326 Effective Farming 



what is known as a full mouth, all permanent incisors being 

 ready to use. The cups of the first pair are about two-thirds gone. 



" Six years. The cups in the center pair have nearly dis- 

 appeared. In the second pair they are about two-thirds gone. 



" Seven years. The cups from the second pair are now 

 gone. There is a notch in the upper corner tooth where it 

 overlaps the lower one. 



" Eight years. The cups having all worn out of the lower 

 nippers, we now look at the upper jaw. Although cups remain 

 in the center pair, they are not deep. 



" Nine years. The cups in the center pair of nippers on the 

 upper jaw have disappeared. They are still present in the 

 other two pairs, being fairly deep in the corner ones. 



" Ten years. The cups are worn out of the second pair on 

 the upper jaw, although they are still present in the corner pair. 



" Older horses. At 11 years all of the cups are usually worn 

 out of the incisors and it becomes necessary to use some other 

 indication. Estimation of age may now be based upon the 

 angle at which the teeth meet, their change in size and shape. 

 As the horse gets older, the teeth meet more and more at an 

 acute angle ; that is, the jaws become more oblique. As the 

 teeth wear down, the shape of the worn ends changes from oval 

 to more nearly round and, finally, in an aged horse, to a nearly 

 triangular form. Sometimes cups are cut or burned in the 

 teeth of old horses to make their mouths resemble those of 

 younger animals. This practice, known as ' Bishoping,' may 

 be detected if the shape of the tooth and the absence of the 

 ring of enamel which surrounds the natural cup are noted. 

 After a horse is 12 years old its condition is more important 

 than its age in determining values." 



QUESTIONS 



1. How is the height of horses measured? 



2. Describe a typical draft horse. 



3. Why is good knee and hock action so much desired in heavy- 

 harness horses? 



