AGE OF THE HORSE. 285 



[From the Genesee Farmer.] 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 



" P. L. P." of Ludlowville, has, in a number of 

 queries, called our attention to that valuable animal, 

 the horse, and requested information on some subjects 

 that cannot well be illustrated without the aid of the 

 proper engravings, to which reference can be made. 

 These it is our intention to procure ; and, with their 

 aid, we shall endeavor to give the readers of the Farmer 

 some items of knowledge respecting this noble animal 

 that will be practically useful. In the mean time, the 

 following remarks on the structure of the teeth will 

 show the foundation on which a knowledge of the age 

 of the horse is obtained by attending to them. 



Among dealers in horses, the front teeth, which are 

 called inciso7^s in other animals, are called nippers, as, 

 from the motion of the horse in eating, it is evident 

 the grass is rather broken off than cut by the teeth. 

 These teeth, six in number, are covered with a very 

 hard substance called enamel, the base of which is 

 phosphate of lime, and is so compact as almost to bid 

 defiance to the best files. This enamel constitutes the 

 outside of the tooth, and as it rises above the surface 

 is bent inward, and apparently sunk into the body of 

 the tooth, forming an indentation or pit, occupying the 

 centre of the tooth ; and the inside and bottom of this 

 being, during its existence, blackened by the food, 

 constitutes the pecuhar appearance or mark by which, 

 until the tooth is much worn, the age of the horse can 

 be determined. As the teeth, or nippers, are renewed 

 at different times, the mark will be partially or entirely 

 worn from some, while it will be entire on others : the 

 difference in the wearing, until all are worn, is a crite- 

 rion not liable to error. The hollow part never fills 

 up, but remains there till the enamel is worn to the 

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