Page 1064 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

Central incisor years 3 years

Lateral incisor years 4 years
VetBooks.ir Corner incisor years 5 years

Table to show the eruption times of the temporary and permanent incisors

Baby teeth Eruption age

1st, 2nd and 3rd premolars Birth to first 2 weeks
Adult teeth Eruption age

Canine teeth or tushes 4–5 years

1st premolar or wolf tooth 5–9 months

2nd premolar or 1st cheek tooth years

3rd premolar or 2nd cheek tooth 3 years

4th premolar or 3rd cheek tooth –4 years

1st molar or 4th cheek tooth 9–12 months

2nd molar or 5th cheek tooth 2–3 years

3rd molar or 6th cheek tooth –4 years

Table to show the eruption times of the other teeth

The difference in appearance between temporary and permanent incisors is usually quite
obvious but on occasions it can be difficult to decide from the appearance whether the horse

is a 2-year-old with 6 temporary teeth or a 5-year-old with all its adult incisors. The general
appearance and maturity of the horse can help make this decision as can the presence of
canine teeth (tushes) in male animals which usually do not erupt until between the ages of 4

and 5 years. (See Figures 24.2 and 24.5.)

The angle of the incisors

When viewed from the side, the permanent incisor teeth in a young animal are relatively
short and meet together in an upright, nearly vertical fashion. As the horse ages, the teeth
become longer and more horizontal in appearance.

All of the features discussed below are extremely variable and cannot reliably be used to tell
the age of a horse.