AGE OF HUNTERS 



when the animal is five years old, it has a 

 complete set of permanent teeth, and the mouth 

 presents a very characteristic appearance, familiar 

 to every horseman who has had any transactions 

 in horse-dealing. Here it may be as well to 

 note that it is customary to refer to the incisors 

 in the lower jaw only, more for the reason of 

 convenience than anything else. The changes 

 that have enabled us to tell the age of a hunter 

 thus far, have been based upon the inception, or 

 cutting of the teeth, but obviously, when the 

 last pair have been cut, or, in other words, when 

 the animal is 2. five year old, it follows that it is 

 necessary to refer to some other portion of the 

 tooth as an age indicator. This is done, as 

 stated earlier on in the chapter, by reference 

 to the tables of the teeth. It is necessary to 

 mention that the area of the table in front of the 

 " inner enamel ring," is known as the "anterior" 

 edge of the tooth, whilst the corresponding area 

 behind the " inner enamel ring" is the "pos- 

 terior" edge. These two facts must be borne in 

 mind, because they have such an important 

 bearing in estimating the animal's age. As 

 already stated it is an easy matter to distinguish 



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