186 The Hoese Industry in New York State 



bottoms — especially that land overflowed by rivers or creeks — 

 will show wear on the teeth much faster than those grazing or fed 

 on hay cut from hillsides where there is not much grit or sand 

 in the grass or hay. This holds good as to both the incisors and the 

 molars, A horse that is generally stabled will not show so much 

 wear on the incisors as a horse that is in pasture a good share 

 of his life, for the reason that in the constant nipping close to 

 the earth he comes in contact with more or less stones and grit 

 that are not carried to the molars. In judging a horse for useful- 

 ness I look to the worth of his molars and how badly they are 

 impaired, giving very little attention to the incisors. 



The wolf or rudimentary tooth is supposed by many to be the 

 cause of blindness. That is not generally true, as it is very rarely 

 that there is enough inflammation to cause impairment of the eye- 

 sight. Many cases that I have examined and treated were caused 

 by the molars crowding the cheek and causing sores and ulcers. 

 This trouble may be relieved by filing off the sharp points, thus 

 removing the cause. 



The following are a few of the symptoms of conditions that may 

 be remedied by having the teets attended to : staring coat, hide- 

 bound, scouring, slobbering when being driven, dropping par- 

 tially chewed food in the manger, gnawing the manger, running 

 at the eyes, side-lining, tossing the head, periodical balking, 

 spasmodic colic, and many troubles I cannot here mention. 



Painful mastication and resultant indigestion, the primary 

 cause of most stomach troubles of the horse, are due to defective 

 teeth. Take care of the old horse's teeth and be sure to look 

 well to the colts' teeth during the shedding period, as the horse is 

 subject to the same laws as man, and needs the care of the dentist. 



