THE AGE OF A HORSE

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 horseman knows

The oval teeth three-sided grows;

The longer get - project - before

Till twenty, when they know no more.

Anon.