[M-mode echocardiography in dressage horses, class S jumping horses and untrained horses].

The research article examines the impact of different training levels on the heart structures of dressage horses, show-jumping horses, and untrained horses, using M-mode echocardiography measurements.

Methodology

• The study measured the heart structures of 45 warmblood horses split into three groups: 15 dressage horses, 15 show-jumping horses, and 15 untrained horses. All the trained horses were categorised under level “S”.
• M-mode echocardiography was used to make these measurements, which is a technique that provides a time-motion display of blood flow and cardiac structures.
• Measurements were taken from four predetermined standardized transducer positions, which were calibrated according to the two-dimensional real-time technique.

Data Collected

• For each horse, measurements were taken of end systolic and end diastolic diameters of the left ventricle, right ventricle, aortic root, interventricular septum, and the left ventricular wall.
• The motion pattern of the heart wall, mitral valve, and aortic valve of all horses was also measured.

Key Findings

• The study found that dressage horses showed significant thickening of the interventricular septum and left-ventricular wall compared to the show-jumping horses and untrained horses.
• The show-jumping horses, on the other hand, exhibited significantly larger end diastolic left ventricle diameter than the other two groups.
• Compared to untrained horses, show-jumping horses also had a significantly larger end systolic left ventricular wall diameter measured at the level of the papillary muscle.

Conclusions

• The study concluded that an increase in heart mass in level “S” sport horses is associated with their level of training. Hence, the type of physical training and intensity horses undergo affect their cardiac structure development.