A full-randomized block design was used for the study of the FA composition and meat quality parameters, considering ageing time as a split-plot factor. Chemical and fatty acid composition of steaks (longissimus thoracis and lumborum muscle) from 15 month old semiextensively reared Hispano-Bretón horses were characterized (day 0), and the effect of vacuum ageing (0, 7, 14 and 21 days) on several meat quality parameters (pH, instrumental color and texture and cook loss) was determined. The average fat content of horse loin was 3.31%, and the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content, although higher than in ruminant meats, suggested that the finishing on a high-grain diet limited muscle n-3 accumulation. Results revealed that ageing affected all meat quality measurements; color started to turn brownish at 14 days of ageing, with a decrease in redness but not in yellowness. Tenderness improved during the first two weeks, and the Warner-Bratzler shear force scores showed that meat aged for 7 days could be considered as ‘intermediate tender’. Under the present study conditions, an ageing period between 7 and 14 days is recommended for an optimum horse meat quality.

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A consumer test (n=120) was performed in Vitoria-Gasteiz (northern Spain) in order to study the effect of ageing time (0, 7, 14 and 21 days) on the sensory quality of Hispano-Bretón foal meat.Steaks (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum) were wet aged and evaluated in-mouth and visually. In both cases, acceptability was scored using a hedonic scale, and sensory drivers related to ageing were characterised by applying check-all-that-apply method in meat. For both, in-mouth and visual acceptability, meat aged for 7 days obtained higher scores than non-aged meat, whereas longer ageing periods did not improve consumer acceptability. Check-all-that-apply method showed to be able to discriminate among samples, both in-mouth and visually. Results revealed that texture related attributes were the most discriminant ones in the in-mouth evaluation, being non-aged meat related to 'dry', 'high residue', 'tough' and 'chewy' terms, whereas aged meat was associated to 'juicy', 'tender' and 'easily dissolving' terms. Visually, consumers perceived that, after 14 days of ageing, meat colour changed to 'brownish'. Under present study conditions, the establishment of a period of 7 days of ageing would be recommended.