Following my post last week on lessons learned on genetic testing of thoroughbreds, it was suggested by a well known equine exercise physiologist that I was "down" on cardio's based on the tone of what I had written. Nothing could be further from the truth so I think I should take the time to explain both what a good Thoroughbred cardio looks like, and why there are limitations to cardiovascular testing alone. Firstly, what does a good cardio look like. Well, they say a pict

For some time now, cardiovascular evaluation of thoroughbreds using echocardiography has been one way to evaluate the performance potential of an unraced thoroughbred. Much of the work on this relationship was initially done many years ago by Dr. Norm Rantanen, Dr. David Lambert and Jeff Seder in America, while Dr. Lesley Young in the United Kingdom has also done a lot of work in this field. Echocardiography has emerged to become a standard diagnostic procedure in equine card