Building Strength through your Horse’s Topline

By Alicia Johnson

Topline, the area that runs from a horse’s withers, along its spine and and over its hindquarters, is important to assess. Not only is this muscle group responsible for supporting the spine and joints of your equine, it also indicates overall muscle health and nutrition in your horse. The muscles that comprise the topline: trapezius, latissimus and longissimus dorsi, superficial gluteal, biceps femoris, and more are crucially vital because they act as a buffer to the weight of a rider in the saddle.

We basically want to see topline in our horses for two main reasons: athleticism and appearance. Since topline is muscle, horses with ample topline have more strength and ability to move well and jump with power. As far as appearance goes, show horses and performance horses are expected to have a well-muscled physique.

Being ridden too young, poor diet, lack of the right kind of exercise, and degenerative muscle conditions are just a few reasons why your horse may lose topline. A racehorse turned riding horse may also struggle with a defined topline due to the different styles in riding during post- track transition. Despite the reason why your horse’s topline may be lacking, or why you want to improve it, there are specific exercises to help you do just that.

Erica Momrow, trainer at Oak Crest Farms in Eads, Tenn., says “A horse builds topline by stretching his neck and head downward and forward while pushing from the hind end and lifting his back.” A simple exercise she suggests to build topline is to allow your horse to get into a “stretchy trot.” She states this does not mean for the horse to simply go faster, “but allow it to stretch its topline forward and downward while adding leg and holding your own balance with a larger post.” If the trot simply gets faster, that defeats the purpose. You should see the trot stretch out and the horse’s back round up slightly like a rainbow.

Another simple exercise Erica suggests to improve topline strength and definition is trotting with a soft hand over poles or Cavalettis. “These poles allow the horse to look down and stretch its head and neck to assess the takeoff and landing while its back and hindquarters come up higher to clear the pole,” Erica states. However, she does caution you to measure correctly. If you use more than one pole, allow room for your horse’s trot step. According to Erica, four to five human toe-to-heel steps equal one average horse trot step. This will allow you to place the poles or Cavalettis appropriately.

Along with these exercises, consider consulting with an Equine Nutritionist if you’re trying to maintain or improve your horse’s topline. A high-protein diet with the correct levels of essential amino acids may be necessary. Supplements, such as lysine, vitamin E, or selenium, may be beneficial in conjunction with a targeted exercise program.

Equine topline is fundamental to your horse’s movement. It allows your horse to exert itself when asked while providing itself protection from injury. A well-conditioned topline is necessary for your horse to perform and recover. Keeping your horse’s topline maintained will provide not only comfort for your horse during a ride, but will increase its overall performance as well.