X Factor

[Kim]

I just received a weight and left ventricle measurement on my late horse from my vet. These were determined by a reputable lab from a post mortem exam. My horse's pedigree put him in line, in theory, to have inherited the large heart gene. Can the weight and LV measurement prove that he indeed inherited it?

[xfactor fan]

That should be enough.
Two things, what was the weight, and was there any sign of heart disease?

The first X-factor book contains a chart showing heart weight, and heart score. X weight = X heartscore.

[Kim]

Unfortunately I loaned my copy of the book out and I haven't read it in so long that I only remember the general idea. I only have a voice mail from my vet, so I don't know about any heart disease. The weight that I was given was 17.5 lbs and the left ventricle measured 12 (no units given to me). What can you tell me from this?

[xfactor fan]

Average TB heart is about 8lls. Secretariat with the largest known heart was around 20lbs. (The heart was not weighed)
17lbs without heart disease is a pretty good size large heart.
Sham had a 17 lb heart with some heart disease, Phar Lap 14lbs, Mill Reef 17lbs.
Yep, I'd say your horse had a large heart. Would you be willing to post the name and heart weight to the database?

Sorry for your loss. This is a pretty awful way to confirm the heart size.

[Kim]

He's already in the database, but I don't know how to note him as being an X factor horse. His name is River Battle. Unfortunately thus far none of his babies has shown anything at the track, though there are a couple of youngsters left and there's always hope--As I like to say, some of his race babies went on to make nice show horses.

[xfactor fan]

The info has now been added. By the way, how tall was River Battle?

Also if he was an X-factor horse, you wouldn't be seeing much in his sons, daughters should be better, the large heart should surface in sons of his daughters.
How's he doing as a broodmare sire?

[Kim]

He hasn't had a lot of foals, and of the fillies I've kept track of, most became riding horses. The one that I know became a broodmare was producing paint babies.

[yukidragon]

Tale end of this I hunting Riverman sons yesterday hypo mating.
sry to hear about your horse River Battle.

What blows my mind is that Riverman carried Blue Larkspur large heart gene.
in Riverman's pedigree -- Neverbend -- Bimelech an Bloodroot By ( Blue Larkspur ) made Be Faithful but La Troienne Large heart carried threw .
Riverman's pedigree Blue Larkspur pass all the way threw to Riverman.
Princequillo an Not Afraid I think should have been the ones that carried LH to Riverman.
Princequillo was known for LH also Not Afraid was double copy mare.
Secretariat by Princequillo had 23Lbs. Heart
Average being 8-12 Lbs.

Oh well got that out.

Do you have any of River Battle son's?
Yukidragon

[Kim]

No, I don't have any of his offspring anymore. I think that all of his sons are geldings except a weanling that he has this year that is owned by someone else.