Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-02-20
G OF a HORSE.
The Rules Which, Up to Eight Years, Are
Nearly Infallible.

Among the many lessons to be learned
on the farm, is that of Judging of the
age of horses by their teeth. The value
of a horse depends largely upon how
much of his active life has already been
expended. On an average a horses
work is done by the time he is sixteen.
Although he may be healthy and active
as he approaches that age his value is
gradually decreasing, as his approach
ing days are few and full of stiffness.
1t is important that all men and boys
on a farm should know, not only by
reading the rules, but by actual appli-
cation, how to tell the age of a horse.
1t is II of the necessary items of a
farmers education. The rules to guide
are pretty reliable, until a horse is eight
years old, after which the indications
are dim, and uncertain. Below we give
the most accredited rules, and it would
be we'll for boys to cut it out for pres
ervation, or to carry it in the pockets,
and practice with until it is impressed
on the mind
The foal is born with twelve grinders.
When four front teeth have made their
appearance, the colt is twelve days old;
and when the next four assert them
selves its age will be about twenty
eight days. The corner teeth make
their appearance when the foal is eight
months, and these latter attain the
height of the front teeth at the age of
a. year. The two year-old has the
kernel-the dark substance in the
middle of the tooth's crown-ground
.,,f IF oil +I,n f.ort +oofh r., <l, %h;,l
year the middle front teeth are being
shifted; and when three years old those
are substituted by the permanent. or
horse teeth, which are larger and more
yellow than their predecessors. The
next four teeth are shifted in the fourth
year, and the corner teeth in the fifth,
giving place to the permanent nipper.
At five years of age a horse has forty
teeth, Of which twenty-four are grind
ers far back in the jaw, with which we
have little to do. But, be it remem-
bered, horses invariably have tushe<,
which mares very rarely do. Before
the age of six is arrived at, the tush is
full grown, and has a slight groove on
its internal surface (Which generally
disappears with age, the tush itself be-
coming more rounded and blunt); and
at six the kernel or mark is worn out
of the middle front teeth. There will
still be a difference of color in the CEN
ter of the tooth.
The tushes have now attained their
full growth, being nearly or quite an
inch in length; convex without, con-
cave within, tending to a point, and
the'extremity somewhat curved, Now,
or perhaps some months before, the
horse may be said to have a perfect
mouth.
At eve years, the mark, as de-
scribed, is very nearly worn out of the
four center nippers, and fast wearing
away in the corner teeth-especially
in mares; but the black mark still re-
mains i'll the center of the tooth, and
is not completely filled up until the ami
NAL is eight years old. AS he gets on
past seven the bride teeth begin to
wear away.
At eight the kernel has entirely dis
appeared from all the lower nippers,
and begins to decrease in the middle
nippers. 1t is now said to be 'spast
mark of mouth"
When nor than seven, the know
ing ones are accustomed to go by APP
pcarance Of the upper fronts, from
which some conclusion may certainly
be drawn as the marks remain in them
long after they have been lost from
the bottom ones. Much reliance can
never be placed on the tushes; for
sometimes they may be found quite
blunt at eight, and as often remain
pointed at eighteen, and sometimes
those in the same mouth will show an
apparent difference of a year or more.
There are indications which enable
very shrewd observers toe guess at a
horses age after eight years even, but
none TO enable accurate determine
ton. In the ninth year the mark
has entirely disappeared from the up |
per middle teeth, and the hook on the !
corner only has increased in propor-
ton as the bride teeth lose their
points. At eight the upper surfaces of
the nippcrs are all oval, and as the
animals get older they diminish in
width, but rot in thickness; they be-
come 0 rounded and appear wider
ADaxt-Iowa Stale Reoiste1.