Ageing a pony

[fallenangel123]

Last autumn I rescued a pony from a poor situation, he was horribly underweight, riddled with all sorts of parasites and windsucked. Having been thoroughly de creatured and given probiotics which stopped the windsucking he has now put on almost 100kg!
When I got him I was told he was in his 20's but no one knew exactly, obviously to look at it was quite believeable, however now he is feeling better he looks ten years younger. His passport just gives his height, colour and sex so no help there.

I know you are all thinking 'look at his teeth thicky' but that is where the problem is! He has obviously cribbed for years and has no top incisors so his lower incisors are long and protruding as they have had no wear against other teeth. So my question is, is he as old as they would let you believe or could he be younger because of the missing teeth?

 

[fallenangel123]

Bump

 

[SamanthaG]

Do you have any pics?

 

[fallenangel123]

Not that I can put on from my iPod, waiting for laptop to be repaired. Will post some before and afters when I can.

 

[sun-shine]

Could maybe get an idea by the angle of the incisors...? Its like he doesn't want you to know

 

[fallenangel123]

Well last night he was charging round the field with the two year old at coming in time! So I guess it's true that you are as old as you feel!

 

[Daisy2]

there are other areas that help you to understand old or young, dipped back, grey hairs (if horse not grey of course), droopy bottom lip, sometimes sunken sockets above the eye, and an equine dentist would be able to look at the back teeth too for an indication

 

[fallenangel123]

Well he does have a slightly dipped back, but this has improved a lot since he started putting on weight, and will probably change as he gets fitter too. The vet, and the dentist made their initial assumption of his age from his general appearance at the time, but both agreed that his teeth had probably never been done, ever! When the dentist booked him in for a revisit after six months I think he was thinking he wouldn't still be here by then.
He has no grey on his face, no lumps and bumps on his legs or any other signs that he is getting on, he can also scratch the top of his head with his hind foot! Honestly he is really baffling me!