14 HANDBOOK OE THE TURF. 



from about six to about eight years old ; 5, the wearing away 

 of the crowns, or from about nine to after nineteen years old. 

 In order to ascertain the age of the horse, it is necessary to 

 observe some structural part of the animal, which is liable to 

 little change and may be easily examined ; hence the teeth are 

 the only organs that can furnish a guide to age, and they can 

 generally be trusted with a considerable degree of certainty. 

 The incisors of the lower jaw are the ones examined for the 

 age of the animal, as it is seldom that much importance is 

 attached to the appearance of the tushes. The pincher teeth 

 or middle incisors, generally appear when the foal is from six 

 to eight days old, the upper teeth api^earing first. At four 

 months there are four teeth in the upper and f 3ur in the lower 

 jaw, and at about eight to ten months old the corner incisors 

 and intermediate teeth are entirely through the gums. At 

 about two and a half years of age, the dental arch is complete. 

 The central nippers of the lower jaw are the first permanent 

 teeth, the middle and corner nippers being temporary, the for- 

 mer, or permanent teeth, being much larger than the latter. 

 At about three and a half years of age, the middle nippers give 

 place to a permanent pair, and from a year later to five years 

 of age the corner nippers are replaced by permanent ones. At 

 this age the horse has what is termed a " full mouth ; " or in 

 other words all the permanent nippers are in place. From 

 this age up, the spots or marks in the center of the teeth, the 

 dentine, must be the chief guide in determining the age. At 

 five years of age the central nippers are somewhat worn, leav- 

 ing a small black spot in the center, but their shape, which is 

 oval, has not yet changed. The marks of the middle nippers 

 are not so large as formerly. At six years of age the central 

 nippers have but a very small spot of dentine in their center, 

 the middle pair have lost much of theirs, and the corner pair, 

 while showing less than two years previous, are yet quite full. 

 In the male the tushes are fully up, but are showing no appear- 

 ance of wear. At from six to seven years of age the teeth 

 show more wear, although they have changed but little ; the 

 center marks being less distinct, and the corner nipper smaller. 

 At eight years of age the teeth are quite oval in form, their 

 character, however, is not much changed. After this age they 

 begin to become triangular in form, particularly that of the 

 central incisors, or nippers. At nine years of age the central 

 marks have nearly disappeared, only a small black speck 

 remaining ; the central incisors are slightly triangular in form, 

 and the tusks are more rounded at the points. The wear of 

 the corner nippers is much indicated. At ten years of age the 



