118 CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOU 



on by this trick ; but the irregular appearance of the cavity, the diffusioD 

 of the bhick stain around the tushes, the sharpened edges or concave 

 inner surface of which, can never be given again, and the marks on the 

 upper nippers, together with the general conformation of the horse, can 

 never deceive the careful examiner." 



Thus we bce how necessary it is that more than a superticial examina- 

 tion be given, and for this reason, we advise a careful study of the chart. 

 As the horse becomes aged, or after eight years of age, the lower jaw is 

 the sure index, since the marks there naturally wear faster than in the 

 upper nippers. The lower jaw is the one that is moved in gathering food 

 and in grinding it, and hence the greater wear; besides this, cavities in 

 teeth of the upper jaw are greater than in those of the lower jaw ; hence 

 the wear must be greater to obliterate the mark. In fact, tue person who 

 aspires to be a critical judge, must examine the teeth of horses kept on 

 hay and hard grain, those fed on cut feed, and those from various pas- 

 tui-es. Yet, except this critical knowledge is required, a study of the 

 chart will answer for all purposes. 



In the horse, the incisors are divided into three pairs in each jaw, 

 being the twelve front teeth. The first pair, above and below are the 

 two central front teeth. The next two teeth on each side in each jaw are 

 called the middle teeth, and the two outside teeth in each jaw, are the 

 corner teeth. 



The canines are called hooked teeth, from their form, and sometimttf. 

 tushes. They are two in each jaw, lying between the incisors and 

 grinders. The grinders are the double or back teeth of the jaw, but: 

 the term grinder is used to denote the rough surface of the cutting teeth, 

 and the mark is the depression in the surface of the teeth. 



Another thing that should be noticed, is, that the teeth are regular, for 

 irregular teeth, that is teeth some of which are longer than others, will 

 wear unevenly. Thus allowances must be made here, when it is 

 necessary to determine the age exactly. Again, the general rule is 

 to estimate the age from May 1st of each year. Thus, a colt born 

 on the first day of January would be called only one year old on 

 May 1st of the next year, when, in reality, he would be sixteen 

 months old. This is taken advantage of in racing, and hence foals are 

 desired to be born as near to the first of January as possible. But if 

 born in December, the racing colt would count as one year old the suc- 

 ceeding May. Yet practically, this makes no difference to the farmer, 

 but only to those who rear horses for the turf. 



