568 



HOW TO TELL THE AGE. 



When the horse, without any apparent cause, is running 

 down, munching or eating his food but slowly, especially if there 

 is any lateral action of the jaw, examine the mouth carefully to 



see whether there is any 

 noticeable cause of trouble 

 in the teeth. If rough 

 and irregular, they should 

 be rasped down. The 

 method of doing this is 

 now so well understood as 

 to scarcely need explana- 

 tion. 



The rasping down of all 

 irregularities should be 

 FIG. 330. At 14 years old. carefully done, and if there 



is a decayed tooth it should 

 be removed by a veterinary 



surgeon who is conversant 

 with the simplest and best 

 method of doing it. There 

 are now regular horse den- 

 testry implements in gen- 

 eral use for this purpose, 

 which can be easily ob- 

 tained. If the tooth has 

 grown down beyond the 

 level of the others, it should Fic " 8S1 At 16 years old * 



be rasped or sawed off to 

 the proper dimensions, 

 and carefully watched af- 

 terward so as to remove 

 any undue growth harm- 

 ful to the opposing parts. 

 If there is any enlarge- 

 ment of either jaw, more 

 especially of the upper 

 one, with perhaps a run- 

 ning sore offensive to the 

 smell; and if in addition 



FIG. 332. From 17 to 18 years old. 



