Hoof size as related to body size in the horse (Equus caballus)

The study was conducted to find out the most reliable parameter of the hoof size in relation to the horse body size, exemplified in mares. The mares of four breeds belonging to different origin types were examined: Purebred Arabian, halfbred Anglo-Arabian, primitive Polish Konik and Polish Cold-Blood, 77 mares in total. The mares were four to 13 years old, classified into three age groups. Three body measurements were taken: height at withers, chest circumference and cannon circumference. The boniness index (cannon circumference to height at withers ratio) was also defined. After trimming, three left fore hoof measurements were taken: toe length, solar length and hoof width. Total length and width were calculated as a hoof solar size measure. On the basis of the parameters obtained, nine fore hoof to body dimension ratios were defined. To evaluate the results, least squares means analysis was used and correlation coefficients between body parameters (1), between hoof parameters (2), as well as between body and hoof parameters (3) were identified. The results show the hoof to body dimension ratios grow according to the increasing cannon circumference to height at withers ratio. The hoof width to chest circumference ratio was found to be a useful parameter of the hoof size. The means (%) obtained (5.93±0.10, 6.41±0.08, 6.56±0.11 and 7.26±0.09 in Purebred Arabian, Anglo-Arabian, Polish Konik and Polish Cold-Blood horses, respectively) are suggested as standards to which individual ratios in mares of similar breeds may be compared judging the horse’s conformation. The age hardly affected the hoof solar size to height at withers ratio in mares four to nine years old.