The Age of Horses

The Age of Horses

To tell the age of any horse,
Inspect the lower jaw, of course.
The six front teeth the tale will tell
And every doubt and fear dispel.


Two middle “nippers” you behold,
Before the colt is two weeks old.
Before eight weeks two more will come;
Eight months the “corners” cut the gum.

The outside grooves will disappear
From middle two in just one year
In two years from the second pair
In three the corners too, are bare.

At two the middles nippers drop,
At three the second pair can’t stop.
When four year old the third pair goes,
At five a full new set he shows.

The deep black spots will pass from view,
At six years from the middle two.
The second pair at seven year:
At eight the spot each corner clears.

From middle nippers upper jaw
A nine the black spots will withdraw.
The second pair at ten are white;
Eleven finds the corners light.

As time goes on the horsemen know.
The oval teeth three sides grow;
The longer get, project before
Till twenty, when we know no more.

(I don't know who wrote this but I liked it a lot)