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cise time of the appearance of the tushes is uncertain. They 

 may come up at the third or the fourth year ; sometimes they 

 never pierce the gums, it being very far from uncommon to see 

 horses' mouths of seven years without the tushes. 



By the end of the fourth year the colt has certainly gained 

 twelve teeth. By this time there should exist, on each side of 

 both jaws, one new lateral incisor and two fresh molars, being 

 the third and the sixth in position. The appearance of the 

 mouth now indicates the approach of maturity ; but the inferior 

 margin of the lower bone still feels more full and rounded than 

 is consistent with the consolidation of an osseous structure. 



The process of dentition is not finished by the termination of 

 the fourth year. There are more teeth to be cut, as well as the 

 fangs of those already in the mouth to be made perfect. 



The colt, with four pairs of permanent incisors, has still the 

 corner milk nippers to shed, yet while the provision necessary 

 for that labor is taking place within the body, or while nature is 

 preparing for the coming struggle, man considers the poor 

 quadruped as fully developed and as enjoying the prime of its 

 existence. 



The teeth may be scarcely visible in the mouth, nevertheless 

 such a sign announces the fifth year to be attained. There are, 

 at five, no more bothering teeth to cut. All are through the^ 

 bone and the mouth will soon be sound. 



The indications of extreme age are always present, and, 

 though during a period of senility the teeth cannot be literally 

 construed, nevertheless it should be impossible to look upon the 

 " venerable steed " as an animal in its colthood. 



Gleason's Entire New Method of Telling the Age of 



a Horse. 



Copyrighted 



Question. How do you tell the age of a horse ? 



Anstver. There are many methods of telling the ages of 

 horses, but I have a new method, and one that you can always 

 tell within one or two years of their correct age, which is as 

 follows : 



