Aging Horses By Their Teeth

Introduction: When determining the age of a horse, the lower set of incisors
are used. The first step is to determine if the horse has any permanent teeth.
Horses, like humans, have deciduous (baby) teeth that fall out and are replaced
by permanent (adult) teeth. Realize that as a horse ages, the accuracy of
determining its age by using the teeth, declines. The following information and
pictures will help a horse owner identify the approximate age of a horse.
Pictures and text are adapted from the Official Guide For Determining the Age
of the Horse, published by the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

Central Lower Incisor

Deciduous Incisors

Permanent Incisors

2 Years

2 Years

3 Years

3 Years

4 Years

4 years

5 Years

7 Years

10 Years

15 Years

20 Years

Aging Horse Lower Incisors (In Years)

Permanent (Adult) Teeth

Central
Incisor

Intermediate
Incisor

Corner
Incisor

Erupts

2.5

3.5

4.5

In wear

3.0

4.0

5.0

Level

5.0

6.0

7.0

Cup gone

6.0

7.0

8.0

Dental star

8.0

9.0

10-11

Round in shape

9.0

10.0

11-12

Disappearance of enamel
spot

13-16

Variable

Variable

Triangular in shape

16.0

17.0

16-17

Bold identifies the more accurate characteristics