9^ Horses and Horsemastership. 



and consequently the month of the thoroughbred animal 

 is, as a rule, much more forward than that of the coarser 

 bred of the same year ; for the farmers and other breeders 

 of ordinary stock quite naturally prefer their mares to 

 foal in the summer months when pasture is plentiful. 



It is at five years old that the horse gets his "' full" 

 mouth, and yet on examination it will be observed that 

 the two corner teeth are apparentlv quite hollow — mere 

 shells, in fact. Before these teeth arrive at the level of 

 the four centre ones (the horse has, of course, twelve 

 incisors, six in each jaw) the horse is described as 

 " rising five ; "' when thev are level with the others he is 

 described as ''five off." During the ensuing year the 

 hollow is gradually filled up, and by the time the horse 

 is six vears old this process is complete, and he mav be 

 said to possess a "" complete" mouth. It is from this 

 period that we rely upon the " marks" on the tables, or 

 biting surface, and the shape of the teeth as a guide. 



Now the substance of which the "' marks" is composed 

 begins to wear awav from six years old, and by the time 

 the horse is seven it will have almost disappeared from 

 the two centre teeth, and it will have commenced to 

 ^vear in those on either side of them, until at eight only 

 those in the corner teeth will be left. Tlie ensuing year 

 witnesses the disappearance of the "" marks" from the 

 corner teeth, so that bv the time nine vears is reached 



