How to prevent muscle breakdown in the aging horse?

As horses age, they may suffer from muscle breakdown. This is a natural process. In humans, as well, more muscle tissue is broken down as the years go by. This is due to changes in hormone levels, decreased nerve stimulation to the muscles, and a decline in protein metabolism in an older horse or human.

Maintaining muscles requires a lot of energy. However, a horse also needs them. It is important that an older horse, even in winter, receives enough energy to maintain its muscles. Unlimited roughage is always the best foundation. Additionally, it is wise to add healthy fats to the diet, such as salmon oil. This provides a lot of energy and the appropriate omega-3 fatty acids for horses, namely EPA and DHA. This way, a horse has the necessary fatty acids readily available through the oil without needing a conversion step in the intestines, as is the case with flaxseed oil.

Hormones

Muscle building is regulated by hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone. As a horse ages, these hormones are produced in smaller quantities. There isn't much you can do about this. However, it is important to ensure that there are no other hormonal issues at play. PPID (Cushing), Insulin Resistance, and Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) are issues that you can address. To prevent hormonal problems in your older horse, it is important to maintain a healthy weight: not too fat and not too thin. Another interesting fact: mares do not experience menopause, like humans, although they can become infertile at a later age due to uterine problems.

Move! Exercise!

'Use it or lose it' is a well-known saying, and this applies to muscle mass as well. Horses that move very little and therefore use their muscles infrequently will be more prone to muscle breakdown. Even if you can no longer do intensive training with your older horse, it is important to keep them moving. Therefore, ensure plenty of free movement in the paddock or pasture, go for walks or light trail rides, or do groundwork with your horse. Exercise is also an excellent remedy for stiffness and mild arthritis and helps keep your horse's metabolism in good shape. A win-win-win situation.

Proteins and Amino Acids

To keep muscles healthy, a horse must be able to obtain proteins from its diet. Because this uptake is less efficient in older horses than in younger ones, older horses need almost twice as much protein. If a horse does not get enough protein, the body will try to produce it, which is an inefficient process that consumes a lot of energy. As a result, the horse loses weight (even more). In addition to proteins obtained from roughage, alfalfa, special feed, or a protein supplement, amino acids are also important to build muscle mass. These are the building blocks of proteins. Some amino acids can be synthesized by a horse, but a few of these building blocks must be present in the feed or vitamin feed. These are called essential amino acids. The most important ones are: Lysine, threonine, and methionine.