TELLING THE HORSE'S AGE BY THE TEETH.

Northern Advocate, 27 January 1906, Page 2

TELLING THE HORSE'S AGE BY THE TEETH.

The horse has 24 temporary teeth. The male has 40 permanent teeth ; the female 36 or 40. The smaller number is more useful in females, due to the lack of tusks. The temporary teeth consist of 12 incisors and 12 molars; their centre front teeth, two above and two below, are called pincers; the next four are called intermediate or lateral, and the next four corner teeth. The permanent teeth consist of 12 incisors, 4 tusks, and 24 molars. The dental star is a yellowish ring appearing next the enamel on the table or crown of the tooth. The following table shows approximately the changes of the teeth with age ; — Three to ten days : Temporary pincera and three molars cut. Forty to sixty days : Temporary intermediate or laterals cut. Six to nine months : Temporary corner teeth cut. Nineteen to twenty-five months : Levelling of temporary corner teeth. Two and one-half to three years : Pincers replaced by. permanent teeth. Three and one-half to four years : Intermediates or laterals replaced. Four to four and one-half years : Tusks cut. Four and one-half to five years : Corner teeth replaced. Five to six years : Levelling of lower pincers. Seven years : Levelling of permanent intermediates. Eight years : Dental star and notches in pincers. Nine years : Dental .star in wintermediates. " .•'■"■." • Ten years : Dental : star hr corner teeth. v : ;