Echocardiography and electrocardiography as means to evaluate potential performance in horses.

This research explores the use of echocardiography and electrocardiography as tools to predict performance potential in competition horses. The study concludes that while heart score is not a suitable measure, echocardiography can provide detailed anatomical information and accurate measurements to predict performance.

Overview

• This study aims to examine how effective echocardiography and electrocardiography can be in predicting performance potential in horses. These tools are often used in exercise physiology investigations with the purpose of selecting competition horses that are more likely to demonstrate above-average competitive aptitude.

Methodology

• The horses involved in this study were subjected to two different diagnostic tests: a two-dimensional echocardiography and a conventional 3 leads electrocardiogram. Echocardiography is a diagnostic test which uses ultrasound to visualize the heart and surrounding blood vessels, while an electrocardiogram (ECG) measures the electrical activity of the heart.

Findings

• The research reveals that the heart score, a commonly used measure of horse health and performance, is not an appropriate index to evaluate the heart size of a horse. The heart score was found to be inadequate for providing clear or accurate information related to potential performance.
• On the other hand, the study found other procedures, such as echocardiography, to be more accurate and suitable for evaluating the potential of a horse to perform. Echocardiography allows for a clear anatomical evaluation and provides accurate measurements of structures within the heart. Crucially, it allows for the calculation of the Left Ventricular Mass Measurement (LVMM), which the researchers suggest as a potentially more accurate method for predicting performance in horses.

Conclusion

• From the findings of this study, it is suggested that echocardiography could provide a more useful and accurate method for predicting performance in competition horses compared to heart scores. This research contributes to animal sports science by presenting evidence of a more reliable predictor for performance in horses.