150 



TEETH. 



of the Vody simultaneously weakening the system. The teeth are only 

 a part of the living organism ; therefore, as when a part moves we may 

 conclude the whole system is in motion, the advent of sixteen huge 

 teeth, alone, might reasonably unfit the quadruped for commencing its 

 education, or for undergoing the severest portion of its labors. But 

 how do the customs of humanity appear, when illumined by a consider- 

 ation of the sufferings which nature is imposing at the time the colt is 

 tasked to its greatest exertions ? 



Some very low classes of horse proprietors will, however, make the 

 work of the three-year old colt as light as possible. The vulgar gen- 

 erally regard the frame at this age as not perfectly matured, and they 

 treat the strength as not equal to full labor. A nice practical comment 

 is thus published upon the behavior of those gentlemen of title and of 

 fortune, who train, start, and make animals run races at two years old I 

 Few members of existing society, however, will accord any indulgence 

 to a colt during its fourth year. Yet if the quadruped once possessed 

 any claim upon consideration, the animal at this period has positive title 

 to our forbearance. For the second effort must be more exhausting than 

 the first; since the latter has to be accomplished with diminished 

 power. Thus the four-year old has to perfect as many teeth as are 

 known to protrude into the mouth of the three-year old. 



JAW OF A FOUR-YEAR OLD. 



The tushes in this view, however, must be disregarded. The precise 

 time of appearance is uncertain with these analogues of the canine teeth 

 in man, or of the tusks in the porcine race. They may come up at the 

 third — they often are delayed to the fourth year ; sometimes these teeth 

 never pierce the membrane of the gums, it being veiy far from uncom- 

 mon to see horses' mouths of seven years in which the tushes are absent. 



