AGE OF A HORSE.

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6602, 21 May 1925, Page 3

AGE OF A HORSE.

EXAMINATION OF TEETH In determining the age of horses in the sale ring many farmers are guided by the state and appearance of the teeth. Some hints on how to judge the age of a horse in this way were given recently by Mr C. S. Hall, who addressed a gathering of farmers in South Australia. In a young horse, he said, the skin of the cheek is soft and elastic, and if raised up will immediately fly back into place; while in an old horse the skin is lifeless, and if it is raised will go back more slowly. The horse has twelve incisors, or front teeth, six above and six below. He has two sets of these, one temporary and one permanent. When a colt is two years old he has all his temporary teeth, which will be more short, whiter, and more worn than the permanent set. At two and a half years old the central pair, both above and below drop out and permanent teeth take their place. At three years the permanent teeth will be “in wear,” that is, the upper and lower will meet. At three and a half years the lateral pair (one each side of the central pair, both above and below), drop out; by the age of four years the permanent teeth are in wear. The corner pair, above and below, drop out at four and a half years old, and by the age of five years all the permanent teeth are in wear, and the horse is said to have a full mouth. The teeth at this age are much longer from side to side than from front to rear; also on each one there is an elongated cup or mark. This cup is a depression in the tooth and is lined with the same kind of hard-enamel that covers the outside of the tooth. It is filled with dirt or foreign matter which gives it a black appearance. The lining of hard enamel will always distinguish the real cup from the artificial one, sometimes put in by unscrupulous dealers. At five years there is a cup in each tooth. 'At six years the cups in the centre pair below have worn away. At seven years the cups in the lateral pair below, and at eight years the cups in the corner pair below, have worn away. . At nine years the central pair above, at ten years the lateral pair above, and at 11 years of age the corner pair of cups above have worn away. The horse then is said to have a “smooth mouth.” After 11 years the signs are not definite, but at about 15 or 16 years the tops of the teeth become round instead of longer from side to side than from front to rear. The teeth of a five years old horse come almost straight together when the mouth is shut, while those of a 20 years old horse come together at an angle.