74 DISEASES OF ANIMALS. 



TO ASCERTAIN A HORSE'S AGE. 



The age of a horse is only determinable with precision 

 by his teeth ; and that rule fails after a certain period, 

 and is sometimes uncertain, even within that period. A 

 horse has 40 teeth ; namely, 24 double tieeth or grinders, 

 4 tushes or single teeth, and 12 front teeth or gatherers. 

 Mares have no tushes, in general. The mark which 

 discovers the age is to be found in the front teeth, next 

 the tushes. In a few weeks, with some, the foal's 12 

 fore teeth begin to shoot ; these are short, round, white, 

 and easily distinguishable from the adult or horse's teeth, 

 with which they come afterwards to be mixed. At some 

 period between two and three years old, the colt changes 

 his teeth ; that is to say, he sheds the 4 middle fore teeth, 

 2 above and 2 below, which are some time after replaced 

 with horse's teeth. After three years old, 2 others are 

 changed, one on each side the lormer; he has then 8 

 colt's and 4 horse's teeth. After four years old, he cuts 

 4 new teeth, 1 on each side those last replaced, and has 

 at that age, 8 horse's and 4 foal's teeth. These last new 

 teeth are slow growers, compared with the preceding ; 

 they are the corner teeth, next the tushes, are called 

 pincers, and are those which bear the mark : this mark 

 consists in the tooth being hollow, and in the cavity 

 bearing a black spot, resembling the eye of a bean. The 

 tushes may then be felt. At four years and a half old, 

 these mark teeth are just visible above the gum, and the 

 cavity is very conspicuous. At five years old, the horse 

 has shed his remaining 4 colt's teeth, and his tushes ap- 

 pear. At six, his tushes are up, and appeal white, small 

 and sharp, near about which is observable a small circle 

 of young growing flesh ; the horse's mouth is now com- 

 plete, and the black mark has arrived at, or very near, 

 the upper extremity of the corner teeth At seven, the 

 2 middle teeth fill up. Between the seventh and eighth 

 year, all the teeth are filled up, the black mark has van- 

 ished, and the horse is then said to be aged, and his 

 mouth full. 



From that time forward, the age of the horse can only 



