Only a strong horse's body can achieve high athletic performance. But what does your horse need for this?
Manuel Neuer has it, dressage rider Jessica von Bredow-Werndl does too, and Arnold Schwarzenegger certainly does: what is meant is well-developed muscles.
Muscles are responsible for the explosive power of show jumping and western horses, the speed of a galloper, the endurance of an endurance horse, and the fine motor skills of a dressage horse. And, of course, a well-muscled horse is a real feast for the eyes.
Even in leisure riding, strong muscles keep your horse fit and healthy. So what can you do to optimally support your horse in building muscle?
Three factors are crucial: the right training, the right feeding and sufficient regeneration.
A varied training plan for muscle building is half the battle for a well-trained horse. Once the foundation has been established, feeding should be adjusted as quickly as possible.
The most important thing for your horse's muscle building is high-quality protein sources. No matter how hard you train, without the right building blocks (essential amino acids), your horse's body cannot build strong basic muscles for greater athletic performance.
Ready for the sugar shock?
Unfortunately, there is a myth circulating in equestrian circles that this also requires quickly available carbohydrates.
A mistake: Many food supplements like muesli are packed with sugar and grains (gluten). Essential amino acids? None! Honestly, have you ever felt like you've truly made a healthy choice by choosing a "fitness muesli"?
So what can you do now? Also feed your dog supplements like cereal? Even though you now know they're packed with sugar instead of providing nutrients that actually build muscle? Doesn't that feel wrong in the long run?
Your gut feeling is right! Such feed additives are simply not good for your horse. They make horses tense, overheat—and gain weight.
But it gets even worse: Sugar and starch can trigger laminitis, one of the most feared—and painful—horse diseases. This causes inflammation of the hoof capsule. In extreme cases, it can lead to shoeing. And all because of a little sugar...
Is it possible to do without sugary feed additives?
I also gave my horse muesli because I wanted to promote muscle growth alongside training. While I'm no nutrition expert, I quickly realized that the muesli wasn't good for my horse in the long run.
It all started last year. My 7-year-old gelding, Gustl, was supposed to build muscle. When I started giving him muscle-building muesli, he became sluggish and difficult to ride. He became tense, and his rideability declined significantly.
Although I was still able to ride him, I increasingly lost contact with him, and his overall condition deteriorated. Then things got progressively worse.
He suddenly became extremely nervous, could hardly be ridden, and even when being groomed he never stayed still.
Just like you, I was desperately looking for a better solution. Luckily, I found a veterinarian who recommended a muscle-building feed that contains no processed sugar but is packed with nutrients. It's called Pferdegold Pellets.
The vet swears by the pellets, although she was initially skeptical about the natural food. I'll never forget her words:
"Form your own opinion, but from my experience, here you have a natural alternative to sugary muscle-building foods that actually works."
Gustl was getting better every day. He was truly free, and I was finally able to ride him again. Every now and then, we even managed flying changes, something we hadn't attempted for months.
Call it magic, but after just four weeks, I could see visible muscle growth. His endurance increased, and sometimes I can hardly believe my Gustl has developed so well.
I wish I'd known about Horse Gold Muscles earlier. Then I would have given it to my horse as he grew up. Well, better late than never!
What makes the product so special and popular?
I was wondering the same thing. So I called Pferdegold. To my surprise, the founder personally took the time to speak with me.
"Pferdegold Muskel was born out of the desire to enrich the lives of our horses and create a natural product that truly helps!" says Managing Director Florian Keller, Dipl.-Ing.
And Mr. Keller means business. The former BMW engineer quit his well-paid job for horse money and risked everything for his dream.
"As studies show, one of the main problems of horses with poor muscle development is a deficiency of essential amino acids. If just one amino acid is missing, muscle growth is inhibited," explains Mr. Keller.
In this deficiency situation, the horse’s body literally lacks the right “building blocks” for optimal muscle development.
Many riders then resort to muesli to promote muscle growth. This is a common mistake: These are usually packed with sugar and fillers and therefore do not correct the amino acid deficiency.
"It's the same trick we humans fall for. We're lured by ever-new fitness cereals. But let's be honest: who among you has ever felt like they've built muscle by eating a bowl of cereal?" Mr. Keller continued.
These products are therefore not the right choice. This is why Mr. Keller developed Pferdegold Muskel.
The freshwater algae Spirulina Platensis contains special proteins that can help correct amino acid deficiencies.
What's special about it: The rare omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA are found only in marine algae and fish. These can support nutrient transport in your horse's body, ensuring that every building block reaches where it's needed.
Pferdegold Muscles doesn't rely on sugar, but rather on valuable amino acid building blocks. These help muscles function better and regulate themselves naturally. The pellets contain all eight essential amino acids – and even two semi-essential amino acids. "Essential" means that the horse's body cannot produce them itself, so they must be supplemented with the feed.
Comparison with similar products
I've also tried other muscle-building products for comparison. The problem with pure powder products is that they're poorly absorbed. Neither my horse nor my friends' horses ate it.
One alternative is said to be vitamin E. While the vitamin is certainly useful, the literature clearly shows that hardly any horse suffers from a vitamin E deficiency.
According to Pferdegold, the algae gives the pellets a delicate nutty flavor. I don't know a single horse that doesn't enjoy eating them.
With the other muscle products, my horse immediately started to get hot. No wonder, since one reputable product even had sugar as the main ingredient! I wish I'd checked the ingredients list beforehand. Not so with Pferdegold Muskel. With only 3% beet syrup (beet syrup is a natural source of chromium), the pellets are virtually sugar-free.
When comparing the price of Pferdegold Muscles with other products, it's worth taking a closer look at the ingredients. With Pferdegold, you simply get more for your money. The pellets contain no fillers, grains, or processed sugar, but they contain almost three times as many nutrients as many other products. So, the price/performance ratio is right.
According to Mr. Keller, Pferdegold has already restored the quality of life to over 50,000 horses. My horse is now one of them. I hope there will be many more in the future!
Our tip:
Has my story touched you? Is it also your greatest wish for your horse to enjoy life again? Then I highly recommend Pferdegold Muskel (Rhinestone Muscles). If you'd like to try the pellets, you can order the supplement directly from the friendly family business in their online shop. Thanks to the 30-day money-back guarantee, you take no risk.
Pferdegold® Muscles
The first 2-in-1 solution for increased muscle growth and suppleness. This supplement improves endurance and promotes rideability.
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