Muscle development
Prof.ssa Emanuela Valle
Dip. Scienze Veterinarie – Università di Torino
Full Professor – EBVS® European Specialist
in Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition
Muscle development in the sport horse is a fundamental factor that guarantees optimal performance, general well-being and the ability to withstand prolonged efforts.
In the untrained horse, muscle mass constitutes approximately 45% of his body weight, but in horses that engage in intense athletic activities, this value can exceed 50%, even reaching 55%.
These muscle masses not only grow in volume, becoming more defined, but they also perform better when producing the contractions necessary to support movement during exercise.
Training
A well-trained horse can express greater strength and resistance to strenuos exercise, thanks to the physiological changes that occur in his muscles. However, these changes are not possible without proper nutrition.
It is essential that the sport horse’s diet provides all the nutrients needed to support this muscle development, particularly high-quality proteins and amino acids critical for muscle synthesis.
Amino acids, such as lysine, methionine and threonine, are essential for the horse, since his body is unable to synthesize them.
This means that they must be supplied through the diet, otherwise protein synthesis, and consequently muscle development, will be compromised.
In performance horses, these amino acids are required in greater quantities than in those at rest or performing a less intense physical activity.
Scoring Scale
The scoring system generally ranges from 0 to 5, where:
0 – Very poor muscle tone, evident atrophy, prominence of the bones without muscular coverage.
1 – Insufficient musculature, with evident loss of muscle tone and presence of depressions in key areas.
2 – Fair musculature, satisfactory muscle tone, with some areas showing signs of weakness or underdevelopment.
3 – Good musculature, well distributed, with symmetrical and toned main areas.
4 – Excellent musculature, well developed and toned, with no signs of over or under development.
5 – Hypertrophic musculature, with very voluminous muscles in all body areas.
Nutrition tips
Essential amino acids Lysine is often one of the most deficient amino acids in the equine diet but is essential for the growth and maintenance of muscle mass. It is crucial to ensure that our horse’s feed contains adequate levels of lysine.
Supplements for the sport horse Amino acid supplements can help improve muscle performance. However, they must be used as a support to an already well-balanced diet, since an excess of protein could have undesirable effects, such as overloading the organ function.
Antioxidants and vitamin E reduce oxidative stress and promote muscle repair. Antioxidants can be found in plant extracts but also algae such as Spirulina considered a rich source of proteins, with essential amino acids for muscle synthesis.
Quality of the hay it is advisable to use meadow hay, preferably cut at the right time, to ensure a good nutritional supply. Poor quality hay, or hay cut too late, can reduce the availability of nutrients needed for muscle development.
Training tips
Development of the ‘The top line’, or the dorsal line of the horse that runs from the withers to the tail, is one of the areas that requires particular attention when talking about muscle development.
This region includes crucial muscles such as the trapezius, longissimus dorsi, and multifidus, which are essential for transmitting the movement and supporting the rider’s weight.
Postural work A horse working in the correct posture, with his head and neck in the correct rounded position, is able to better develop the top line.
Avoid exercising the horse with high head carriage or with an excessively flexed neck, as this can hinder muscle development
Post-exercise stretching Stretching exercises, such as simply using a carrot to flex the horse’s neck and back, are helpful to maintain flexibility and to improve posture.
Physiotherapy and Pilates for horses Physiotherapy techniques, such as Pilates, are now widely recognized as complementary to training under saddle. Use them to ensure the horse is in good muscular and postural condition.
Muscle development
Muscle development in horses is the result of a good balance between adequate nutrition, rich in high quality proteins and essential amino acids, and a targeted training program.
In particular, the top line is one of the most important areas for the sport horse, as it supports the rider’s weight and allows effective transmission of the movement.
In addition to diet and mounted exercise, it would be helpful to include dynamic mobilization exercises, such as stretching and Pilates, to further improve the horse’s posture and muscular condition.