92 PRECAUTIONS IN BUYING A HORSE 



Up to the age of nine months, the horse cuts four 

 additional teeth in the same order, and these 

 twelve teeth are termed milk teeth. At the age of 

 two and a half to three years, the animal sheds 

 the first four milk teeth, and four somewhat 

 darker colored teeth, termed incisors take their 

 places. At three years and a halt or four, the up- 

 per and lower two milk teeth adjoining the former, 

 fall out and four permanent middle or central 

 teeth grow out instead. At this age stallions cut 

 their canine teeth, which begin to lose their sharp 

 edges when the horse is six years old, and at the 

 age of ten, have become quite blunted. In mares 

 the corner teeth are either wanting or they are 

 very short. The last milk teeth are shed at four 

 and a half or five years, and are replaced by the 

 corner teeth. From this period the age of the 

 horse is judged from depressions on the perma- 

 nent teeth termed marks. The older the horse 

 the more the marks become worn and effaced ; 

 and, inasmuch as the lower jaw is used more than 

 the upper, the marks on the lower teeth are ob- 

 literated sooner than those on the upper. At five 

 and a half or six years, the marks on the lower 

 canine teeth are entirely effaced ; at six and a 

 half or seven years, they disappear on both the 

 lower central teeth; at seven and a half to eight years 

 on the lower corner teeth. At eight and a half or 

 nine, the marks on the two upper incisors become 

 obliterated ; at nine and a half to ten years, they 

 disappear on the two middle teeth ; at ten and a 

 half to eleven, on the two corner teeth ; at eleven 

 to fifteen both the upper and lower middle and 

 corner teeth become blunted and triangular. At 

 fifteen to twenty all the middle and corner te^th 

 become flat, and obliquely inclined towards the 

 muzzle ; they look yellow and are covered with 



