The Age of a Horse
anonymous verse

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 years “corners,” too, are bare.

At two the middle “nippers” drop.
At three the second pair can't stop.
When four years 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 years;
At eight the spot each corner clears.

From middle “nippers” upper jaw
At nine the black spots will withdraw.
The second pair at ten are bright;
Eleven finds the corners light.

As time goes on, the horsemen know,
The oval teeth three-sided grow.
The old horse has more “whoa” than “get”
We keep him only for a pet.

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