Telling the age of the Horse.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 7 April 1913, Page 4

Telling the age of the Horse.

1 There aro tour ways of tolling- tho age of a horse, accoixlirtg to the American Agriculturist—by hifl-teeth, by his ribs, by tho flesh on his tail, and by tho skin on his cheek. ' In. a young hoißo the cheek skin is soft and elastic, and flies back quickly when raised ; in an old-one it is life- - less, and goes back but-slowly. Old horses apparently have a wider and more distinct space between their ribs than young horses, and, with ago the flesh on tho tail shrinks, making' the joints more distinct than they are on a young horse. Judging by the teeth is a more accurate method. The coming of the temporary teeth first and then the permanent one 6, the development of maturity, the change in shape on account of wear, the coming of the cups in the teeth, and their wearing away afterwards; and the change in the anglo of the meeting of the teeth, from straight together at fivo years to a sharp angle at twenty—all these are signs by which the experienced horseman can read accurately the ago of a horse. It must be remembered that the permanent, teeth-above-and bolow, come in at the same 'timo, but that the cups above do not wear away until all the cups below are sone. It must also be remembered that changes begin at the centre, and continue at the rate of one pair a year.