Miatria Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 During my first season on the Peace River I found several fossilized horse teeth. I was told that the longer the tooth, the younger the horse but that seems to fly in the face of the old adage "long in the tooth" referring to someone being older. Did the prehistoric horse's teeth wear down faster due to diet? Modern horses also graze so I'm not sure how different their diets were. Is it possible to get an idea about the general age of a prehistoric horse by looking at it's fossilized tooth? Thanks in advance for any information you can give me. Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 This is based on modern Equus, but I don't think Pleistocene horses would be significantly different. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 I always took "long in the tooth" to reference the effect of receding gums, and the portion of the tooth thus exposed, rather than the actual tooth's full length. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatria Posted July 16, 2013 Author Share Posted July 16, 2013 I thought that also about the receding gums but I've also been told that a horses teeth continue to grow throughout their life. Thank u for the diagram! Zookeeperfossils.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 The rule is that horse teeth do not continue to grow. You can read about the exception here: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/12116-quiz-for-the-horse-lovers-and-researchers/?gopid=138297 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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