HORSES AND MULES 581 



The Age of the Horse. — The teeth form the most accurate basis for 

 estimating the age of a horse. The first teeth which appear are called 

 colt, milk or temporary teeth. As the horse grows older these are replaced 

 by broader, thicker, darker-colored permanent teeth. 



The central incisors in the upper and lower jaws usually appear within 

 two weeks after foaling. The intermediate incisors, one on each side of. 

 the central incisors, make their appearance between the second and 

 fourth week, and the corner or outside incisors are in at six months of 

 age (Fig. 1). 



The central pair of permanent incisors will displace the temporary 

 incisors and be in use at three years of age. (Fig. 3). The permanent 

 intermediate ones will be in use at four (Fig. 4) and the corner pair of 

 permanent incisors will displace the temporary corner or outside incisors 

 at five years of age. 



The five-year-old horse has a full mouth of permanent teeth (Fig. 5). 

 These have large cups that wear smooth as the age of the horse advances. 

 The cups or tables of the central incisors below have worn smooth at six 

 years of age, the intermediate incisors below are smooth at seven and the 

 corner pair at eight. (See Figs. 6, 7 and 8.) 



The cups of the central pair of incisors on the upper jaw have dis- 

 appeared at nine, the intermediates above are smooth at ten and the 

 cups in the corner incisors are worn smooth when the horse reaches his 

 twelfth year. (See Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12.) 



There is no accurate method of estimating the age of a horse after he 

 is twelve years old; however, the angle of the teeth becomes more acute 

 as he becomes older (Fig. 13). 



HORSE FEEDINGS 



Proper management in feeding and caring for the horse is an essential 

 for his best health and development. The digestive system of a horse 

 is not large, therefore a comparatively small amount of roughage and a 

 relatively larger amount of grain is required. Sudden changes in feed 

 should be avoided, as the digestive system requires time to readjust itself 

 to the new conditions. 



Grinding or soaking of feed is not economical except in the case 

 of colts or horses doing exceptionally hard work; however, many 

 horsemen favor rolling the oats they feed. Salt should be accessible at 

 all times. 



Feeds for the Horse. — It is economical under most conditions to use 

 the feeds at hand. The most common feeds for horses are oats with timo- 

 thy hay, or a mixture of timothy and clover. In many sections corn is 

 substituted for a part or all of the oats in the ration and prairie hay or 

 alfalfa is substituted for the timothy. 



A combination of oats and timothy hay forms an excellent ration for 

 work horses. The nutrients are in about the proper proportions and the 



