The aim of the study was to compare the levels of selected toxic elements in hair of horses of two breeds, held in areas free of industrial pollution. The research was conducted on free range Hucul mares (n=40) and Purebred Arabian mares (n=40) kept in a mixed stable-pasture system. The content of 9 elements (arsenic, barium, cadmium, mercury, germanium, lithium, lead, tin and strontium) was determined in each trial. The hair of Purebred Arabian mares was characterized by significantly higher levels of arsenic, barium, mercury, lead, tin and strontium. The differences were statistically significant. Cadmium and germanium, on the other hand, were significantly higher in the hair of Hucul mares. Lithium was found to be on a similar level in both breeds i.e., 0.150 mg kg–1 of dry mass in Hucul horses and 0.142 mg kg–1 of dry mass in Purebred Arabian horses. There was a significant positive correlation between the levels of mercury and arsenic observed in the hair of horses of both breeds. Arabian mares displayed a very high correlation between the levels of barium and lead, barium and tin, and between tin and lead.

18.2.2013