PROCESS OF TEETHING. 



IC) 



Fig. 14. 



The space beneath between the jaw-bones, called the channel, 

 IS of considerable consequence. It may be a little too wide, and 

 ilien the lace will have a clumsy appearance : but if it is too 

 narrow, the horse will never be able to bend his head freely and 

 gracefully ; he will be always pulling or boring upon the hand, 

 nor can he possibly be well reined in. 



The jaws contain the teeth, which are the millstones employed 

 in comminuting the food. The mouth of the horse at five yeai^ 

 old contains forty teeth, viz. : six nippers or cutting-teeth in front, 

 a tush on each side, and six molars, or grinding-teeth, above and 

 below. The gums are singularly compact, that it may not be 

 wounded by the hard or sharp particles of the food, and almost 

 devoid of feeling, for the same purpose. 



Seven or eight months before the foal is born, the germs oi 

 beginnings of the teeth are visible in the cavities of the jaws 

 At the time of birth, the first and second 

 grinders have appeared, large compared with 

 the size of the jaw, and seemingly filling it. 

 In the course of seven or eight days the two 

 central nippers are seen as in Fig. 14. They 

 likewise appear to be large, and to fill the 

 front of the mouth ; although they will af- 

 terwards be found to be small, compared with 

 the permanent teeth that follow. In the course 

 of the first month the third grinder appears 

 above and below, and, not long after, and gen- 

 erally before six weeks have expired, another 

 incisor above and below will be seen on each 

 side of the two first, which have now considerably grown, bm 

 not attained their perfect height. The second cut will represent 

 the appearance of the mouth at that time. 



At two months, the central nippers will 

 natural level, and between the second and 

 third month the second pair will have 

 overtaken them. They will then begin to 

 wear away a little, and the outer edge, 

 which was at first somewhat raised and 

 sharp, is brought to a level with the inner 

 one, and so the mouth continues until 

 some time between the sixth and ninth 

 month, when another nipper begins to ap- 

 pear on each side of the two first, making 

 six above and below, and completing the 

 colt's mouth ; after which, the only ob- 

 servable difference, until between the sec- 

 ond and third year, is in the wear of these teeth 



have reached their 

 Fig-. 15. 



Sec Fiff. 



