CHAPTER XXI. 



INDICATIONS OF AGE. 



611. — The age of a horse can be estimated with much 

 accuracy from the appearance of his teeth. From two months to 

 thirty years old the teeth undergo gradual changes that enable 

 us to judge of his age. Few persons are willing to give as much 

 accurate attention to this subject, as would be required to read the 

 age of a horse through a range of 30 years. AVe will therefore 

 only explain a few of the most obvious and important changes 

 that enable us to judge of his age daring the most valuable and 

 important period of his life. 



G12. — The mature horse has three kinds of teeth. Twelve 

 front teeth called nippers, adapted to cut his grass. Four canine 

 teeth, called tusks, and twenty-four large, strong teeth, called 

 grinders. AYe shall not farther refer to the grinders as they are 

 not sufficiently visible to be convenient for our present object. 

 To prevent confusion we will take only the most easily observed, or 

 lower jaw, for our guide during the first seven years. 



G13. — At about a week old two sharp, cutting nippers appear 

 in the centre of the front of that jaw. At about six weeks old 

 there are four, and at about eight mouths old there are six. When 

 these teeth first appear they have sharp, raised front edges, with 

 quite a hole in the centre. These edges soon wear off leaving 

 the top of the tooth smooth and level. 



G14. — At about two and a half years old, the two centre 

 nippers loose their hold of the jaw, shrink, and are forced out by 

 two new teeth, larger, more fluted, and not so white as the colt's 

 first teeth. At about three and a half years old there will be four 

 of these yellow, fluted, strong teeth, and at four and a half 

 there will be six. 



