THE INFLUENCE BREEDING ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE HOOF HORN IN CZECH WARMBLOOD HORSES

Abstract

The aim of this experiment was to compare the mechanical properties of the hoof horn of horses, mainly Czech warmblood, in relation to their stabling conditions – explicitly, grazing farming (pasture) with deep bedding stables. The sampling of the hoof horn was always made after a change of the horse´s stabling method. This paper assesses the changes in some mechanical properties of the hoof as a result of changes in their stabling environment. Moreover, the hardness, the wear resistance and the impact resistance of the hoof horn was evaluated. The results of the experiment showed a statistically significant difference between the studied mechanical properties of the hoof horn and the compared stabling conditions. Conducting the experiment led to a new methodology for evaluating the mechanical properties of biological materials coming from polymeric testing. The experiment describes a possible methodology for testing biological materials based on the evaluation of the mechanical properties of inorganic polymers. An effect of the influence stabling environment has to the hardness and the impact strength of the hoof horn was confirmed. An effect of the influence stabling environment has on hoof´s resistance against abrasiveness was not confirmed.

Keywords: Abrasive wear, hardness, horse breeds, impact strength, stabling conditions.

Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2015.003