Predicting the influence of cardiac findings on the athletic development of a horse represents a delicate balance for clinicians. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of cardiac findings on the athletic trajectory of horses. Understanding these factors can enhance our knowledge of equine career longevity and success, offering valuable prognostic information for veterinarians and horse owners. The study analyses data from 450 Warmbloods sourced from the German Riding Association’s (FN) database. All Horses had undergone both a general and a specific cardiac examination and were found in the database. The study examines associations between cardiac abnormalities and career outcomes. The study lacks a control group and must be interpreted with caution and primarily in relation to the study population. Results indicate that horses with cardiac dimensional changes are more likely to end their athletic careers around the time of diagnosis. Atrial f ibrillation also correlates with setbacks in performance. Veterinarian prognostic assessments are notably accurate, especially for cases with less favourable prognoses. Additionally, the study explores the detailed consequences of cardiac dimensional changes on sports performance post-diagnosis, revealing a significant decline in athletic ability. Future research should consider additional factors such as weight, age, size, severity of valvular regurgitation and veterinary recommendation bias. Enhancing routine documentation in clinics can improve the precision of retrospective studies, and exploring international sports-related databases could provide further insights.
Keywords: equine cardiology, echocardiography, sports medicine, performance development, cardiovascular impact
Keywords: horses, chronic recurrent cecal impaction, surgical treatment enlargement cecocolic orifice, long-term survival
