A gift horse does not look in the mouth is a famous saying that comes from the practice of checking the age of a horse by looking at its teeth. This type of practice is based on several factors to guess the age of the animal, including for example the angle at which the teeth meet, the shape of the section of the teeth, the cups, the marks and the stars in the incisors, the color of the enamel and other characteristics such as the Galvayne line and the 7-year-old groove.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Know What to Look for
Step 1. Observe the color of the horse's teeth
The color of the horse's teeth offers a clue as to its age. The milk teeth are white, while the permanent teeth (which appear around the age of 2 and a half and up to 5) that replace them are creamy white. Growing up, however, they become brownish (over 20 years old).
Step 2. Examine the shape of the chewing surface
Looking at the shape of the chewing surface of a horse's front teeth, you may find clues as to its age. The dairy incisors are oval, the adult incisors are circular, and those of the elderly are triangular.
- The chewing surface of the tooth is the portion perpendicular to the long axis of the tooth itself. It is also sometimes called the "table" of the tooth.
- The incisors are the teeth located on the front of the mouth, and the horse uses them to cut grass. When you lift the horse's lips, these are the teeth you see. The teeth on the back of the mouth, impossible to see without specific equipment, are the molars.
Step 3. Look for traces of cups, signs and stars
They are the names given to the various ridges that form the surface of the horses' incisors. They are composed of deep lines in the enamel that wear out over the life of the animal, taking on a characteristic shape.
- To check an infundibulum or cup, open the horse's mouth to observe the chewing surface of the incisors. The cup is the linear dark brown mark on the back of the surface of the incisors. It forms when adult teeth emerge, becoming thinner over time. The cup first disappears from the central incisors around 9 years of age, then from the middle incisors around 10 years of age, and finally from the external incisors around 12 years of age.
- At this point all the cups will have disappeared.
- The "stars" are a circular brown mark located in front of the cup. They appear around 8-10 years of age and become more distinct as the horse ages.
Step 4. Take note of the angle of the teeth
Young teeth meet in a vertical line, while after 5 years the teeth begin to skew and meet at an angle. In an older horse (over 20 years old) the angle can be very acute.
Step 5. Identify the Galvayne line
It forms as a result of a slight fold or indentation in the tooth enamel. It develops at a fairly predictable age and is useful for calculating the age of horses between the ages of 10 and 25-30. Galvayne's line is a brown mark that appears at the gum line of the incisor in the upper corner at the age of about 10, reaches the middle of the tooth at 15, and leaves the gum at 20. The line then stops growing over the next 5-10 years.
- For example, a horse whose line is present only in the lower half of the external incisor will be 23-25 years of age.
- Horses that are under 10 and over 30 do not have Galvayne's line, so to avoid jumping to erroneous conclusions, take other factors into account when calculating age.
Part 2 of 3: Examining a Horse's Teeth
Step 1. Familiarize yourself with equine dentition
The most visible and most commonly used teeth in a horse are the incisors. They are located on the front of the mouth and can be seen by pushing the upper lip up and the lower lip down.
The incisors are used to cut grass, which is then pushed by the tongue to the bottom of the mouth and chewed by the molars. Between the incisors and the molar there is a space called the diastema. In this space some horses grow extra teeth, called "wolf teeth" (actually they are the first premolars), but which are usually removed at the age of 2-5 years because they interfere with the closure of the mouth and are therefore not relevant. to determine age
Step 2. Know how many teeth the horse should have
The horse has 6 incisors in the lower jaw and 6 in the upper one. The two incisors in the middle are called central incisors, while moving outwards are the intermediate and angular incisors (the incisors close to the diastema).
The horse also has 6 upper and lower side teeth. They are teeth that are used for chewing. They are difficult to see, as they are positioned at the bottom of the mouth, and do not play an important role in determining a horse's age
Step 3. Look at the horse's general appearance to determine its age
Determining the age of a horse is not an easy process - all the indications can help. In addition to looking at the teeth, look at the horse as a whole to try to understand if it is a young man who has yet to grow up, an adult in his prime or an old man in his golden years.
Watch the horse as you approach, stop at some distance and try to observe it. Does it look lively and young or old and wobbly, or is it a foal that has yet to grow up?
Step 4. Use a notepad to record your findings
Take your time and don't rush. Having a notepad with you to record what you see might help. There are many factors to consider and it is easy to forget some of them.
- To avoid forgetting something important, make a list of what you need to check and then write your findings next to each point.
- Taking detailed notes will allow you to think calmly later and come to a conclusion.
Step 5. Perform a dental exam under the appropriate conditions
When you are preparing to examine a horse's teeth, have the animal locked in a halter for more convenient access to the mouth.
- Make sure your horse is well lit, and if it rains, take the exam indoors so you can concentrate without worrying about getting wet.
- An assistant who holds the horse still, or takes notes, can help you so you can focus only on the teeth.
Step 6. Open the horse's mouth
When performing the exam you will need to start by examining the incisors that are located on the front side of the mouth. To see better, lift your upper lip and hold it up for as long as necessary. Do the opposite with your lower lip, pushing it down so you can see your lower incisors better.
Step 7. Know what features to look for
Be meticulous in taking the exam and make sure you don't miss a thing. Below you will find some tips for taking the exam. Remember to ask yourself:
- At what angle do the lower and upper incisors meet? Stand to the side of your head and determine at what angle your lower and upper incisors meet.
- Do they meet in a straight line or at an angle? In the second case try to evaluate the width of the angle and take note.
- What color are the incisors? Are they white and milky (deciduous teeth) or yellowish and brown (adults)?
- What shape do the incisors have? Do they have a pointed shape with a narrow neck and wide crown (milk teeth) or are they tombstone-shaped (adult teeth)?
- What shape do the tips of the incisors have? Are they long and narrow (young teeth), oval (adults) or triangular (older)?
- Are all teeth present or have some fallen out?
Step 8. Check for specific marks and lines
After completing the general observation described above, you should start looking for the presence of specific marks and lines.
- Is there a notch on the upper corner incisor? The so-called "7-year groove" is a very useful trace in determining the age of a horse.
- Is there a vertical brown mark on the upper corner incisor? If so, touch the gum and check how far it extends downwards. The Galvayne line is very useful in determining the age of a horse.
- Examine the ends of the incisors. Is there a distinct brown line (cup), a thin brown line (mark), or a brown spot (star)?
Step 9. Remember that determining a horse's age based on its teeth becomes more difficult as the animal ages
It is very important to remember that determining a horse's age by looking at its teeth becomes a less accurate process the older the horse, especially when it is past 10-14 years of age.
- Certain factors, such as nutrition, can age your teeth. Certain vices (such as biting wood), general dental hygiene and genetics can also affect your teeth.
- For example, a stable horse that eats soft hay will have less wear on its teeth than a pasture horse; the latter's teeth will, in proportion, appear older than its true age.
Part 3 of 3: Linking Dental Characteristics to Age
Step 1. Identify a foal's dental markings
A few days after birth, the foal's first milk teeth begin to erupt through the gums. The central incisors are usually the first to appear.
- Milk teeth are smaller and whiter than permanent incisors and have a distinctive spade shape, while adult teeth have a more gravestone shape.
- 9 months: By 9 months of age the foal will have completed its milk teeth, but not all of them will have grown enough to be usable.
Step 2. Recognize the dental signs of an older foal and a young horse
Determining the age of a horse up to 5 years old is a fairly easy process. The hallmarks of this period include the presence of all milk (deciduous) teeth and their replacement by permanent teeth, which is completed by age 5.
- 12 months: All milk teeth present except the angular incisors are not long enough to be used (do not touch the corresponding tooth of the opposite arch). Milk teeth are white, spade-shaped and have a recognizable neck.
- 2 years: the angular incisors are able to touch the opposite arch and can be used (i.e. used for mowing and chewing).
- 3 years: the central milk incisors are replaced by the adult ones. Adult teeth are larger, squarer, and don't have a distinct neck. They have a more yellowish / creamy white color than milk teeth.
- 4 years: the central and intermediate incisors are permanent, but the angular ones are still dairy.
- 5 years: all incisors have become permanent teeth.
Step 3. Recognize the characteristic dental signs of horses between 5 and 20 years of age
Recognizing the age of an adult horse is a process based on several factors, such as the marks on the chewing surface of the incisors, the angle of the teeth, the lines of the enamel and the presence of spikes.
- 5 years: adult teeth barely in use. The incisors meet at an almost vertical angle. The teeth are straight, block-shaped. The chewing surface of the incisors is concave. The shape of the crossing section of the teeth is oval.
- 5-9 years: on the chewing surface of the incisors there are cups, which will extend towards 9-10 years of age, leaving clearer marks that will disappear within 12 years.
- 7 years: the upper angular incisor has a point or recess where it overhangs the lower incisor. It is called the 7 year old hollow, as it disappears by the age of 8. This is an inconsistent sign and may only be present on one side of the mouth.
- 10 years: Galvayne's line appears in the form of a brown mark on the gum line of the upper angular incisor. By 11 years of age, the chewing surface of the incisors will be flat. The shape of the cross section of the teeth will be round. The so-called stars (around 8-10 years) will appear on the chewing surface of the incisors, which will become lighter with age.
- 15 years: the incisors meet at an angle of nearly 90 degrees. The teeth become more elongated, with a chisel-shaped edge. Galvayne's line reaches the middle of the upper angular incisor.
- 20 years: Galvayne's line has disappeared from the gum line of the upper angular incisor.
Step 4. Identify the hallmarks of an older horse's teeth (over 20 years old)
An older horse will tend to have long front teeth, which will meet at an acute angle.
- The teeth will have assumed a yellowish or brownish color. The incisors will be very long and sloping. The arches of the lower and upper incisors will meet at an acute angle. The chewing surface of the incisors will be triangular.
- Galvayne's line will be absent on the gum line and will have fully grown by the age of 25-30.
- Over the age of 25, some teeth may loosen and fall out.
