CONDITION OF HUNTERS RESUMED 303 



These changes occur practically simultaneously 

 in the upper and lower jaws, but when judging the 

 age of a horse — up to eight years at any rate — it is 

 usual to inspect the cutting surfaces of the lower 

 incisors only, and to some extent by viewing the teeth 

 when the mouth is shut. A yearling has a complete 

 set of temporary incisor teeth, and these continue to 

 wear until the animal has turned two years. 



There is a great deal of difference between a sucking 

 or temporary incisor tooth and a permanent one. The 

 former are smaller, whiter, and don't show the same 

 well-marked groove on their front face that the per- 

 manent incisors do. 



The reader will soon know the difference if he 

 examines the mouth of a colt that is two and a half or 

 three and a half years old. 



The first pair or centrals are replaced shortly after 

 the colt has turned two years (two years and a quarter, 

 say), and these central permanents are about half way 

 up at two and a half years, and then tables come into 

 wear at three years. The laterals are replaced just 

 about one year later, three years and a quarter, 

 developing in the same manner, followed by the 

 corner permanents at four years and a quarter, fully 

 up at five years. 



This completes the permanent dentition of the 

 incisors. 



The subsequent changes are noted by inspection 

 of the " tables " or cutting surfaces of these teeth. 

 It is at the ages of six, seven, and eight that particu- 

 lar attention has to be paid to the wear and shape of 



