Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-04-08
WEEKLY ARTICLE
ON DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
How to Tell the Age Of the
Horse. Z.
continued from last Fridayo

CONTINUED from last Fflday)
The central nippers are CONSIDERABLY
worn and the next pair are beginning
to show the mark OF age Inc 'usii
has now protruded and is fully nan On
inch in height, ana has rouliueu
prominence with grooves on ING III
side. At five years the horses mouth
| is almost perfect Al SIX years 'iie
mark on the two central nlpoers Is
| entirely worn out, and oil the heAt
| pair the mark is shorter, broader dlio
| fainter, and on the corner palr the
edges of the enamel are more regular
| the surface is q little rubbed or worn
| but only on the exterior edge. Inc
| tush has attained its full growth, pro-
| iects outward. concave within, grow
| ing to a point. the extremity some
| what curved. At seven years the marx
| is not onlv worn out from the Two
| central nipperS and consequently OH
| the two next, but is fast wearing
| away on the two corner teeth. Inc
tush also begins to show change. The
! point and edges are rounded but at
| eight years the tush is rounded in
| every way. The mark has disappeared
4 from all the bottom nipperS. and
nearly so from the ton. All the teeth
| are worn, but the central one is still
large and retains some of it's black
ness There is nothing remaining on
the bottom nippers that can show the
age of the horse at all reliable. The
| upper nippers may give indications
| but nothing certain.
| After the age of eight years there
are no points that will determine the
4 .,ro will, acp,iracy The horse that
is fed on corn VIII appear older than
| the one that is fed on oats and soft
| food At nine years the nippers show
a most rounded appearance. Little
remains of the dental bone. but begins
| to show the dental star. AT ten years
| the same change on the middle ones
At eleven the same change ON the
corner ones. At twelve the corner
| teeth are round and the dental bone
! very apparent throughout, At thir-
| teen there is a total disappearance of
| the interior enamel. From fourteen
to seventeen they assume triangular
| form The central ones at fourteen
and the middle ones at fifteen and the
| corner ones at sixteen. At eighteen
| this triangular shape grows longer,
and becomes radically contracted.
At six years the teeth are short and
fat. gums extending across them full
anu nearly straight: passing eight
| the gums recede or shrink away from
the teeth making them appear longer;
at ten this is very noticeable; while
passing twelve the gum shows almost
| a pointed contact with the center of
! the teeth: at eighteen to nineteen the
gums are drawn back much sharper
| leaving the teeth longer and narrower
| il. appearance.
With increased age. deep hollows
| above the eyes VIII appear, and the
lower lips hang down perCeptibly
sometimes teeth are "bishoped," cut
down by saw or file, or cutting ma
chimes, to deceive as to the age of
horse. quite old horses being made to
appear eight to nine. In trading or
| buying. one should exercise care in
| the study of the animals age.
| The teeth of the horse require fire.
uuent attention. Shorten with the
rasp the lower incisors and the corners
of the upper molars. and inner side of
lower teeth to keep your, horse in
good feeding condition.