GO 



AGE OF THE HORSE. 



him that the colt was five years and two months old. Out of 

 curiosity I ventured to examine the colt's mouth, and found it 

 was only three years old. 



The dealer's object in representing the colt to be five years old 

 when he was but three was, that the purchaser desired a horse 

 of suitable age for work, whereas a three-year-old would not 

 answer. 



Had the Government Inspectors of horses and mules known 

 that the animals brought to them were but eighteen months old 

 instead of two and one-half years, they would have refused them 

 as unfit for the work required. Had the Government Inspectors 

 and the Chicago man we have alluded to been familiar with this 

 method of telling the horse's age and the anatomical structure of 

 the mouth, it would have been impossible for them to have been 

 deceived as to the age of the horse. 



No. 6. 

 Inside view of lower jaw, when two and a half years old, with the hor 

 pers just coming through the gum. 



Cut No. 6 represents the lower jaw two years and a half old,, 

 with the colt teeth called " nippers" shed out, and the horse 

 teeth of the same name have taken their'place.j 



It will be seen, by carefully examining the above cut, that the 

 horse teeth now coming in have not {filled up all the vacancy in 

 the horse's mouth caused by the shedding of the colt teeth. 



When the horse teeth on the lower [and upper jaws come in 

 contact with each other, and are worn perfectly straight across. 



