74 AGE OF HORSES. 



CHAPTER VI. 



EXAMINATION OF THE MOUTH FOE AGE. 



Means of ascertaining a horse's age — Different kinds of teeth — Form 

 of the teeth — Structure of the teeth — Changes undergone by the 

 teeth with age — Dates of teething — Causes which may hasten or 

 retard the appearance of the permanent teeth — Dates from which 

 horses are aged — Plates showing the different ages by the incisors. 



Means of ascertaining a horses age. — I propose, in this 

 chapter, to limit the consideration of the animal's age to 

 the indications furnished by his teeth. We may determine 

 whether a horse is old or young, by his general appear- 

 ance ; by the fact that the bones on each side of his nose 

 " fal] in," on account of the descent of the back teeth, as 

 he gets older ; and, in the case of a grey or roan, by the 

 whitening of his coat. Almost all horses when well 

 stricken in years, show white hairs, especially, about the 

 temples. The depth of the hollows above the eyes are, 

 to a certain extent, a guide to the age of the animal ; 

 although they may be prematurely deep in the stock 

 of old parents, and, possibly, in young horses that have 

 suffered for a considerable time from debility. The 



