Yearling or 2 year old?

[SquishTheBunny]

I have a young horse that I was told was 2.5 years old. Anyone have young horses about 2 years old with mouth photos? I feel like what I’ve been seeing it looks like he is under 2 years old. He is about 14hh and there is no known history… help me age him!

Http://i65.tinypic.com/2zq642q.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/2w511lv.jpg (this is a photo of him…to mee he doesnt look like he is under 2 as his teeth may indicate? )

http://i64.tinypic.com/2alphl.jpg

for reference, this is a photo i just took for comparison of my 3 year olds teeth (she is turning 3 this week) clearly the middle incisors are adult.

sorry the photos are all sideways

[Highflyer]

I’m terrible at teeth, but to me he looks more like 2 than 1, especially given the length of that tail.

[Toblersmom]

Adult incisors don’t come in until 2.5 years, so his teeth are still consistent with a 2 year old rather than a yearling. Maybe closer to two than two and a half since the corners don’t look like they are in wear yet.

edited to add–also figure in where you are (unless he came from someplace else) and when he would have to have been born to be 2.5 (December or January). With no history it’s not too likely he was produced out of a breeding program that put mares under lights and such to get them cycling against the seasons to produce foals in Canada in January. That would suggest he’s two-ish, also. Other options are one-ish (his incisors look too worn and he’s just generally too developed) or three-ish (which is out since he doesn’ have any permanent incisors).

[SquishTheBunny]

Thank you! I’ll assume he is spring baby then and will be 2.5 somewhere in the fall

[Simkie]

That second set of incisors still looks like adult teeth to me–I don’t see caps. Caps on the third set, sure. Second set? Nope.

[GramV]

That does not look like 2 or 3 year old teeth to me. And that body does not, either.

[SquishTheBunny]

@GramV

That does not look like 2 or 3 year old teeth to me. And that body does not, either.

Yearling?

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

My June 2016 two year old, who has a lush, full tail, wishes it was that long. Could he be older? I can snap a picture if you would like. I may be able to get some mouth photos too.

[GramV]

I would say older. Maybe better pictures would help.According to this poem four is when the third pairs drop. https://sidgustafson.blogspot.com/2014/11/horse-aging-poem.html

[fordtraktor]

That tail is at least 3.

[Simkie]

The last incisors are definitely caps, and those drop in the four year old year. 100% agree that this guy is not a yearling or two year old. I think we had one vote for four in the other thread in horse care? But that mouth looks three to me!

[SquishTheBunny]

I know I’m so confused! From all the textbooks the occlusal surface of the lower incisors are that of an under 2 year old. His tail is pretty much to the ground. He is leggy but “chunky”. I could buy a late 2 or early 3 but definitely he looks more mature than a coming 2 year old. Compared to my just turning 3 year old he looks to have all caps no adult teeth… maybe he just has an abnormally long tail?! I’d love to break him this summer but not sure if he is too young!

[Simkie]

I definitely don’t see a mouth full of caps in your pictures. 100%, absolutely not.

The corners are obviously caps. The inners are obviously adult. Do you see the difference in those two sets of teeth? So he’s over 2 1/2 and under 4 1/2. The middles are the question. Most of the answers you’ve gotten are that those are adult teeth.

[SquishTheBunny]

@Simkie

I definitely don’t see a mouth full of caps in your pictures. 100%, absolutely not.

The corners are obviously caps. The inners are obviously adult. Do you see the difference in those two sets of teeth? So he’s over 2 1/2 and under 4 1/2. The middles are the question. Most of the answers you’ve gotten are that those are adult teeth.

It’s the occlusal surface of the lower incisors that dont match. I totally agree middle and nippers look like adults and not caps but why is the dental star still present in all lower teeth? I thought dental star went away at 2.5 and came back at 6?

this was the site i was comparing to: http://www.mitchellplainfarm.com/dental-care-and-development.html