Top line…have read about exercises to build topline but what about supplements? Any suggestions for supplememt to build topline? Thanks
In combination with a good feed, properly-fitted tack and correct work, I had good luck with AniMed’s Muscle Up. Vet recommended Nutrena Topline Xtreme - too expensive in my opinion. I’ve also tried SmartPak Muscle Mass and wasn’t wild about it either. The AniMed worked well for my horse and is fairly inexpensive.
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I have had great luck with Progressive topline Advanced. And my picky eater eats it on his beet pulp mash!
becky
I use Purina Supersport for my mare, she came back to work after an extended maternity leave…it has helped (in combination with fairly good nutrition otherwise and correct work), but it’s very expensive. I’m curious to hear if anyone else has other suggestions of something similar but less expensive, so am following this thread.
How is the overall weight of the horse? How old? It’s one of the last places a horse will build muscle, so sometimes you just need to add patience. What are you currently feeding on a daily basis, and is the horse gaining weight or staying the same?
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TriAmino works great and is inexpensive (cheapest I’ve found is the bigger buckets from Stateline). My mare has put on a ton of topline with this in her supps.
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Is this about a particular horse? If so, more details would be useful - age, breed, picture (VERY helpful), length of time in work, what kind of work, and his full diet and turnout situation.
If this is in general, then the “best” supplement is the one that fills in the nutrient gaps his regular diet is missing.
Toplines are conformational and work-related, also health-related (ie unbalanced feet will never allow him to use his body to its full extent to be able to develop the right muscles), and also work-related and tack fit related.
The diet should supply enough calories, quality protein (not the same as crude protein), and that means enough amino acids, particularly lysine and methionine.
That’s why most “topline” supplements are high in those 2 AAs. Tri-Amino and Nutramino are 2 that contain those 2, plus some threonine.
Some horses need a bit more fat in their diet to really round out some muscles.
If the horse is only on hay/grass, than something as simple as a ration balancer may be all the “supplement” it takes.
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my horse is older - late teens. he is fed a high quality feed and hay. has good turnout. ive decided to invest more time in riding so he is being ridden about 5 days a week. he sweats a lot as we are in the south. he’s very fit, doesnt look or act his age!
We doubled my guys Tribute EK and that really helped him (6 yr old gelding in light work).
When the amino product I was using here in Ontario skyrocketed in price, I shopped around and found Horsetech’s Nutramino was more cost-effective than Tri-Amino, with the exact same specs. I was also very happy with their customer service - shipped fast and free, came with cookies 
and I had requested a small sample of another product to make sure my horse would eat it before buying a large container, and they sent me a whole bag (about a month’s supply)!
how much of what kind of hay? How much and what specific feed?
ive decided to invest more time in riding so he is being ridden about 5 days a week. he sweats a lot as we are in the south. he’s very fit, doesnt look or act his age!
Definitely more work is needed for a good topline if he’s being ridden less than 5 days a week. The work has to be quality work as well.
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I’m in the US, and if I buy 2 5# of Tri-Amino from Stateline (buying 2 at a time saves $3/bucket), it comes out to $76.36 with shipping for 226 servings, so .34c a day.
NutraAmino from Horsetech is $93 for 200 servings, so 47c/day, which is comparable to TriAmino if you buy it 2# at a time from SmartPak.
Topline is a result of riding in frame (collection–something many people think they do, but they don’t really) and proper nutrition. Fat can help topline. Cool Calories is an affordable, 99% fat supplement.
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Collection is way up the scale of training, and while it will put the best topline (muscle development) on a horse, a horse doesn’t need to be truly collected to have a great topline. Hunters, for example, will never have the muscle development that properly trained GP Dressage horses do, all else equal, because they are not working in collection. They don’t need to. But a well-trained Hunter will have a lovely topline that’s appropriate for his age/breed/level of work.
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I use Triple Crown 30% now, but used to use Tribute Essential K - they are almost the same thing.
I have used Topline Advantage and Topline Extreme with limited results.
What made my horse jack up to Hulk size was getting him on exceptionally good footing and all of the sudden he just exploded with muscle. It made me feel SUPER guilty about keeping him at a farm with not so good footing for so long.
Essential K worked really well for me for my thoroughbred’s topline.
This. I have an OTTB that has weight and corresponding topline issues. I’ve had really good luck adding fat (I use Buckeye Ultimate Finish 100) and a Purina Amplify.
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I will add, deworming for encysted strongyles & tapes, specifically, should be done.
