EXAMINING A HORSE FOR SOUNDNESS 349 



upper corner teeth. Teeth are not always normal, and those 

 on one side often differ somewhat from those on the other 

 side of the mouth. They are also affected by external 

 circumstances, such as the character of the food, by the 

 ground on which the animal has to seek its living, and by 

 crib-biting, which " stable vice" wears the teeth away more 

 than anything. Per contra, the state of the teeth often give 

 the examiner a hint to look out for this evil habit. 



The molars, or back teeth, are not shed like the milk teeth, 

 but remain permanent throughout life. Sometimes the 

 upper and lower molars do not cover each other, resulting 



PLATE XI. 

 FoaVs Teeth when horn. 



in a portion of each meeting with no opposition, and 

 thereby failing to experience the attrition which would 

 keep them level. Then sharp processes arise on the outer 

 edge of the upper molars and the inner edge of the lower 

 molars, wounding the cheek on one side and the tongue 

 on the other, and making the animal afraid to masticate 

 its food. It therefore either bolts its corn or " quids," 

 dropping half-masticated food into the manger. These 

 sharp edges should be at once attended to, and removed 

 by the use of the chisel and rasp. 



The lower molars always wear faster than the upper ones, 

 and the middle ones sooner than the outer ones, so that 

 many old horses present an undulating surface. The 

 " tables," as the surfaces are termed, are also apt to become 

 too smooth to be of much use in grinding the food, and if 

 this should occur there is nothing for it but to give the 

 horse crushed oats and finely chopped hay, to assist 

 mastication as far as possible. Molars are occasionally 



