What is Topline and How do you get it?

Last Updated on April 4, 2022 by Allison Price

What is Topline? …… How do you get it?

Horses’ topline is the term for the muscle covering that covers the horse’s neck and back.

What is topline?

There are two main reasons.

1. Athleticism:

Topline is muscle. This means horses with good topline are more powerful and able to jump and move well.

2. Appearance:

Show horses and sales horses must be prepared so they can look their best for the big day.

How do you get it?

Topline

One of those lucky horses might have a beautiful topline. Native breeds have a great topline, especially once they are mature. However, they may be more likely to get fat than have a strong frame.

Many horses don’t have a natural beauty topline, so they will need help. A good diet is important for many reasons. However, it will not provide a perfect outline.

Exercise

The racehorse who became a riding horse is a good example of a horse that struggles to achieve a topline.

Racehorses are more comfortable riding in a different style than leisure/sport horses. This is because the horse has to work in an outline that doesn’t encourage the development of the neck and back muscles. As trainers recognize that a better topline leads to improved performance and soundness, racehorses tend to be more “rounded” in their training.

Exercise designed to increase muscle and topline for young horses is also beneficial.

Diet

Horses require a well-balanced diet. But what are the main ingredients to build muscle?

Protein is what makes muscle grow, so it is important to ensure that your diet contains enough protein. It is not the percentage of protein that is important when choosing what food to eat.

Science!

Chains of amino acids make up protein. The amino acids are like building blocks that make up the protein molecules. There are two types, essential and optional. The horse can make non-essential amino acid, so they are not required to be included in the diet. Because the horse cannot make them, essential amino acids must be included in the diet. These essential amino acids are found in high quality protein.

Lysine, the most essential amino acid for horses’ diets, is the most important. This amino acid is known as a limiting one. Horses with low lysine levels will experience limited growth and development.

The horse digests protein within its body. This means that the horse converts the protein molecules into amino acid chains, so that amino acids can be used.

The highest quality protein is high in essential amino acids and easy to digest.

What about vitamins and minerals?

Vitamin E and Selenium have a close connection to muscle development and health.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that has a protective effect on muscles. Selenium, an essential trace mineral, also plays an important role in antioxidant. These elements are essential in the daily diets and exercise routines of performance horses.

Exercise is fine, and diet is okay. What else can you do?

After all the hard work of fine-tuning the horse’s diet and adjusting the exercise program, you might find a horse that needs some extra help. Perhaps you need to speed things up to meet deadlines for a sale or show. Perhaps your horse is hardworking and needs to be kept in good condition.

These horses will be able to benefit from additional “ingredients” that increase muscle mass.

Include Lysine, Vitamin E, and Selenium in your diet.

What are the most useful supplements?

Vitamin E can be added to horses’ muscles to improve their function and decrease muscle damage. Supplements with Vitamin E or Selenium can have additional benefits. Adding the amino acid Lysine to your supplement will increase muscle development and improve health.

V.S.L can be purchased in powdered or liquid form. It contains these key ingredients, Vitamin E and Selenium, which will help support muscle performance, development, and recovery.

Do you have any other suggestions?

Although they don’t directly affect the development of muscles, the B vitamins can have an impact on how efficient the muscle works. The diet’s B vitamins play a key role in controlling how amino acids are used. They also ensure that protein use is optimal, which reduces muscle damage. B vitamins also play a role in red blood cell production, ensuring that oxygen is delivered to the muscles during work.

Muscle Max is a supplement that provides the essential elements of Vitamin E and Selenium to optimize muscle development. It also contains B vitamins to enhance general health, optimise metabolism and improve muscle efficiency.

Allison Price
Allison Price

I’m Allison, born and raised in San Diego California, the earliest memory I have with horses was at my grandfather’s farm. I used to sit at the stable as a kid and hang out with my Papa while he was training the horses. When I was invited to watch a horse riding competition, I got so fascinated with riding!