 

 after six or eight months, the last, (Fig. 3). 



All these milk teeth have a well-defined body and neck, and a slender fang, and on 

 their front surfaces grooves or furrows, which disappear from the middle nippers at the 

 end of one year; from the next pair in two years; and from the incisive teeth (cutters) 

 in three years. 



At the age of t\vo the nippers become loose and fall out; in their places appear two 

 pemianent teeth, with deep, black cavities, and full, sharp edges (Fig. 4). 



At the age of three, the next pair (Fig. 5) fall out. 



At four years old, the corner teeth fall out (Fig. 6) . 



At five years old, the horse has his permanent set of teeth. 



The teeth grow in length as the horse advances in years, but at the same time, his teeth 

 are worn away, by use, about one-twelfth of an incH every year; so, that the black cav- 

 ities of the center nippers below disappear in the sixth year (Fig. 7) ; those of the next 

 pair in the seventh year (Fig. 8.) ; and those of the corner teeth, in the eighth vear (Fig. 

 9). Also the outer corner teeth of upper and lower jaw just meet at eight years of age. 



At nine years old, cups leave the two center nippers above, and each of the two upper 

 corner teeth has a little sharp protrusion at the extreme outer corners, (Fig. 10.) 



At the age of ten the cups disappear fi-om the adjoining teeth. 



At the age of eleven, the cups disappear from the corner teeth above, and are only in- 

 dicated by brownish spots. 



The oval form becomes broader, and changes, from the twelfth to the sixteenth year, 

 more and more into a triangular form, and the teeth lose, finally, with the t^ventieth year, 

 all regularity. There is nothing remaining in the teeth that can, afteruvards, clearly 

 show the age of the horse, or justify the most experienced examiner in giving a positive 

 opinion. 



The tushes or canine teeth, conical in shape, with a sharp point, and curved, are cut 

 between the third and fourth year; their points become more and more rounded, until 

 the ninth year, and after that, more and more dull in the course of years, and lose, final- 

 ly, all regular shape. Mares have, frequently, no tusks, or only very faintly indicated. 



