TEETH OF THE HORSE.—Chart for Accurately Telling the Age from Six Months to Twenty-Nine Years.—By Dr. LOUIS BRANDT, V. S. 
HORSEI TEETH. 
[ Copyright, 1882, by N. D. Thompson & Co. 
COLT’S TEETH. 
■See Chapter V of Pictorial Cyclopedia of lave Stock for explanation~| 
of terms, and further facts concerning the Ages of Horses. 
HORSE TEETH-Irregular. 
Fig. 9. Two and One-Half Years. 
The lower jaw at two and a half years old. The horse nip- 
pers are just pushing through the gums, while the middle and 
corner teeth not yet shed (foal teeth) present a smooth, worn 
surface. 
Fig. 33. Twenty-Two Years. 
The middle teeth of the upper jaw become triangular at 
twenty-two years old. 
Fig. 41. Twenty Years. 
Here we have a tooth of the lower jaw that is twelve lines too 
long, as shown by the diagram. It has grown up a line each 
year, but, owing to its position too far forward in the mouth, 
it has not worn down proportionally. The mark indicates eight 
years, but we must add twelve for the extra lines—which gives 
twenty years as the true age of the horse. 
FIG. 1. 
The milk incisors of the lower jaw as seen from the right 
side, when fully developed, are here represented in their natural 
size. The exterior surface of the teeth is arched as above 
represented. The explanation of the figure is: a, the nippers ; 
6, the middle tooth; c, the corner tooth; h, the contracted body 
of teeth; i, the narrow arched neck of teeth; m, the root of 
teeth; A, B, (7, the concave side of teeth towards hollow of 
the mouth; d A/, dB /, d C/, the outer edges of teeth; 
d e /, the inner edge of teeth, somewhat lower than the outer 
e(jge—the mark is enclosed within these inner and outer 
edges; g, the hollow inside surface of body of teeth. 
Fig. 20. Ten Years. 
In the upper jaw at ten years the mark in middle teeth is worn 
down. The mark in the corner teeth is still visible. 
Fig. 26. Fifteen Years. 
The nippers of the upper jaw become round at fifteen } ears 
old. 
Fig. 15. Six Years. 
In the lower jaw at six years old the nippers are worn down even 
with the middle teeth, which latter still have a cavity. The inner 
edge of the corner teeth is also even with the outer one. 
FIG. 7. A. * 
The horse incisors of the lower jaw as seen from the outside, 
with the outer surface arched towards the bony blade of the 
socket. The hook teeth are now seen for the first time. 
Explanation;—a, a, the nippers; b, b, the middle teeth; 
c, c, the corner teeth; K, K, the hook teeth; e, d, the line from 
d to e shows the position of the cavity in the outer partition of 
the mark; o, o, o, o, the furrows which distinguish the horse’s 
teeth from the colt’s teeth; m, m, the roots of the hooks. 
Fig. 34. Twenty-Three Years. 
The corner teeth of the upper jaw assume the triangular 
form at twenty-three years. 
Fig. 10. Three and One-Half Years. 
At three and a half years the lower jaw presents the appear- 
ance shown in this figure. The middle teeth (horse teeth) are 
just pushing through, and the nippers show wear on the outer 
edge. The corner teeth (foal teeth) are worn down blunt. 
Fig. 27. Sixteen Years. 
The middle teeth of the upper jaw become round at sixteen 
years old. 
Fig. 21. Eleven Years. 
In the upper jaw at eleven years old the mark of the corner teeth 
is worn down even with the edges. 
Fig. 42. Twenty Years. 
Showing an inside view of the lower jaw at twenty years 
when the teeth are twelve lines too long. The mark and the 
friction surface only show eight years’ wear. 
Fig. 2. Half Year. 
An inside view of the lower jaw of a half-year-old foal. 
The outer and inner edges of nippers are worn, while only the 
outer edge of the middle teeth is worn, and the corner teeth 
have not yet come int^aontact. 
Fig. 16. Seven Years. 
The lower jaw at seven years is here represented. The pointed 
ends of the hook teeth have become more rounded, are worn awajr 
somewhat. Both edges of the corner teeth are worn to a 
smooth surface, with a small cavity between them. The middle teeth 
have lost their cavity and show an even surface all the way across. 
Fig. 35. Twenty-Four Years. 
The nippers of the lower jaw are now twii e as thick as they 
are broad. 
Fig. 28. Seventeen Years. 
- The corner teeth of the upper jaw become round at seven- 
teen years old. 
1 Fig. 11. Four and One-Half Years. 
At four and a half years the foal teeth are all gone from the 
lower jaw. The nippers show wear on both edges, and the 
outer edge of middle teeth is worn. The hook teeth and 
corner teeth of the horse are just appearing. 
Fig. 7. B. 
The incisor teeth of the lower jaw, from the inside of the 
mouth. a, a, the nippers, showing wear of the upper and 
outer edge; 6, b, the middle teeth, showing wear on the 
outer edge while the inner edge remains uninjured; c, c, 
the corner teeth; d, e, e, e, the dotted lines, mark the divisions 
between the crown of the teeth and the gums ; K, K, the hook 
teeth about to push through the gums ; m, m, m, m, the roots 
of teeth not filled out with bony substance. 
Fig. 22. Twelve Years. 
Showing the lower jaw at twelve years old. The nippers are round 
or nearly so—as thick as they are broad. The middle teeth are get- 
ting round, and the corner teeth are gaining in thickness by com- 
parison with their breadth. 
Fig. 36. Twenty-Five Years. 
The middle teeth of the lower jaw are now twice as thick as 
broad. 
Fig. 43. Twenty Years. 
Here the superfluous length of the same teeth is removed, 
and we have an inside view of the lower jaw, showing the 
natural wear of a twenty-year-old mouth. 
Fig. 3. Half Year. 
Outer side of the jaw of a foal at six months old. a, a, the 
nippers ; 6, 6, the middle teeth ; c, c, the corner teeth. 
A nipper in the various stages 
of development and wear from 
three years to twenty-four years. 
1 is the nipper just pushing thro’ 
at three years old ; from 1 to 2 
is its breadth, from 3 to 4 its 
thickness. II is the same tooth 
at six years, the crown worn off 
i inch, the breadth decreasing 
and the thickness increasing, so 
(7that the surface takes more of 
an oval form. 11l is the tooth 
at twelve years old, the surface 
nearly round, and the breadth 
and thickness nearly the same. 
At eighteen years old the sur- 
face becomes triangular, as 
shown at IV. At twenty-four 
years the tooth is just the re- 
verse of what it was at three 
years, and the breadth is only 
half the thickness.—See V. 
The larger figure D shows an 
incisor of a full-grown horse, 
split lengthwise. d, a,/, the 
outer raised edge ; a, o, the fun- 
nel-shaped cavity of the tooth; 
&, the hollow body of the tooth ; 
m, the root not yet filled. 
Fig. 17. Eight Years. 
At eight years old the teeth of the lower jaw, forward of the hooks, 
are all equally worn, and only a trace of the mark is seen in the 
corner teeth. The edges of the hook teeth are worn down almost 
half. 
Fig. 29. Eighteen Years. 
The nippers in the lower jaw are triangular at eighteen 
years old. 
Fig. 37. Twenty-Six Years. 
The corner teeth of the lower jaw at twenty-six years are 
twice as thick as they are broad. 
Fig. 44. Twenty Years. 
This gives an outside view of the lower jaw, showing the 
teeth in their proper length at twenty years. 
Fig. 12. Five Years. 
A side view of the lower jaw at five years old. 
Fig. 4. Half Year. 
A side view of the jaw of a foal at six months. a, a, the 
nippers ; 6, middle tooth; c, corner tooth. 
Fig. 23. Twelve Years. 
In the upper jaw at twelve years the indentation in corner tooth 
has become larger and more plainly visible, d, the indentation 
increased in size. 
Fig. 30. Nineteen Years. 
The middle teeth of the lower jaw are also triangular at 
nineteen years old. 
Fig. 38. Twenty-Seven Years. 
The nippers of the upper jaw have now become twice as 
thick as they are broad. 
Fig. 13. Five Years. 
A front view of the lower jaw at five years old is here given. 
Fig. 18. Nine Years. 
The upper jaw at nine years old is shown in the above figure. The 
mark in the corner teeth is comparatively deep and clearly defined; 
the mark is still visible in the middle teeth; but it has almost entirely 
disappeared from the nippers, and the inner edge is worn down. 
Fig. 5. One Year. 
At one year old the lower jaw presents the appearance 
represented in this figure. The outer and inner edges of all 
the incisors are partly worn by grinding, while the inner edges 
of the corner teeth alone are uninjured. 
Fig. 8. A. D. 
Fig. 45. Sixteen Years. 
Here we have an outside view of a lower jaw at sixteen years, 
showing teeth ten lines too long. 
Fig. 24. Thirteen Years. 
The nippers and middle teeth of the lower jaw at thirteen years 
old are almost perfectly round. Their breadth and thickness are the 
same. The corner teeth are not yet round, but are fast becoming so. 
The hook teeth are now blunt. 
Fig. 31. Twenty Years. 
In the lower jaw at twenty years old the corner teeth have 
become triangular. 
Fig. 39. Twenty-Eight Years. 
The middle teeth of the upper jaw are twice as thick as they 
are broad. 
Fig. 6. Two Years. 
Here we have the lower jaw as it appears at two years old. 
The mark of the nippers and middle teeth is now worn down, 
as well as their edges. The inner edge of the corner teeth also 
begins to show wear. 
The Colt’s teeth begin to shed at two and a half years old, 
and the permanent or Horse’s teeth then appear to take their 
places. 
Fig. 14. Five Years. 
The lower jaw at five years—an inside view. The nippers are 
Worn down on both edges until the mark is nearly gone. The 
outer edge only of the middle teeth shows wear, while the outer 
edge of the corner teeth is just beginning to be worn a little. 
The full-grown hook teeth do not show any wear whatever. 
Fig. 8. B. C. 
The large figures B and C represent side views of a horse 
incisor, in which the root c, c, is twice as thick as the upper 
end. The two small figures on the right and left at b and c 
show side views of a foal’s tooth. 
Fig. 19. Nine Years. 
The upper jaw at nine years old—a side view, d, the indentation 
usually seen in the corner tooth. 
Fig. 40. Twenty-Nine Years. 
The corner teeth of the upper jaw at twenty-nine years old 
are twice as thick as they are broad. 
Fig. 46. Sixteen Years. 
This is an inside view of the same jaw in which the mark 
indicates six years, but, as the teeth are ten lines too long, the 
true age is sixteen years. 
Fig. 25. Fourteen Years. 
The corner teeth of lower jaw have now become round. 
Fig. 32. Twenty-One Years. 
The nippers of the upper jaw are now triangular.