Muscle power is everything

TO BUILD THE MUSCLES THAT SHAPE THE TOPLINE, WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE HORSE WITH THE BUILDING BLOCKS AND THE NECESSARY ENERGY TO DO SO. THESE TWO ELEMENTS COME FROM DIETARY PROTEIN AND CALORIES.

THE MUSCLES IN THE BODY HELP TO SUPPORT THE SKELETON OF THE HORSE. THE BETTER THE MUSCLES ARE DEVELOPED, THE MORE THE SPINE AND JOINTS WILL BE PROPERLY SUPPORTED. A WELL DEVELOPED TOPLINE IS ESSENTIAL FOR LONG TERM HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE OF THE EQUINE ATHLETE. A HORSE’S TOPLINE IS SHAPED BY THE MUSCLES ALONG THE WITHERS, BACK, LOIN AND CROUP. ALTHOUGH THE OVERALL MUSCLING CAN DIFFER BETWEEN HORSES, EVERY HEALTHY HORSE CAN DEVELOP A STRONG TOPLINE. THE KEY ELEMENTS ARE WELL BALANCED NUTRITION IN COMBINATION WITH PROPER EXERCISE.

AUTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE IS DR. CAROLINE LOOS, POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY (USA). DR. LOOS HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH HORSES HER WHOLE LIFE AND WORKED IN VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE EQUINE INDUSTRY BEFORE STARTING HER PHD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY IN 2014. HER RESEARCH PROGRAM FOCUSES ON OPTIMISING PROTEIN FEEDING IN RELATION TO MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT AND HOW METABOLIC DISEASES, SUCH AS INSULIN DYSREGULATION, MAY IMPACT PROTEIN METABOLISM IN HORSES. Proteins for overall health

Next to water, protein is the most abundant substance in the body. It is a part of nearly every tissue, including muscle, organs, brain, blood, immune cells, skin, etc. Therefore, paying attention to the quantity and quality of protein in your horse’s diet is not only important for building topline but also for overall health. Protein from the diet will be broken down into amino acids in the digestive tract which the body can then use to make new protein. An important thing to remember is that not all protein is created equally. Only high quality protein will be able to provide all the essential amino acids in the right amounts and ratio to efficiently build up muscle protein. Examples of high quality protein sources to look for in your horse’s diet are soybean meal or ingredients such as potato protein, peas, beans and lupins. Despite some recent controversy regarding the use of soy in horse feeds, there is currently no scientific evidence of any negative effects on horse health. If properly sourced and processed (i.e. always use a reputable feed brand) and fed at appropriate quantities, soybean is a superior protein source to support top level animal performance due to its high digestibility and favorable amino acid profile. Note that when it comes to protein feeding, quality is always more important than quantity. The higher the quality of the protein, the less is needed to meet requirements. Excess amino acids cannot be stored in the body and will simply be excreted. Therefore, overfeeding protein not only has little benefit, it can actually have adverse health effects in certain situations (e.g. liver problems, elevated insulin secretion, increased sweating, swollen legs, skin problems, etc.) and even limit growth and proper muscle building.

Necessity of energy

In contrast to what many people believe, there is more to building muscle than just feeding enough high quality protein. In fact, the first limiting nutrient in a horse’s diet is always energy, as it is needed for every metabolic process in the body. Building and maintaining muscle, in particular, is energy costly. If the body senses there is not enough fuel to do so, it will prevent activation of muscle building processes. Moreover, prolonged energy-deficiency in the diet can lead to muscle breakdown. So, no matter how much protein you feed, if energy is limiting, the horse cannot build muscle. Always make sure the diet meets the daily energy needs of the horse. Calorie-rich ingredients in horse diets are mainly grains (carbohydrates and sugars), oils (fat) and

THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING LACTATE; LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT?

Muscles are critical for movement, as they contract and relax. Every muscle in the body has its own function. Your horse can only be in top shape when its muscles are. Muscles are made of cells, that together form fibers that align in bundles in the muscle. Muscle cells can be regarded as a sort of ‘fuel factory’ for the conversion of energy. Muscles can convert this energy in two ways: aerobic and anaerobic. In aerobic exercise, the muscles mainly get their energy from fats and fibers, which they convert with the help of oxygen. In anaerobic exercise, the muscles use the energy from sugars and carbohydrates, without the help of oxygen. Anaerobic exercise will after a while also produce lactic acid (lactate), a waste product that comes from muscles being broken down. A horse in motion uses a combination of two types of muscle fibers. Type 1 for continued effort and type 2 for explosive effort. These muscle fibers are engaged according to the type of training, energy source, level of circulation and whether aerobic or anaerobic conversion is needed. Lactate is formed to provide energy to anaerobic muscles (type 2) during exercise, and this lactate will build up inside the muscles. The built-up lactate is then converted to glycogen or glucose and re-enters circulation as an energy source for aerobic muscles (type 1).

to a lesser highly digestible fiber sources. Lastly, various vitamins and minerals play a role in muscle building mechanisms in the body. Only well balanced diets, supplying adequate amounts of energy, protein and essential micronutrients (i.e. vitamins, minerals and trace elements) will provide all the key nutritional elements to build a strong, healthy topline.

Principles of muscle building

There is still a common misconception that certain feeds or supplements will turn your horse into a body builder. Unfortunately, this is not true. Proper nutrition is essential, but strong musculature can only be achieved though the stimulation of adequate exercise. Intensive exercise will result in metabolic stress and microdamage in the muscles. In response to this, the body will trigger cardiovascular, nervous and muscle systems to make improvements so the horse is better able to handle the strains of the next exercise bout. This adaptive response to exercise is the reason for increased fitness and muscle strength that occurs over time. However, continued improvements will only occur if the body is repetitively challenged by progressively increasing exercise intensity. This concept is called ‘progressive loading’. For our horses this means muscle development is only going to be evident by gradual increases in training intensity. If the exercise intensity remains too low, there will not be enough physical stimulus to trigger the body to build up more muscle.

Ideal exercise program

To effectively build up topline, the exercise program should balance both the intensity and the type of training sessions throughout the week or month. It is important to leave adequate time between more intense exercise bouts to allow for proper repair and strengthening of the muscle fibers. If the horse is exercised before the muscle is fully recovered, it will be broken down instead of build up. To avoid a setback in muscle development, include 1-2 days of lighter exercise between high intensity sessions. For the most effective results, you want a step by step increase in exercise intensity over time to maintain the proper progressive loading of the muscle. It is also important to exercise the right type of muscles. Although topline is associated with the muscles along the spine of the horse, it is in fact the core muscles that need to be developed to support the back. Improving general flexibility, strength and core stability is key to developing a healthy topline. Regardless of your discipline, frequently changing up the exercise routine is a good way to keep triggering the adaptive response, thereby continuously stimulating development of different muscle groups. Furthermore, variation in training will provide healthy mental stimulation and keep your horse happier and more focused. Building up a strong topline can only be achieved with proper nutrition and exercise. High quality protein and adequate calories will provide the building blocks and fuel to make muscle protein. Additionally, an appropriate exercise program is needed to stimulate the build-up and maintenance of the topline muscles. If your diet and exercise program are appropriate but your horse is still not building topline, seek advice from a veterinarian. Subtle lameness, pain, disease, viral infections, digestive problems or in some cases underlying metabolic disorders can undermine muscle development.

Cavalor VitAmino is a protein balancer for strong muscles, enriched with vitamins and minerals. It’s a source of high quality proteins that, due to their high digestibility and specific amino acid profile, make an optimal contribution to the development of more muscle mass. When building muscles, it is important that horses have sufficient building materials, including certain amino acids. Cavalor VitAmino contains soy, alfalfa and potato protein that contain all the essential amino acids in the correct proportion so that strong muscles are obtained as efficiently as possible.

Do you want to learn more about the role of nutrition in building muscles?

Visit our Youtube-channel and watch our educational move “Did you know how a horse’s topline is defined?”. Go to youtube.com/cavalorvideo

SAFE TO USE

All Cavalor supplements are backed up by a negative contamination and administration test affected by the LCH in France prior to market introduction. LCH is one of the only 5 IFHA (International Federation of Horse racing Authorities) appointed reference laboratories. This way we assure that our products are safe to use during competition without withdrawal period.

Every yard has one horse that is prone to being a poor doer and is under performing. Does that sound familiar? Add Cavalor Wholegain to their feed. This feed balancer ensures good source of energy and a glossy coat. In addition, this balancer also provides extra nutrients such as B vitamins and minerals, necessary for cell synthesis, recovery and repair; specially designed for horses working at high intensity. Cavalor Derma Spray is essential for every first aid box or grooming kit. This spray is perfectly matched to the pH value of the skin and is ideal for treating minor wounds, itching, irritation and other skin problems. The active pre- and probiotics in Cavalor Derma Spray reinforce the army of good bacteria on the skin and protect the skin flora to support the natural defence mechanisms necessary for healthy skin.

3 TIPS FOR WINNING HOOVES

FROM GODOLPHIN FARRIER DEREK POUPARD

Horse: Ghaiyyath is Cartier horse of the year 2020. 1. Keep a balanced foot

Racehorses have been bred for speed and often have a long pastern with low heels. It is important to keep the hoof and pastern angle aligned and in optimum balance (working with the horse’s conformational limitations) to prevent injury and loss of performance.

2. Shoe at regular intervals

Regular shoeing intervals are very important to minimise unnecessary forces on the tendons and ligaments when travelling at speed. As the hoof grows the angles may change which alter the galloping biodynamics and hoof surface interaction.

3. Provide the right nutrition

A healthy diet as well as feeding a balanced mineral hoof supplement is very important to maintain a strong functioning hoof that can withstand the forces placed upon it.

DID YOU KNOW?

• A natural grazing animal, the horse’s stomach produces acid 24 hours a day to digest food. • In the racehorse, galloping mechanics create splashing of stomach acid up against the unprotected squamous region (upper region) of the stomach wall, causing gastric ulcers. • Increasing roughage intake via trickle feeding ensures the stomach is never completely empty, always has something to digest and remains protected. • Fibre works as a buffer against stomach acid. A kilo of roughage takes 40 minutes’ chewing time and generates 3.5 litres of saliva. This saliva, together with the food itself neutralise the stomach acid, reducing the incidence of gastric ulcers. • Muesli (compared to pellets) also stimulates saliva production. 1kg of muesli needs 900 chewing movements, in contrast to 600 chewing movements for 1kg of a pellet feed.

Cavalor Superforce provides optimum nutrition for pure power and explosive energy. Cavalor Superforce is a top quality sports feed specifically designed to supplement the daily feeding of the racehorse in full work and during race-day. Superforce contains an exceptional mix of balanced omega fatty acids, in addition to amino acids and an extensive range of vitamins, minerals and easily absorbable trace elements.

The feeding of horses that are actively involved in competition can be challenging sometimes. Poor appetite related to gastric issues is more often seen than not. Cavalor Gastro Aid Paste creates a healthy environment in the stomach with a focus on neutralising stomach acid and protecting the stomach wall. It stimulates the horses’ appetite after administering 1 dosage only.

Cavalor LactaTec Paste helps the muscles to perform at their best for peak performance and supports good post exercise recovery, avoiding muscle fatigue. The paste is rapidly absorbed and has been specially developed for targeted use, such as using before a particularly tough training session or race. Give half the syringe the evening before and half in the morning of strenuous exercise. Furthermore, a dose of LactaTec directly after work can aid recovery. Why use electrolytes? Electrolytes are important for hydration management and maintaining the acidity balance in the body. When your horse sweats, such as during a race, training or transport, it loses not only fluid, but also key minerals. With Cavalor Electrolyte Balance, you can make up for any losses, ensure that your horse recovers quickly and remains healthy.

NEED NUTRITIONAL ADVICE?

Our experts will be happy to assist you. Call our Cavalor ConsumerLine +3292202525 or use our online ration calculator tool at www.mycavalor.com

When science meets sports, champions rise

Cavalor is one of the few companies in the world that guarantees that its full product range (if used accordingly our prescribed guidelines) is compliant with FEI and International Federation of Horseracing Authorities rules and can be safely used during the entire season without withdrawal period.

INTERNATIONAL HORSERACING AUTHORITIES