The perfect horseman, or, The experienced secrets of Mr. Markham's fifty years practice shewing how a man may come to be a general horseman, by the knowledge of these seven offices, viz. the breeder, feeder, ambler, rider, keeper, buyer, farrier / and now published by Lancelot Thetford, practitioner in the same art for the space of forty years.

An uncontrollable way to know the age of an Horse.

There are seven outward Characters by which to know the age of every Horse, a namely, his Teeth, his Hooves his Tail

his Eyes, his Skin, his Hair, and the Bars in his mouth.

His Teeth.

If you will know his Age by his Teeth, you must understand, that an Horse hath in his head just forty teeth, that is to say, six great Wong teeth above, and six below on one side, and as many on the other, which maketh twenty four, and are called his Grinders: Then six above and six below in the fore-part of his mouth, which are cal∣led Gatherers, and make 36. Then four Tushes, one above, and one below on one side, and are called the Bit Teeth, which maketh just fourty.

Now the first year he hath his Foals teeth, which are onely Grinders and Gathe∣rers, but no Tushes, and they be small, white and bright to look on.

The secound year he changeth the four formost teeth in his head, that is, two above and two below in the midst of the rows of the Gatherers, and they are browner and bigger then the other.

The third year he changeth his teeth next unto them, and leaveth no apparent Foals teeth before, but two above, and two below of each side, which are also bright and small.

The fourth year he changeth the teeth next unto them, and leaveth no more Foale•• teeth but one of each side, both above and below.

The fifth year his formost teeth will be all changed; but then he hath his tushes on each side compleat, and the last Foals teeth which he cast, those which come up in their place, will be hollow, and have a little black speck in the midst, which is called the mark in the horses mouth, and continueth till he be past eight years old

The sixth year he putteth up his new tushes, near about which you shall see grow∣ing a little of new and young flesh, at the bottome of the tush: besides, the tush will be white, small, short and sharp.

The seventh year all his teeth will have their perfect growth; and the mark in the horses mouth (before spoken of) will be plainly seen.

The eighth year all his teeth will be full, smooth and plain, the black speck or mark being no more but discerned, and his tushes will be more yellow then ordinary.

The ninth year his formost teeth will be longer, broader, yellower and fouler then at younger years, the mark gone, and his tushes will be bluntish.

The tenth year in the inside of his upper

••ushes will be no holes at all to be felt with ••our finger•• end, which tel that age you shall ••••••r feel: besides the temples of his head will begin to be crooked and hollow.

The eleventh year his teeth will be excee∣ding long, very yellow, black and foul, one∣ly he may then cut even, and his teeth will stand directaly opposite one to another.

The twelfth year his teeth will be long, yellow, black and foul; but then his upper teeth will hang over his nether.

The thirteenth year his tushes will be worn somwhat close to his chaps (if he be a much ridden horse) otherwise they will be black, foul and long, like the tushes of a Boar.

His Hooves.

If a horses hooves be rugged, and as it were seamed one seam over another, and ma∣ny seames; if they be dry, full and crusty, o•• crumbling, it is a sign of very old age: and on the contrary part, a smouth, moist, hollow, and wel sounding hoof is a signe of young years.

His Tail.

If you take an horse with your finger and your thumb by the stern of the tail, close at the setting on by the buttock, feeling there

hard, if you feel of each side the tail a joyn stick out more then any other by the big▪nesse of an hazell nut, then you may pr∣sume the horse is under ten years old: but i•• his joynts be all plain, and no such thing t•• be felt, then he ••s above ten, and may b•• thirteen.

His Eyes.

If an horses eyes be round, full, staring, o•• starting from his head, if the pits over them be filled, smooth & even with his temples, & no wrinckles either about his brow, or under his eyes, then he is young; if otherwise yo•• see the contrary characters, it is a sign o•• old age,

His Skin.

If you take an horses skin in any part o•• his body, betwixt your finger and you•• thumb, and pull it from his flesh, then letting it go again, if it suddenly returne to the plac•• from whence it came, and be smooth and plain without wrinkle, then he is young, and full of strength: but if it stand and not re∣turn instantly to its former place, then he i•• very old and wasted.

His Hayr▪

If an Horse that is of any dark colour, shall grow grissell onely about his Eyebrows, or underneath his Mane; or any horse of a whitish colour shall grow meannelled with either black or red meannels universally over his body, then both are signes of old age.

His Barrs.

Lastly, if the Barrs in his mouth be great, deep, and handle rough and hard, then is the horse old: but if they be soft, shallow, and handle gently and tenderly, then is the horse young, and in good ability of body.