£0 The CompIeatHorJeman : or y 



long time be in a condition to chew his Meat, by 

 reafon of the ftrefs endur'd by the filing ; neither 

 could he draw his Hay or Straw from the Rack, be- 

 caufe of the diftance between his Lower and Up- 

 per-teeth. 



Having now explained how a Horfe's Age may 

 be known by his Teeth, I (hall next give you fome 

 other Rules, tho' not fo certain as the former. 



Some have recourfe to the Joints of the Tail, paf- 

 fing their Hand along it, to feel for a Knot or Joint 

 in the upper- part of it, which cometh forth when 

 he is between ten and twelve \ a fecond when he is 

 fourteen. Others thruft back a Horfe's Under-lip ; 

 and fo many Plyes or Folds as they find, fo many 

 Years old they fay he is. They who are fatisfied 

 with thefe Marks may make ufe of them \ for my 

 part I efteem them very little. After the Mark is 

 gone, I always have recourfe to his Legs, to know 

 If they be neat and good -, to his Flank, if it be well 

 trufs'd, and not too full and fwallow'd up \ to his 

 Feef, and laftly, to his Appetite. However, I fhali 

 give you fome other Obfervations to know the Age 

 of a Horfe that is paft Mark. 



When the Pits above the Eyes are extremely hol- 

 low, it is for the molt part a certain Token of old 

 Age •, although Horfes got by an old Stallion have 

 them very deep at four or five Years old^ as alfo 

 their Eye-lids and Eyes wrinkled and hollow. 



In young Horfes that part of the nether Jaw-bone 

 which is three or four Fingers breadth above the 

 Beard is always round, but in old Horfes fharp and 

 edged : So that a Man who is accuftom'd to it, will, 

 before he open a Horfe's Mouth, judge pretty near 

 of his Age. This is a good Remark. 



Some will pull the Skin of the nether Jaw-bone or 

 Shoulder a little to them, and if the Skin continue 

 long without returning to its place, it is a fign, fay 

 they, the Horfe is not young ; and the longer it is 



in 



