EXAMINING A HORSE FOR SOUNDNESS 351 



ing the molars, and are termed wolves' teeth. They are 

 the remains of the very ancient days v^hen horses had seven 

 molars instead of six. 



Occasionally incisors of the upper javi^s so overhang those 

 of the lower jaw that it is impossible for the animal to graze, 

 and therefore it should never be turned out to grass to find 

 a living. Such animals are said to be parrot-mouthed. As 

 the teeth cannot oppose each other they need frequent 

 filing when they become too long. 



PLATE XIII. 

 Lower Jaw, showing grooves. 



Names are given to each pair of incisors, and these are — 



2 front incisors (or what would usually be 



called the middle ones) are termed the ... Central 



2 next on each side are termed the ... ... Middle 



2 outside ones are termed the Corner 



In the centre of the crowns of the incisors there are 

 grooves, or depressions, forming cups, the infundibular 

 markings (Plate XIII.) ; the milk teeth lose these ap- 

 proximately in this order : — 



Central teeth lose the cups at 1 year 



Middle teeth ,, „ 18 months 



Comer teeth ,, „ 2 years 



when the crowns of the lower incisors become flat. 



It has been mentioned that the centre incisors are present 

 at birth or within a few days afterwards, and the others make 

 their appearance and become level with their predecessors 



