236 THE VETERINARY SCIENCE. 



two years you have to judge from the general appearance of the 

 colt as to his age, as there is no change in the front teeth. At 

 three years old he sheds the four centre nippers or front teeth, two 

 above and two below, and gets in permanent ones ; at four years 

 old he sheds the four lateral teeth, two above and two below, and 

 g-ets in permanent teeth in their places ; at five years old he sheds 

 the four corner, or outside teeth, and gets in permanent ones. So, 

 at this age, the horse has a full mouth of permanent front teeth. 



Each one of the front teeth has a black ring on it at five years 

 old ; at six years old the rings on the two centre teeth in the 

 bottom row disappears and only a black spot is left on each ; at 

 seven years old the rings on the lateral teeth, or the ones next to 

 the centre in the lower row, disappears and only a black spot is 

 left on each tooth ; at eight years old the rings on the corner 

 teeth of the lower row disappears and only a black spot is left on 

 each tooth ; at nine years old the rings on the two centre front 

 teeth on the upper row disappears and a black spot remains on 

 each tooth ; at ten years of age the rings on the lateral teeth, or 

 the ones next to the centre pair in the upper row, disappears and a 

 black spot is left on each tooth ; at eleven years old the rings on 

 the corner teeth of the upper jaw disappears and a black spot is 

 left on each tooth. At twelve years old we come again to the 

 bottom row, and looking at the front of the teeth the two centre 

 ones will be found to be much narrower and longer than the others ; 

 at thirteen years the lateral, or teeth next to the centre pair — one 

 on each side — become much longer and narrower ; at fourteen 

 years old the corner teeth in the lower row become much longer 

 and narrower ; at fifteen years old the two centre teeth on the 

 upper row become long and narrow ; at sixteen years old the 

 lateral teeth on the upper row become long and narrow ; at seven- 

 teen years old the corner teeth of the upper row become longer and 

 narrower. At eighteen years of age we look again to the bottom 

 row and the two centre teeth will be much shorter than the others; 

 at nineteen years old the lateral teeth of the bottom row have be- 

 come much shorter ; at twenty years old the corner teeth have be- 

 come much shorter ; at twenty-one years of age look again to the 

 teeth in the upper row and the two centre ones will be much 

 shorter ; at twenty-two years old the lateral teeth will be shorter, 

 and at twenty-three years old the corner teeth of the upper row 

 will be short. After twenty-three years old the age can not 

 be told accurately. 



