Vet Essentials: Nutrition to help build a horse’s muscles

Discover how to build a horse’s muscles through feeding and exercise.

How does exercise build muscle?

Exercise builds muscle because it creates microscopic damage to the muscle fibres which through cellular signalling stimulates muscles to grow in size and strength. Muscle is continually being ‘turned over’ i.e. broken down and replaced. When the rate of protein synthesis is higher than that of degradation muscles grow in size.

Nutrition and muscle

In order to support this process the right nutrition needs to be in place. Muscle protein synthesis is a process that requires energy but not too much or excess energy will be laid down as fat. Depending on the energy source some animals will also become ‘fizzy’ if too many concentrates are provided.

Most horse owners know that dietary protein is required to build muscle. Muscle is comprised of around 70% protein which in turn is made up of its building blocks: amino acids. Dietary protein once digested and broken down into its constituent amino acids is reassembled to form equine muscle protein.

However, too much protein in the diet may not all be taken up and used effectively by the body and will be metabolised to energy and fat rather than muscle.

Amino acids

There are around 21 amino acids that make up equine muscle protein. 10 of these are ‘essential’ amino acids which must be supplied in the diet. The rest can be manufactured by the horse.

Some of these amino acids: lysine methionine and threonine can actually be growth limiting if not present in the diet this is especially important in young horses.

The branched chain amino acids leucine isoleucine and valine have also been shown to have a key role in stimulating muscle protein synthesis in many species.

In order to ensure a good supply of amino acids in the diet without overfeeding concentrate many riders have chosen to reach for an amino acid supplement that provides a range of essential amino acids in a digestible form. Ask your veterinary surgeon to recommend one that is appropriate for your horse’s needs.

Vet Essentials: Care of the competition horse is brought to you in association with Equitop Myoplast. Watch the show here.