## 3 Results and Discussion
The physical and chemical properties of each meat type depend on its hydration properties, as these affect the juiciness of cooked meat. These specific properties of meat depend on protein fractions, and the interactions of myofibrillar proteins with water are particularly important. They influence, among others, the solubility, the ability to bind and retain water, and the preservation of protein functions during heat treatment at both high and low temperatures [5,77]. It should be noted that water in the muscle is maintained by muscle proteins and is immobilized in the capillary spaces of the muscle. According to the literature [56,78], immediately after slaughter, meat with a high content of ATP and glycogen shows the highest water retention capacity, which is associated with the high pH level of the muscle tissue. The effect of pH on the hydration properties of meat is explained by the change in the isoelectric point of proteins, which results from the interplay of dissimilar charges. As the environment gradually acidifies, calcium, magnesium, and other ion complexes dissociate from proteins. This significantly reduces the water absorption capacity and solubility of proteins [56]. This fact was confirmed by our research. Based on the results presented in Table 6, the foal meat was characterized \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Component**} & \multirow{2}{*}{\begin{tabular}{c} **Group I** \\ **(up to 2 Years Old)** \\ \end{tabular} } & \multirow{2}{*}{\
\begin{tabular}{c} **Group II** \\ **(from 2 to 10 Years Old)** \\ \end{tabular} } & \multirow{2}{*}{
\begin{tabular}{c} **Group III** \\ **(from 10 to** **p** \\ **20 Years Old)** \\ \end{tabular} } \\ \hline pH\({}_{1}\) & 6.73 \({}^{\text{b}}\)\(\pm\) 0.11 & 6.78 \(\pm\) 0.13 & 6.84 \({}^{\text{a}}\)\(\pm\) 0.10 & 0.028 \\ pH\({}_{24}\) & 5.46 \({}^{\text{b}}\)\(\pm\) 0.09 & 5.51 \(\pm\) 0.08 & 5.63 \({}^{\text{a}}\)\(\pm\) 0.13 & 0.017 \\ pH\({}_{48}\) & 5.24 \({}^{\text{b}}\)\(\pm\) 0.12 & 5.40 \(\pm\) 0.12 & 5.42 \({}^{\text{a}}\)\(\pm\) 0.15 & 0.019 \\ pH\({}_{72}\) & 5.31 \({}^{\text{b}}\)\(\pm\) 0.06 & 5.36 \(\pm\) 0.10 & 5.46 \({}^{\text{a}}\)\(\pm\) 0.13 & 0.024 \\ pH\({}_{96}\) & 5.34 \({}^{\text{b}}\)\(\pm\) 0.10 & 5.44 \(\pm\) 0.11 & 5.48 \({}^{\text{a}}\)\(\pm\) 0.09 & 0.021 \\ pH\({}_{120}\) & 5.35 \({}^{\text{b}}\)\(\pm\) 0.09 & 5.46 \(\pm\) 0.12 & 5.48 \({}^{\text{a}}\)\(\pm\) 0.10 & 0.026 \\ Marbling (point) & 1.65 \({}^{\text{b}}\)\(\pm\) 0.38 & 2.68 \({}^{\text{a}}\)\(\pm\) 0.28 & 2.81 \({}^{\text{a}}\)\(\pm\) 0.33 & 0.008 \\ Thermal drip (\%) & 32.09 \({}^{\text{a}}\)\(\pm\) 2.47 & 30.99 \({}^{\text{b}}\)\(\pm\) 2.84 & 29.56 \({}^{\text{b}}\)\(\pm\) 2.93 & 0.019 \\ Water retention & 7.14 \({}^{\text{a}}\)\(\pm\) 0.47 & 5.81 \({}^{\text{b}}\)\(\pm\) 0.72 & 4.96 \({}^{\text{b}}\)\(\pm\) 0.64 & 0.025 \\ capacity (cm\({}^{2}\)) & & & & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} a, b. Means with different superscript letters in the same row differed significantly at \(p\leq 0.05\); means with missing letters or the same superscript letters in the same row did not differ significantly at \(p\leq 0.05\).  
\end{table} 
Table 6: Physicochemical properties of horsemeat depended on age. by the greatest thermal and water retention capacity. The first of these characteristics was at the level of 32.09%, and the second was at the level of 7.14 cm\({}^{2}\). Considering the results presented in Table 6, it is clear that the thermal and water retention capacity of the meat stored in refrigerated conditions depended on the age of the slaughtered horses. The raw material obtained from animals in the second age group was characterized by lower thermal drip (30.99%) and water retention capacity (5.81 cm\({}^{2}\)) compared with the foal meat. As age increased, these characteristics clearly and systematically decreased, producing the following values in the group of old horses: thermal drip of 29.56% and water retention capacity of 4.96 cm\({}^{2}\).