Videodermoscopy is a modern method of skin examination that significantly facilitates diagnosis. The purpose of the study was to determine and compare the characteristic features of the skin and its derivatives for Purebred Arabian and Polish Sports horses. The study was conducted in the winter of 2018/2019, with written consent obtained from the horses’ owners before examinations. The study involved 33 healthy horses not previously used for breeding, consisting of 21 purebred Arabian mares and twelve clinically healthy Polish Sports horses (SP). Videodermoscopic evaluations were performed of seven selected areas of the body: the forehead, mane, neck, chest, flank, rump, and tail. For the dermoscopic examination, an Italian Video-Dermascope 7 (Medici Medical SRL with 3 VIDIX 5Mpx camera and VX1 – Contact type cap Ø 3.5 cm) was used. The Olympus cellSens specialized software was used to analyze microscopic images and perform measurements. The comparison of hair thickness showed significant differences between the two groups: in most of the assessed body areas, the hair thickness was greater for the Arabian horses than for the Polish Sports horses. The hair thickness ranged from 52.70 μm on the chest to 87.45 μm on the mane in the Arabian horses and from 30.18 μm on the flank to 47.33 μm on the rump in the SP horses. In conclusion, the breed of the horse is an important factor that must be taken into consideration in both qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the skin and its derivatives. |