THE AGE. 71 



the two central nippers : they being the oldest 

 by a year, are of course soonest worn down. 



At seven, the "mark" is worn out of the four 

 central teeth, and at eight the majority of horses 

 lose all " mark," and afterwards he is very im- 

 properly styled aged. 



Many horsemen, after the " mark" is worn 

 out of the lower jaw, have recourse to the upper 

 one, the " mark" remaining in its teeth much 

 longer than those of the other. But, in general, 

 they offer but uncertain criteria of the age, for 

 their wear is exceedingly irregular, and scarcely 

 four horses can be got together, whose upper 

 teeth present any thing like the same appearance 

 at the same age. I do not therefore place any 

 dependance on them ; neither do I regard the 

 tush as at all indicating the age : for though 

 some rely much on its height, sharpness and the 

 degree of its concavity, yet these are so irre- 

 gular of themselves, and so much altere d by the 

 bit, that it is almost useless to look at them. 

 Indeed, it is rather rare to find two tushes in 

 the same jaw exactly resembling each other. 



Up to eight years, there is little difficulty in 

 determining the age by the nippers of the lower 

 jaw, and, I believe, we must still adhere to them 



