RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN QUALITY AND STRUCTUR E OF THE HORN OF THE EQUINEHOOF AS A BASIS FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF INSUFFICIENT KERATINIZATION

The differences in horn quality in the different segments of the hoof, which are even palpable, are examined using a method for material tes ting, the ball impact method (DIN 53456). The results are correlated w ith the morphological findings. To compare the coronet and the pad seg ment of the horse hoof, architecture, inter- and intracellular factors influencing the horn quality are studied and evaluated under polarize d light and with histometrical, histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. The influence of these factors, their characteritics in each segment, and their combination on horn quality, are discussed.