Muscles consist of muscle fibers, which are fed and maintained by the body. You can build and grow muscles through targeted training and providing the right nutrition and supplements. Both of these factors are important! One cannot do without the other.

Vitamins and minerals

Some vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy muscle tissue. If your horse doesn't get enough of these minerals and vitamins, it can lead to stiffness or a less effective training effect. Magnesium ensures a good transmission of nerve impulses through the muscles and also helps the muscles relax after work. Magnesium chelate and magnesium citrate are the most absorbable forms of magnesium. The mineral silicon is important for the development of muscles, tendons, connective tissue, cartilage, and joints. For the entire musculoskeletal system. Silicon is only well absorbed when given in liquid, hydrolyzed form. Vitamin E is also of great importance for muscle health. If your horse grazes all day, you don't need to supplement this vitamin. There is enough in fresh grass. If your horse is in a paddock or on a bare pasture, it is wise to look into this. Opt for a supplement that contains RRR-α-tocopherol, which is the most absorbable form of vitamin E. A little grape seed oil, salmon oil, or flaxseed oil in the feed also helps improve the absorption of vitamin E.

Proteins and amino acids for horse muscle building

To maintain and build muscles, it is important to have absorbable protein and enough essential amino acids in your horse's diet. Amino acids are the building blocks from which horses can make proteins themselves. Muscle fibers consist largely of proteins. Forage always contains absorbable protein and amino acids, but the amounts vary greatly. Sometimes it is sufficient for your horse, but sometimes it is not. This depends on the soil, the type of forage, and the conditions under which the forage was harvested. You can, of course, have an analysis done to find out, but you can also observe your horse. A young horse that is just starting training needs to build more muscles than an adult horse. An older horse with less efficient digestion will sometimes break down muscle tissue to meet its energy needs. Pregnant and lactating mares also need more protein, as they also need to feed a foal or embryo. If your horse is not building muscle effectively while training or if your horse seems to be losing muscle, it is time to adjust its diet. For most (sport) horses, it is sufficient to provide a protein-rich forage supplement, such as Agrobs Myo Protein Flakes. Or to add a coconut product like Cool Stance Copra, which contains a wide range of amino acids for muscle building. For pregnant and lactating mares, there is a special mare pellet with more protein and minerals. However, if your horse is experiencing muscle breakdown due to a disease such as PSSM1 or PSSM2, a solution with protein-rich forage is not always sufficient. In these cases, supplements with amino acids and/or high-quality protein (such as pea protein or rice protein) can be helpful.

Don't forget training!

To achieve muscle building, you must not only feed well but also train responsibly. This does not mean working your horse hard every day, but it also doesn't mean leaving your horse in the paddock all the time. Muscles need a training stimulus to grow. They need to be (strongly) challenged occasionally. This can cause slight damage. If you give your horse a day of 'active rest' afterwards, the muscles will recover and even be stronger than before. Do not train so intensely that your horse becomes too acidic, as this would cause too much damage. But let him work, with walking breaks in between to catch his breath and remove lactate buildup in the muscles. Alternate heavier training days with days where your horse is only out in the pasture, takes a walk, or is lightly lunged. Do not always train the same, vary and do not repeat endlessly. This can lead to injuries. Sometimes focus more on endurance training, for example, a longer gallop during a trail ride. And other times focus more on strength training, with poles or more collected dressage exercises. Always remember to warm up and cool down properly. Also, always keep a close eye on your horse and feel his muscles and tendons daily so that you notice stiffness and warm spots immediately.

Enjoy your training!