AGE OF EQUINE DETERMINING AGE Age affects usefulness

AGE OF EQUINE

DETERMINING AGE • Age affects usefulness and value • Type, number and appearance of incisor teeth help determine correct age • 5 years or less – some combination range from all milk teeth (temporary teeth) to all permanent incisors • 6 to 12 years – number of cups (indentations) in permanent incisor teeth • 12 years & over – examine cross section and slant of incisor teeth

DENTAL FORMULA Male 3 1 3 or 4 Female 3 2(I ---- C ---- P ------ M ----- )= 40 -42 -40 3 1 3 3 3 0 3 or 4 3 2(I----- C ----- P ------- M ------ )= 36 3 0 3 3 I =Incisors , C = Canines , P = Premolars , M = Molars

TYPES OF TEETH • Adult horses typically have 36 -44 teeth • 12 Incisors (6 upper and 6 lower) • 12 Pre-molars • 12 Molars • May have • Canines (4) • Wolf teeth (2)

THE MOUTH INCISORS Center Lateral Corner WOLF TOOTH (premolar 1) MOLARS (3) PREMOLARS (3) CANINES (premolars and molars are virtually the same size and shape)

Tooth Deciduous Permanent 1 st Incisor Birth-1 st Wk. 2. 5 Yrs. 2 nd 6 -4 3. 5 3 rd 6 -9 MOs 4. 5 Canine 4 -5 1 st Premolar 4 -5 MOs 2 nd Birth-2 nd Wk. 2. 5 Yrs. 3 rd Birth-2 nd 3 4 th Birth-2 nd 3. 5 1 st Molar 9 -12 MOs 2 nd 2 Yrs. 3 rd 3. 5 -4

THE NUMBERS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE • Immature horses – Total 24 temporary teeth • Stallions & Geldings – 40 -44 permanents • Most have 4 canines • Mares – Total 36 -38 permanent teeth • Mares are less likely to have canines

TYPES OF TEETH: Temporary Teeth – small, white, oval shaped; wider side to side than front to rear Permanent Teeth – yellow, larger than temporaries with a general round surface Molars – used for grinding on each side Incisors – used for cutting

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE • 3 sets of incisors – Centrals, Middle, Corner Incisors • 12 Incisors: • 6 upper & 6 lower • Incisors have a cup or indentation in center of tooth that wears down with age and ultimately disappears

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE • Pre-molars and Molars • 12 pre-molars • 12 molars • Often called cheek or jaw teeth • Used for grinding food

WOLF TEETH • Wolf teeth are similar to our wisdom teeth • Some horses have them, others don’t • Some have to be removed, others don’t • No functional purpose today • Residual “appendage” from past • “Wolf” used to mean “bad” • appears in front of upper molars

• As the horse ages: . Teeth are worn down (height). Change shape (oval triangle). Cup is worn away

THE BREAKDOWN 1 year – All temporary incisors present / Cups gone from centrals 2 year - All temporary incisors present / cups gone 3 year - Temporary central incisors replaced with permanent central incisors

The Breakdown • 4 years - Temporary intermediate incisors replaced with permanent intermediate incisors • 5 years – All temporary incisors replaced with permanent incisors. Horse is full mouthed 6 years – Cups gone from lower central incisors 7 years –Cups gone from lower intermediate incisors

The Breakdown • 8 years - Cups gone from lower corner incisors • 9 years - Cups gone from upper central incisors • 10 years - Cups gone from upper intermediate incisors • 11 years - Cups gone from all incisors. • Horse is smooth mouthed.