Characterizations of Chestnut in Relation to Age, Height and Body Weight in Equines

Abstract

A study was carried out on 100 horses of Thoroughbred (20), Arabian (20) and Akhal-Teke breeds (60) to determine chestnut dimensions and its relation with age of horse and length of respective limbs. Results showed that the means of forelimb chestnut length (2.604±0.601 cm) and width (1.617±0.41 cm) were significantly more (P<0.01) than hind limb chestnut length (2.202±0.627 cm) and width (1.313±0.388 cm). In Thoroughbreds hind limb length was significantly more than that of Arabian and Akhal-Teke breeds and in Arabian breeds it was more than Akhal-Teke (P<0.05). The length of fore limb in Akhal-Teke breed was significantly less than that of Arabian breed (P<0.014). The length of chestnut increased (r= +0.829, Pvalue= 0.021) and width decrease (r= -0.724, Pvalue= 0.043) with aging in Arabian and Thoroughbred horses, the chestnut dimensions varied with the age, body weight and length of respective limbs in horses.