The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-07
Weekly Article
BY DR.. A. c. Daniels Qnc.)
On Domestic Animals
How To Tell The Age Of
The Horse.

Continued from last Thursday
The central nippers are consider
ably worn and the next pair are be-
ginning to show the mark of age
The tush has now protruded and is
fully half an inch in height, and has a
rounded prominence with grooves on
the inside. AT five years the horses
mouth is almost perfect. At six years
the mark on the two central nippers
is entirely worn out, and on the next
pair the mark is shorter, broader and
fainter, and on the corner pair the
edges OF the enamel are more regular,
the surface is little rubbed or worn
but only on the exterior edge The
tush has attained its full growth,
projects outward, concave within,
growing to point, the extremity
somewhat curved. At seven years
the mark Is not only worn out from
the two central nippers and conse-
quently on the two next, but is fast
wearing away on the two corner
teeth. The 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 from all the bottom
nippers. and nearly SO from the top.
All the teeth are worn, but the CEN
trail one is still large and retains
some OF its blackmess. There is moth
ing 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
age with accuracy The horse that is
fed on corn will appear older than
the one that is fed on oats and soft
food. At nine years the nippers
show 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
tweleve the corner teeth are round
and the dental bone very apparent
throughout. AT thirteen there is a
total disappearance of the interior
lenamel From fourteen to seventeen
they assume triangular form. The
central ones at fourteen and the mid
die ones at fifteen and the corner
ones at sixteen. Al eighteen this tri-
angular shape grows longer, and be-
comes radically contracted.
At six years the teeth are short
and fiat, gums extending across them
full and nearly straight; passing
eight the gums recede or shrink
away from the teeth making them APP
lpear longer. at ten this is very notice
able; while passing twelve the gum
shows almost q pointed contract with
the center of the teeth; at eighteen
to nineteen the gums are drawn back
much sharper. leaving the teeth long
er and narrower in appearance.
With increased age, deep hollows
above the eyes will appear, and the
lower lip hang down perceptibly.
Sometimes teeth are "bishoped". cut
down by saw or file. or cutting ma.
chimes, to deceive as to the age of a
horse, quite old horses being made to
appear eight or nine. In trading or
buying, one should exercise care in
the study of the animals age.
The teeth OF the horse require fire.
quent attention. Shorten with the
rasp the lower incisors and the cor
ners OF the upper molars, and inner
side OF lower teeth TO keep your
horse IN good feeding condition.
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