Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 423 



to disappear. The lower teeth now show much wear, the central 

 enamel forms a small ring only, very close to the back border of the 

 tooth, while the dental star becomes narrower and also approaches the 

 back border. At twelve years, all of the lower teeth are round, and 

 sometimes the central enamel has disappeared, in which case the wear- 

 ing surfaces show only a small yellowish spot which is the dental star. 

 At fifteen years, the swallow tail, which reappeared at ten years, is still 

 in evidence, the teeth tend strongly toward a triangular shape on the 

 wearing surface, and other indications of age become marked. At 

 twenty-one years, the swallow tail is gone again, and all indications of 

 wear are very marked. After ten or eleven years and on up to thirty 

 or more, only general indications serve as a guide to the age. The 

 horseman knows that the teeth change from oval to three-sided with 

 age, and that they project or slant forward more and more each year. 

 In very old horses these features are very marked. 



In determining the age, a regular procedure should be followed. 

 First open the lips and determine whether the teeth are temporary or 

 permanent. Unless they are all permanent it is usually unnecessary 

 to open the mouth. If they are all permanent, the wearing surfaces 

 of the lower incisors should be carefully examined first, and then the 

 wearing surfaces of the upper incisors. Also note the profile or slant 

 of the teeth, and the presence or absence of the hook or swallow tail 

 on the upper comer teeth. 



Mere description here will not enable the student to become adept 

 at determining age. Actual practice and the study of many mouths 

 are necessary in order to master this subject. 



Determination of the height of horses. — The height of a horse is 

 determined by measuring the vertical distance from the highest part 

 of his withers to the ground. The unit in which the height of horses 

 is expressed is the hand. A hand is four inches. A horse measuring 

 60 inches high is thus said to be 15 hands high; a horse measuring 63 

 inches is said to be "fifteen, three," meaning 15 hands, 3 inches, 

 written 15-3; and one measuring 65 inches is 16-1 hands high. The 

 dividing line in height between horses and ponies cannot be definitely 

 fixed, but is about 14 hands. Ponies vary in height from 14 hands down 

 to 8 hands or even less, while horses vary from 14 hands up to 18 hands 

 and over. With practice the height of horses may be estimated very 

 closely without the aid of a measuring standard. A person who knows 

 the exact height from the ground to the level of his eyes, and also the 

 exact height from the ground to his chin, can step up to the shoulder 

 of a horse, locate the highest bony part of the withers, and estimate the 

 height very quickly and ,with a high degree of accuracy. 



