ASCERTAINING THE AGE OF HORSES. 71 



course, the change from the elongated and oval shape of tlie 

 tables to a Inaiigidar shape does not take place suddenly, but 

 very gradually, as the change in shape is caused by the wear- 

 ing away of the teeth. The triangularity of the tables of the 

 incisors increases as the horse gets older. 



Tushes.— In addition to the incisor teeth, the so-called 

 '■ tushes " afford some information as to a horse's age. The 

 tushes are the small and pointed teeth, which are placed in 

 the gums a short distance behind the corner incisors, and in 

 front of the back or molar teeth. Only stallions and geldings 

 are provided with tushes, these teeth being absent in mares. 

 There are exceptional cases in which a mare may be met 

 with which has rudimentary tushes, but such an occurrence is 

 veiy rare. Tushes are always of a permanent character, and 

 they make their appearance usuall}^ when a horse is between 

 four and five years old. Thus the absence of the tushes in 

 an entire or gelding points to the animal not being older than 

 four and a-half or five years. At first, the tushes are very 

 pointed, but they gradually become blunter after the horse 

 has had them a year, and the older the animal is, the blunter 

 are the tushes. 



Position of Teeth an indication of Age, In 



young horses, the position of the incisor teeth in the gums is 

 upright. As the hoise get older, the position of the teeth 

 becomes more and more sloping, and in old horses, the sloping 

 position of the teeth is very pronounced. It is, therefore, an 

 easy thing to tell an old horse by the fact of its teeth being in 

 a very sloping position in the gums. The older the horse is, 

 the more will its teeth slope in the gums. 



Other indications of Age.—Besides the condition 

 of the teeth, there are some other indications of age in a 

 horse, but these indications afford no accurate guidance in 

 ascertaining the age of horses. They merely evidence the 

 fact that a horse is old, and long past its prinie. One of these 

 indications consists in there being a big hollow or depression 



