Importance of Age

Introduction Young horses are referred to by age Foal – Until weaned Female – Filly until 3 yrs Then referred to as a mare Male – Colt until 3 yrs Then referred to as a stallion/gelding Yearlings – 1-2 yrs Prime age is 7 – 9 yrs Can be active into the 20s

Competitions Foal’s birthday is January 1st Regardless of actual month Ex: Foal born April 1, 1996 will be 10 yrs on January 1, 2006 People who race or show horses try to have foals born as close to January 1st as possible This gives the horse the advantage of more growth than those born later

Number and Type of Teeth Tooth Age at Eruption Temporary (Baby, Milk, or Deciduous) 1st Incisor (Centrals) Birth/1st Week 2nd Incisor (Intermediates) 4 – 6 Weeks 3rd Incisor (Corners) 6 – 9 Months Canine (Bridle) Birth to 1st 2 weeks for all premolars 1st Premolar 2nd Premolar 3rd Premolar

Number and Type of Teeth Tooth Age at Eruption Permanent 1st Incisor (Centrals) 2.5 yrs 2nd Incisor (Intermediates) 3.5 yrs 3rd Incisor (Corners) 4.5 yrs Canine (Bridle) 4 – 5 yrs 1st Premolar (Wolf Tooth) 5 – 6 yrs 2nd Premolar 3rd Premolar 3 yrs 4th Premolar 4 yrs 1st Molar 9 – 12 mo 2nd Molar 2 yrs 3rd Molar 3.5 – 4 yrs

Occurrence of Permanent Teeth Two sets of teeth Temporary Deciduous, Baby, Milk Teeth Permanent Well grown 2 yr old may be mistaken for an older horse unless permanent teeth can be accurately identified 4 center permanent teeth appear (2 above and 2 below) as they reach 3, the intermediates at 4, and corners at 5 Full mouth

Using Changes in Teeth to Determine Age Young horses is easy to be accurate Become harder after 10 to 14 yrs Management can affect changes in teeth Stabled animals tent to appear young Grazing in sandy areas appear older because of the wear of teeth Age estimation is made by inspection of the 12 front teeth, called incisors The 2 central pairs (above and below) called centrals, pincers, or nippers 4 adjacent are called intermediates Outer 4 teeth are corners Canine or “tusks” appear ~4 – 5 yrs Common in geldings and stallions, seldom appear in mares Adults have 24 molar teeth Key changes Disappearance of cups Angle of incidence Shape of the surface of the teeth

Disappearance of Cups Young permanent teeth have deep indentures in the center Called cups Cups are commonly used as reference points Upper teeth are deeper than below Do not wear evenly at equal periods of time Cups become smooth in this order Lower centers Intermediates Corners Upper centers At the following ages 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 yrs A smooth mouth appears at 11 yrs

Angle of Incidence Angle formed by the meeting of the upper and lower incisor teeth Changes approx 160 – 180 degrees in young horses, to < a right angle with aging As the slant increases, the surfaces of the lower teeth do not wear clear to the back margin of the uppers Dovetail, notch or hook is formed on the upper corners at 7 yrs Condition varies between horses

Shape of the Surface of the Teeth Appear broad and flat in young horses Reverses when they reach or pass 20 years 8 – 12 yrs the back surfaces become oval, then triangular at ~ 15 yrs 21 yr old change to rectangular and be twice as deep from front to rear as they are wide

Changes with Age

Five Years Permanent dentition is complete Incisors are in wear Canines have erupted completely Dental surfaces of centrals and intermediates are wide and show wear Cups are readily visible and completely encircled by the central enamel Corners are starting to wear on the border to the tooth closest to the gums

Changes with Age Due to Wear Type of Wear Year 1st Incisor 2nd Incisor 3rd Incisor Smooth (Cups gone) 6 7 8 Stars 9 10 Round 11 Triangular 16 17 17-18 Rectangular 18-20+ -

6 to 7 Years Dental surface of lower corner incisor is narrower in profile than that of the upper Leads to 7 yr notch Dental surface of lower central and intermediate incisors are smooth Cups no longer present Lower corners retain their cups

8 Years Lower dental surfaces are smooth and all cups are gone Dental star appears in the lower central incisors First appears as a dark yellow or yellow brown line

10 Years Angle becomes more oblique Dental star is more distinct and near center of tooth “Smooth Mouth”

15 Years Galvayne’s groove extends ½ way down the outer surface of the upper incisors Dental surfaces appear triangular Intermediates are round to triangular and all lower incisors show a dark, distinct star

20 Years Galvayne’s groove extends the entire length of incisor Dental table of the lower incisors may be worn almost to gum

Floating Teeth To care for horse’s teeth Vet will mildly sedate and insert a speculum into the horse’s mouth to keep it open Tools called floats are used to file down the sharp areas and any other abnormalities If a tooth abscesses it may have to be pulled Molars should be checked regularly by vets

Floating Teeth (cont.) As horses age, the quality and quantity of teeth diminish to the point where floating cannot help Finding wads of feed around feeding areas may indicate a horse cannot break down food enough to swallow Causing a horse to drop weight Hay pellets or cubes soaked in water can help

Abnormal Conditions of Teeth Parrot Mouth Upper and lower incisors do not meet b/c the lower jaw is too short Interfere with grazing Monkey Mouth Opposite of parrot mouth Seldom seen in horses Cribbing Habit common in stabled horses Damages incisors by chipping or breaking them Bishoping Tampering with cups to make a horse appear younger than it is

Other Age Indicators Sides of face become depressed with age Poll is more prominent Hollows above eyes are deeper Backbone more prominent and starts to sag Joints appear more angular White hairs will appear around temples, eyes, nostrils