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DEVELOPMENT OF A HORSES TEETH A horse has two sets of teeth The milk teeth are temporary and are the ones which the colt sheds while those that come in or remain without being shed are called the permanent teeth The cutting of the teeth in the foal varies some but at or within nine days after birth the foal has four front teeth two in the center above the two below and in the back part of the mouth lie is found to have twelve molars three on each side of the jaw at from seven to nine weeks he gets four incisors in eacli jaw at nine months old he gets the last if his milk or temporary teeth these being the four corner teeth two in the upper and two in the lower jaw jawNow Now li has his full set of milk or temporary teeth consisting of twelve molars or grinders and twelve incisors or front teeth six above and six below making twentyfour teeth in all As the colt advances in age he must shed all these After this age the colt commences getting his pennanent teeth At one year old he gets four permanent mo ¬ lars two in each jaw one on each side behind the throe temporary ones At two years old he gets four more permanent molars one on each side of each jaw When the age of two years and nine months has been reached he sheds the four front nippers or center teeth two above and two below which are replaced by two permanent incisors in each jaw and at the age of three years these four permanent incisors are up in wear At this age the first eight temporary molars are shed two on each side of the jaw and are replaced by eight per ¬ manent molars which are also up and at three years and nine months he ho sheds four more front teeth next to the ones shed at three years old two below and two above These are replaced by four more permanent incisors or front teeth which are known as the lateral incisors wliich are up in wear at four years old Also at this age he sheds the four remaining temporary molars which are replaced by four more permanent molars at the back of the mouth Thus at an age of four years the colt has a full set of permanent molars consisting of six on each side of each jaw making twentyfour in all This is the hardest year on the colt coltAt At four years an1 nine months old he sheds the four remaining temporary incisors or front teeth which are replaced by four permanent incisors These are known as corner teeth and should be up and in wear at five years old It is well to become familiar with the time the colt sheds his different teeth for sometimes the caps or shells of the teeth do not fall off when they should These should be watched for if they do not fall off when they should they greatly interfere with the animals feeding and should have the attention of some good veterinary dentist At five years of age the canine or bridle teeth four in number make their ap ¬ pearance so at the age of five the colt has all his teeth or what is known as a full mouth of teeth numbering forty in all
