Re: RC: x-factor/heart scores

[Tivers@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/5/00 8:36:42 AM Pacific Standard Time, woa@stormnet.com 
writes:

<< Hi Ti
 I'll see if there is anyone around here who does that kind of testing
 and send the results to you for your research. Only catch, does the
 horse have to be running before tested; if so, Hal can't do it with his
 injury but I could do an offspring. What is entailed?
 Bette >>


Very easy test. With the horse standing still, the vet looks at his heart 
with the ultrasound machine, freeze-framing the picture at the point at which 
the left ventricle is open at its widest --then measuring the diameter of 
that opening. Do this several times to get a good working average. Then do 
the  same for the point at which the heart has contracted to its fullest 
extent at rest--the difference is the contractile fraction, which typically 
varies nversely with the diameter of the LV. 

ti