Topline Mixes

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Nuttymanxmare

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What are everyone's views on these?

I always thought the best way to improve topline was by working the horse correctly.
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Unfortunaltly for me madam is a typical ex Polo pony (looks like a giraffe
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) and cant be worked at the moment so she looks pretty poor especially after the winter we have had.
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Someone has suggested I try a topline mix but obviously I dont want waste a lot of money trying it if they dont work in the first place.
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If your horse is looking poor before you go buying things like top line mix you need to look at what you are feeding her now, and what the quantities are.

Whilst I do understand that some horses simply don't winter as well as other horses - there is absolutely no reason for them to end up looking poor, unless they are ill, not properly managed or not fed enough.

So, what does she currently get feed wise - including how much hay/haylage??
 
Well different feeds have different ratio's of carbs/fibre/protein/fats etc, the topline/conditioning feeds are designed to increase weight gain, so yes they should help.

You are also correct that to build up topline the horse needs to build correct muscle, this is done by a combination of the right work plus the correct feeding.

If your horse is looking poor then there are 3 things to do. Make sure she is wormed correctly (might be worth getting a worm count done), if she hasn't seen a dentist in the last 6 months then get her teeth done. Finally make sure she is getting as much good quality fibre as possible, so adlib hay/haylage.

Then start looking to increase / change her hard feed. Certainly a conditioning feed would be a good place to start.
 
She doesnt look poor in the sense she is underweight if anything she looks fab for the winter we have had. Its just she has no topline as shes been out to grass since last summer when I had to stop riding her due to her feet.

Ive got the farrier coming at the end of the month so hopefully he will be able to advise that I can start lunging her.

It was just recommended to me that I try a topline mix and wondered if they did actually work!!
 
I've had a couple of ex-polo ponies and they all look like that - horrible dippy back, no topline, head up in the clouds. I spend a lot of time with them lunging in a chambon and asking them to go in an outline especially up hills. I have tried Baileys Topline and it's OK but no substitute for proper work. In fact the thing that helped me a lot was to add egg white to their feed (I think the yolk smells funny because they wouldn't eat it). If they looked really scrappy, I fed them linseed and cod liver oil - the important thing is the protein. That said, I also found Baileys Feed Balancer very good for them(used to use the Stud Balancer now onto LoCal).

One more word of advice, be careful lunging the ex-polo pony - they are used to straight line gallop then turning on a sixpence and then straight line gallop back. They almost never get lunged or do work in circles so take it easy on their legs!
 
It does make me titter a bit when I read things like 'Topline' Mix. How on earth a foodstuff can locate and build a topline is quite beyond me!

With the correct work then maybe it will assist but i think you already know that!
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My mare's an ex polo pony too. I did find topline cubes helped in combination with working her correctly. Fed alone, they won't do much, and if she's currently off work you might be better off trying a weight-gain feed. Baileys No 1 worked well for me - weight without fizziness.
 
Topine mix's tend to have more protein, and this is what helps the muscles to build with the correct work. (As I understand it.)

I found that Spillers Conditioning cubes were good. Beware of mixes, as some horses fizz on even the 'cool mix'. We tried the Baileys 17 and she turned into a race horse
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I must admit I was very sceptical about the topline feeds. I have put my 3 and 5 year old on them and within 3 weeks I have noticed a complete difference in them. You don't feed as much as a normal hard feed. One is on box rest at the moment so have reduced quantities. Their coats shine and the 3 year olds condition has improved quite alot. I feed it with Alph A and sugar beet, and I use Baileys No, 4 cubes.
 
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