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all horfes nearly alike. Till five years the age is 

 judged of by the fliedding of the twelve front teeth, 

 or nippers. At two years and a half, the two front 

 nippers above and below fall out, and are changed. 

 At three and a half, the two teeth next to thefe, 

 above and below, are replaced by others ; and before 

 five the two corners alfo ; about which period the 

 tuflies likewife fall, and the colt affumes the name of 

 the horfe, and without tliem the filly now becomes a 

 mare. Each of thefe permanent fet of nippers has a 

 mark or cavity in its upper furface. At fix years the 

 cavities of the two front nippers of the lower jaw are 

 filled up. At feven, thofe of the two next of the 

 fame jaw fill up ; and from this to eight the corner 

 ones fill up likewife, when the horfe is faid to have 

 loft his mark, and to be aged. The upper teeth 

 may, however, after this period, furnifli fome crite- 

 rion to judge by, though perhaps not altogether with 

 equal precifion ; for at the fame time that the cavi- 

 ties of all the lower nippers are obliterated, thofe 

 only of the two front upper ones are eftaced : fo 

 that at eight years the two front upper nippers lofe 

 their mark ; at ten, thofe of the two next ; and at 

 twelve, thofe of the two corners. It muft, however, 

 be remarked, that horfes for their real ufe are to be 

 judged according to their conftitution, and the pre- 

 vious ufe that has been made of them ; fome being 

 capable of every ufefiil exertion at fifteen, or even 

 twenty, while others are worn out at nine or ten. 



