Guess on age based on teeth ?

[FarmersWife]

I wasn't exactly sure where to post this, so here it is!

My husband and I just went to look at a Walker mare this evening. The man knows she's older, around 15 he says. She's a bit thin and grungy looking. We're hoping she just needs time and some grocieries and she'll be good as new. In that case we'd love to have her. But since we are looking for a riding horse, we don't want her to really be much older and age to be the reason she can't hold weight. I looked at her teeth, which was pointless, because I really don't know anything about checking age by their teeth.

I did however snap a picture of them hoping some of you that know more than I do could help me out! So, whatcha think?

Thank you!

 

[tikkitti]

Hi, I vet or equine dentist would be able to give a good estimate at the horses age. Did you look at the plates of her teeth at around 15 they should be quite triangular then at around 20 the take on a more oval appearance. Also there will be a galvaynes groove in top corner incisor at 15 it should be about half way down the tooth and get longer with age( this is only accurate if used with other indicaters).The horses teeth do get longer and stick out more with age too. Isnt he or she pass ported as this will of been done by a vet so his or her teeth would of been checked then and its far easier to guess if the horse is in front of you. I remember years ago having a horse vetted before passports and even the vet could only pin it down to around, not exact. Sure someone who knows more about it will respond soon.x

 

[KP nut]

Why would you buy an underweight mare in poor condition with no history? If she goes nicely for you now, how do you know how she will go when she is not thin and in poor condition? There are so many good horses out there. Why take on such a risk?

If you are very experienced and can see the potential in a horse who has merely fallen on hard times, then yes, fine. But if that were the case you probably would not be posing the question!

 

[Kite_Rider]

Even the experts can't be sure after a certain age. My horse is 18 yet my dentist says if you didn't know her age from her passport he would put her at about 9 years old from looking at her teeth and general condition, so half her real age. Without a passport or her history, at best it would be a guess.

 

[tikkitti]

I have to agree with kp nut, if your inexperienced with horses then I wouldn't be looking at buying a unpassported horse in poor condition hoping to feed it up. There may be other issues and at the very least I'd advise you to have a basic vetting done (the vet will check its teeth for you and check for microchip just incase its registered to someone other than owner, unlikely but with checking). I'm sorry if that sounds harsh as I really don't mean it to, but lack of food or age is only a few reasons why a horse can look poor. You don't say how much your paying for the mare, but what I will say is if its unpassported it will be harder for the owners to sell even horse auctions require paper work with the horse. Also for you to have a legal horse it would need pass porting and microchipping. x

 

[Cortrasna]

That picture is of no real use to age a horse unfortunately, so I won't even make myself look ridiculous taking a guess based on that one view to try and impress you or anyone else....one would need several different views of all teeth to even remotely judge and even then it is a far from exact science.

In view of what you say about the horse, I would get a full vetting done before purchase, and then hope that your vet might be able to take a good guess at the horse's age. The only one who truly knows when a horse was born is it's dam. Oh and of course another point, If it is a Tennessee Walker you are looking at, then 15 is actually no age at all, they are renowned for their longevity and if kept well they work well into their late 20s or sometimes even longer.

 

[MrC]

I can't age a horse by its teeth and I'm far from an inexperienced horse person.

Kia was is crap condition when we bought him for my mum. Hadn't been ridden in years, was a babysitter to the weanlings/yearlings/two year olds we bought him fed him up and hey presto not a psycho.

The op has said nothing about her experience with horses other than she cannot age a horse by its teeth, which some of you have said is a vet or dentist job. Also passports and microchips I don't think are compulsory outside the UK.

Op if you really want to buy the mare, and I'm taking by terminology that you aren't in the UK, then have your vet or horse dentist have a look at her. If you are aware she is older and are still happy to take her and look after her then good on you for taking on an oldie.

All the best

 

[Mary Poppins]

I haven't got a clue! But you can't really rely on passports either. It looks like my horse was sold as a 4 year old when he was infact 3, so his passport is a year out which doesn't really matter but it's the principle.