Telling the age of the Horse.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 1 May 1913, Page 4

Telling the age of the Horse.

There are four ways of telling the age of a horse, according to the American Agriculturist—by hie teeth, by his ribs, by the flesh on his tail, and by the skin on his cheek. In young horeo the cheek skin ia soft and elastic, and flies back quickly when raised; in an old one it ia lifeless, and goes back but slowly. Old horses apparently have a wider and more distinct epace between their ribs than.young horses, and, with age the flesh on the tail shrinks, making the joints more dietinct than they are on a young horse. Judging by the teeth is a moro accurate method. The coming of the temporary teeth firet and then the permanent once, the development of maturity, the change in shape ou account of wear, the coming of the cupe in the teeth, and their wearing away afterwards; and the change in the angle of iho meeting of the teeth, from straight together at five years to a sharp angle at twenty—all theso arc eigne by which the experienced horseman can read accurately tho ago of a horse. It must be remembered that the permanent teeth above and below, come "n at the same time, but that tho cups above do not wear away until all the cups below arr gone. It must also be remembered that changes begin at the centre, and continue at the rate of one pair year.