Aging Horses By Their Teeth – Young Adult Horses (6 – 12 years)

This is a long process if you are going through the whole set. The idea is to notice all the differences and variability seen within each age. As the age becomes greater, notice the increased variability. Also note that in some horses, the left and right sides are different yielding a different age. This is caused by the horse’s tongue movement, jaw movement or both. The image data is the evidence I was given for the age of the horse.

I call this group between 6 and 12 years the “young adult horses.”

6 year olds

• Cups are evident on the occlusal surface of all lower incisors by 5 years of age.
• The cups start to disappear on the lower central incisors (301 and 401) during their 6th year.
• “Central cups gone at 6.”

7 year olds

• Cups are evident on the occlusal surface of all lower incisors by 5 years of age.
• The cups start to disappear on the lower middle incisors (302 and 402) during their 7th year.
• “Middle cups gone at 7.”

8 year olds

• Cups are evident on the occlusal surface of all lower incisors by 5 years of age.
• The cups start to disappear on the corner middle incisors (303 and 403) during their 8th year.
• “Corner cups gone at 9” or “All cups gone at 9.”

9 year olds

Same as 8 year old

10 year olds

• “Galvayne’s groove” is an indentation (or groove) that occurs on the upper corner incisors (103 and 203).
• It is located on the labial surface and parallels the front and back edge of the tooth.
• Between 10 and 20 years it will progressively extend the length of the tooth.
• Between 21 and 30 years it will progressively disappear starting at the gum line until it is gone by 30.
• It is first seen as a slight indentation at the gum line appearing as the tooth gets to the 10th year of eruption.

11 year olds

• “Galvayne’s groove” is an indentation (or groove) that occurs on the upper corner incisors (103 and 203).
• It is located on the labial surface and parallels the front and back edge of the tooth.
• Between 10 and 20 years it will progressively extend the length of the tooth.
• Between 21 and 30 years it will progressively disappear starting at the gum line until it is gone by 30.
• The groove at the gum line elongates slightly along the length of the tooth in the 11th year of eruption.

12 year olds

• “Galvayne’s groove” is an indentation (or groove) that occurs on the upper corner incisors (103 and 203).
• It is located on the labial surface and parallels the front and back edge of the tooth.
• Between 10 and 20 years it will progressively extend the length of the tooth.
• Between 21 and 30 years it will progressively disappear starting at the gum line until it is gone by 30.
• The groove at the gum line elongates slightly more along the length of the tooth approximately ¼ the length of the tooth in the 12th year of eruption.