THE AGE. 117 



of the eyelids, and the eye itself, should be free from 

 inflammation, ■which the colour of the membrane and 

 bloodvessels will readily detect. It is an error to 

 suppose the kind of eye, commonly known as wall- 

 eye, will not be subject to disease and become blind. 



The nostrils of the horse should be long and wide, 

 the lining membrane being fine, elastic, and perfectly 

 healthy in appearance. Any symptoms of inflamma- 

 tion, undue secretion of mucus, or tendency to ulcera- 

 tion, must be looked upon with the greatest suspicion. 

 The lining membrane of the cartilage of the nostril 

 exhibits a beautiful pale pink colour when in a state 

 of perfect health. 



The examination of the teeth ought to confirm our 

 general prognostications of the true age of the horse. 

 We should now determine it to a certainty ; but it 

 does not at all follow that we shall be correct in our 

 conjectures, with all the aid of our experience and 

 wisdom. The teeth of the horse which must engage 

 our attention are those situated in the front of the lower 

 jaw ; but it must be always borne in mind that the 

 symptoms of age vary very much in numerous instances. 

 In some horses the difference is very great indeed, but 

 generally the tusk will prove a truer index to the age 



