TELLING THE HORSE’S AGE BY THE TEETH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 429, 27 August 1908, Page 4

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 usual in females,, due to tha lack of tusks. The temporary teeth consist of 12 incisors and 12 molars ; their centre front teeth, two above and two below, are called pinchers ; the next four are called intermediate;, or lateral ; and the next four, corner teeth. The permanent teeth consist of 12 incisors, four 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 pinchers, and three molars; cut. Forty to six ty days : Temporary intermediate, or laterals, cut. Six to nine months ; Temporary corner teeth cut. Nineteen to twenty-five, months *, Bevelling of temporary corner teeth. Two-aud-a-half to th ree years : Pinchers replaced by 1 jermanent teeth. Three-and-a-half to ft >ur years: Intermediates, or laterals, replaced. Four to four-and-a-haJf years. Tusks cut. Four-and-a-half to five years: Corner teeth replaced. , Five to six years : Bet celling of lower pinchers. Seven years: Bevelling of permanent intermediates. Eight years: Dental, star and notches in pinchers. Nine years: Dental star in intermediates. Ten years : Dental, star in comer teeth.