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before the time had arrived for their removal. An 

 animal with such a mouth is obviously deteriorated. 

 The lessened number of its teeth may be of little 

 consequence while it is young and kept in the stable. 

 During the earlier years, the corner nippers, which 

 are those most frequently wanting, are not in perfect 

 apposition, nor are the incisors of so great im- 

 portance, when the food is to be pulled from the 

 rack or gathered from the manger. But at grass, 

 especially in old age, when horses are most fre- 

 quently turned out, and when the spreading of the 

 semi-circle brings all the teeth into play, none can 

 be spared. The absence of one-third of the nippers 

 in the active jaw, would then cause the animal more 

 work for its livelihood, and probably counteract all 

 the benefit which "the run" was intended to produce, 

 even if more serious evils did not ensue. The eccen- 

 tricities of the teeth should always be regarded, to 

 conjecture how far they may retard the welfare of the 

 horse. The presence of an additional molar in 

 each jaw is sometimes seen, and is hardly to be 

 counted a defect : such supernumerary teeth are 

 generally posteriorly situated, and of small size ; 

 they may cause no inconvenience, and their 



