ON THE HORSE IN GENERAL. 1 15 



filled up, the black mark hath vanilhed, and 

 the Horfe is then faid to be aged, and his 

 mouth full. 



From that time forward, the age of the 

 Horfe can only be gueffed at from certain 

 indications; but thefe guefies are ufually made 

 with confiderable accuracy by experienced 

 people. If his teeth (hut clofe, and meet even, 

 are tolerably white, not over long, and his 

 gums appear plump, you may conclude he is 

 not yet nine years old. At that age, and as 

 he advances, his teeth become yellow and 

 foul, and appear to lengthen, from the fhrink- 

 ing and receding of the gums. The tufiies 

 are blunt at nine; but at ten years old, the 

 cavity or channel in the upper tufiies, until 

 that period to be felt by the finger, are intirely 

 filled up. At eleven, the teeth will be very 

 long, black, and foul; but will generally meet 

 even; at twelve his upper-jaw teeth will over- 

 hang the nether; at thirteen and upwards, his 

 tufiies will be either worn to the flumps, or 

 long, black, and foul, like thofe of an old boar. 

 Befides thofe exhibited by the mouth, nature 

 ever furnifhes variety of fignals, denoting the 

 approach of old age and decay, throughout 

 the bodies of all animals. After a Horfe has 

 pall his prime, a hollownefs of his temples will 

 be perceived, his mufcles will be continually 

 lofing fomething of their plumpnefs, and his 



1 2 hair 



