THE HORSE, HIS AGE, HOW TO TELL IT. 51 



four, the middle teeth, six, and the nippers, eight lines above the gums. 

 This is absolutely necessary to be taken into account, because it is the 

 only means by which one can decide with certainty as to the age of a horse 

 whose teeth have become longer than they would have been if set right 

 and wearing regularly. 



The foregoing remarks and directions are based upon the assumption 

 that there is no peculiarity about the individual animal or the breed to 

 which he belongs that would materially interfere with the principles laid 

 do^\ai. It remains, however, to notice that to those breeds of horses 

 which develop very slowly, of which the Spanish horse may be cited as 

 an example, the rules are a little more diflScult of application. The 

 bones of these, and perhaps of some few other kinds, seem to be harder, 

 and the teeth change somewhat later and appear to wear down more 

 slowly ; so that it sometimes happens that such horses, after their fifth 

 vear, appear a year or two younger than they really are ; but the same 

 animals are apt to be more than ordinarily strong, hardy, and long-lived, 

 and to be taken at a diminished age really detracts nothing from their 

 worth. 



The age of a mule is somewhat difficult to determine with exactness, 

 owing to the cause just stated. 



Deceptions may be practiced with very thrifty young horses, when it is 

 desirable to make them appear of suitable age for work or for breeding, 

 by knocking out the incisors a year sooner than they would naturally 

 change themselves. If a purchaser suspects deception, he can determine 

 the matter by closely examining the remaining teeth. If the nippers 

 have changed, and the inner edges of the corner teeth have not yet come 

 into contact, the foal is but one year old — and so on. 



The opposite cheat — that of trying to make a horse appear younger 

 than he really is by burning artificial marks in upon the teeth — can be 

 detected by closely examining the enamel and the effect of the mark 

 upon it. When a horse has reached an advanced age, say twelve to 

 twenty, the enamelled surface has become so minute that burning in as 

 large a mark as is found in horses considerably younger would disturb 

 the whole enamel and so leave a means of detecting the fraud. 



In the case of crib-biters, that wear out their teeth prematurely, and 

 so appear really older than they are, examination must be directed to the 

 comer teeth, which are seldom injured ; or, if the corner teeth prove to 

 be injured, deduct from the apparent age as many lines as are wanting to 

 make the teeth of the natural length. To feed constantly, from weaning 

 time, upon hard, unshelled corn, sometimes produces the same effect as 

 crib-biting, and the same directions must be followed in forming an 

 estimate. 



