4 



the age can generally be adduced, if the parties in- 

 terested think proper to seek it ; or when it is not 

 possible to adduce such proof, the teeth deserve more 

 confidence than an uncorroborated assertion. An in- 

 dividual may be interested to mis-state, or may be 

 mistaken in his belief; whereas the teeth, being natu- 

 ral growths, are removed from such suspicions. 



3. Some of the causes which iyiduce certain persons 

 to doubt the possibility of the horse's age being accu- 

 rately told from the teeth, are not difficult to explain 

 away. The Jockey Club has seen reason to declare, 

 that all thorough-bred animals shall be born on the 

 1st of January, or if any should make their appear- 

 ances at a later period, such shall be esteemed one 

 year old when the 31st of December has expired. 

 All blood horses have but one birth-day, nor do they 

 in that respect differ from their brethren of the coarser 

 breeds; only those of the last description are supposed 

 to begin their existences upon the 1st of May. If a 

 racer has seen six Januaries, it is said to be six years 

 old; and if a nag had looked upon half a dozen Mays 

 it would be pronounced to be of a similar age. These 

 customs are convenient, as aftbrding a point from 



