Feeding Mustard Won’t Cure Tying-Up in Horses

Tying-up is a general term used to describe the severe muscle cramping seen in some horses following periods of exercise. Not all cases of tying-up have the same cause. Nutritional imbalances, level of fitness, electrolyte depletion, and genetic defects in muscle function are among the factors that may be related to cramping episodes.

A rumored do-it-yourself attempt to prevent tying-up involves squirting mustard into a horse’s mouth before exercise such as trail riding. The principle behind this seems to be an incorrect belief that cramping occurs because a horse is deficient in acetylcholine, a substance that helps to regulate muscle contraction. Because mustard contains acetic acid, something the body uses to produce acetylcholine, owners believed supplementing with the condiment would help their horses boost acetylcholine levels and prevent tying-up.

Unfortunately, this home remedy has no effect on tying-up, partly because low levels of acetylcholine are almost never to blame for muscle cramping. Also, feeding a component of a particular substance does not guarantee that the body can actually use that ingredient to produce more of the needed substance.

“But I just know the mustard helped my horse,” a rider might insist. In cases where a horse was supplemented with mustard and subsequently showed no signs of tying-up, the explanation could be that the horse was ridden more and gained muscular strength and fitness from the exercise. Horses that are idle during the week but are ridden for hours on a weekend often suffer muscle cramping due to a lack of conditioning. A regular program of exercise, beginning with short periods of easy work and progressing toward longer and more strenuous exertion, can go a long way toward preventing cramping from simple muscle fatigue. Use of supplemental electrolytes is another precaution that can keep horses that sweat heavily from experiencing tying-up.

Because many factors can influence muscle cramping, a horse owner’s best bet is to consult a veterinarian or equine nutritionist if tying-up doesn’t improve after using the suggestions above. These professionals can often diagnose the particular trigger for tying-up and can suggest simple feeding and management changes that will help to alleviate the problem.