286 



Nature-Study Agriculture 



Changes in 

 a horse's 

 teeth, ac- 

 cording to 

 age 



Caring for 

 horses 



u. s. D. A. 



FIG. 235. The mouth of a i4-year-old 

 horse. The teeth are long and slanting. 



The age of a horse 

 can be quite accurately 

 told by its teeth, up to 

 seven years (Figs. 233, 

 234, and 235). After 

 that the age can only 

 be estimated. Up to 

 three years the animal 

 has only small milk teeth 

 in front. At three it gets 

 two permanent front 



teeth in each jaw. At four it gets two more permanent 

 front teeth in each jaw. At five the last of the milk teeth 

 disappear and the horse has a full mouth of large teeth 

 (six incisors above and six below), and these are all 

 cupped. At six years the two middle pairs of teeth are 

 worn down so that the cups do not show much. At 

 seven another pair have lost their cups, and at eight all 

 the teeth are worn smooth. After eight years the teeth 

 become gradually longer and more slanting, but there 

 are no marks by which the age can be told accurately. 

 The molars are not taken into account in estimating 

 the age of a horse. 



Horses are nervous animals, and a good driver will 

 never yell at them. After becoming heated they should 

 not be allowed to cool suddenly. Harness should fit 

 well and be padded so as not to cause sores. Frequent 

 grooming with brush and comb adds much to a horse's 

 appearance and comfort. The front legs should be kept 

 free from botflies' eggs, which will cause disease if they 

 are licked off by the horse (Figs. 236 and 237). 



