Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-02-09
HOW TEETH Fl RN1sH INDI-
CATION OF 4 HORSES A

Until a horse IA over 10 years old
the teeth furnish an indication of
age which Is fairly accurate. In
estimating the age Of a horsa. only
the three pairs OF front teeth or
nippers on each Jaw are considered.
Horses, like human beings. have
two sets of teeth New teeth have
deep cups. or lamentations, at their
centers. AS the teeth wear down
these cups disappear.
A colt does not usually get his
first pair OF nippars until Ii is a few
days old, but has all three pairs by
the time It is 6 to 10 months old.
Until colt is three years old, how
ever. it's general appearance IL relied
/ upon largely TO indicate its age.
Following is a description OF the
/ yearly changes which ordinarily oc-
cur in the teeth Of horse, says the
u. 8. department OF agriculture:
One year.-The center pair OF
milk incisors, known as the pinchers,
and the pair next to them, known
] as the Intermediates, are well
/ through the gums and in contact,
but the corner pairs do not yet meet
on a level.
Two years-The pinchers and the
| Intermediates indicate that they are
| being crowded Ny the permanent
teeth. as they arc pushed from their
gums at the base BY the time the
colt is two and one-half years old
the middle pinchers should be
through. The permanent teeth are
much larger than the temporary
| ones.
Three years.--The middle pinch
+, ers are large enough for use. Their
deep cups show plainly. The milk
interim diates arc about to be shed
Four years.-The permanent in
termediates appear at 8 and one
half years and are ready for use at
4. The corner teeth give evidence
that the permanent corners are
coming. The cups in the pinchers
are about one-third gone. (The
tusks. or canine teeth, of male colts
may appear about this time)
Five years.-The temporary cor
ner teeth are shed at four and one
half, and the permanent ones are
ready for use. The horse has now
what is known as a full mouth. all
permanent incisors being ready tC
use. The cups Of the first pair are
about two-thirda gone.
Six years.-The cups in the cen
ter pair have nearly disappeared
In the second pair they are about
two-htirds gone
Seven years The cups from the
second pair are now gone. There II
a notch in the upper corner tooth
where IL overlans the lower one.
Eight years The cups have al
worn out of the lower nippers, W.
now look at the upper jaw AL
though cups remain in the center
pair. they are not deep.
Nine years.-'rhe cups in the cen
ter pair of nippers on the upper jaw
have disappeared. They are still
present In the other two pairs, be
ing fairly deep ia the corner ones.
Ten years.-The cups are worn on
OF the second pair on the uppe
jaw. although they are still presen
in the corner pair.
Older horses AT IL years all o
the cups are usually worn out of tn
incisors and it becomes necessary t
! use some other indication, Esti
) nation of age may now be base
! upon the angle at. which the teetl
:. meet, their change in sfze and shape
E, As the horse gets older, the teet
meet more and more at an acut
angle: that Is, the jaws become NOR
: oblique. AS the teeth wear down
the shape of the worn ends change
from oval to more nearly round anC
finally in an aged horse, to a nearl
triangular form Sometimes CUP
= are cut or burned In the teeth of oil
horses to make their mouths resen
BILE those of younger animals. Thi
practice, known as "Bishoping.
may be detected II the shape of tn
a tooth and the absence of the rim
of enamel which surrounds the ma
ura1 cup are noted. After a horse
>. Z years old It's condition is MOI
important than its age in determil
ing values.
n