AGE OF THE HORSE. 67 



shows down the tooth one-half the distance from the gum to the 

 crown. In measuring the length of the tooth in this case, we 

 always measure from the gum to the longest point of the tooth ; 

 but, to be better understood, we will say, measure the longest side 

 of the tooth to get the proper length. If this groove should show 

 half-way down the longest side of the tooth, as represented in 

 cut 15, the horse will be fifteen years old without a doubt. 



If it shows three-fourths of the way down the longest side, he 

 is eighteen years ; and if it shows all the way down he is twenty- 

 one years old. According to this, it will be seen that the groove 

 starts close to the gum at ten, and will reach down to the crown 

 at twenty-one. It takes eleven years for the groove to reach the 

 crown, hence, one-eleventh the length of the tooth represents one 

 year ; two-elevenths, two years, and so on, and when the groove 

 is half-way down the tooth, as represented in cut 15, the horse 

 is then fifteen and a half years old— providing we count the 

 fraction— from the fact that one-half of eleven is five and a half, 

 and the groove not making its appearance on the tooth until the 

 horse arrives at the age of ten ; adding the ten to the five and a 

 half, counting the fractions, makes him fifteen and a half 

 years old. 



But as we are perfectly satisfied to be able to come within a 

 year of the horse's age, we will throw this fraction out and simply 

 say fifteen years old. We will lay down a simple rule to examine 

 this tooth and groove by : 



If the groove is just starting on the tooth, the horse is ten 

 years old ; one-eleventh down the tooth, he would be eleven years 

 old ; two-elevenths, he would be twelve years old ; three-elevenths, 

 thirteen years old ; nearly half-way, fourteen years old ; half- 

 way, fifteen ; a little below half-way, sixteen years ; still a little 

 farther down, seventeen years j three-fourths of the way down, 

 eighteen years,- a little more than three-fourths of the way, 

 nineteen years, and almost to the crown, twenty. When the 

 groove reaches from the gum to the crown, he is twenty-one, 



