Why/how do certain herbivores, such as horses and deer, have so much muscle mass?

Question

I'm asking this because most humans (vegetarians), when the limit their intake of meats and eggs which provide protein, are often viewed as being "unhealthy" and not as strong as those who consume large amounts of protein. Yet, in the animal kingdom, there are plenty of examples of muscular herbivores? So why/how does this work for certain animals yet not the human animal?

Answer 1

Differnet animals are able to get nutrients more efficiently from different foods. Herbivores have strategies for maximizing nutrients from grasses. They have grinding teeth, multiple stomachs, chew their cud, etc...
Carnivores (true ones) simply can't do this. They get their protein from meat.

Humans are designed to eat veggies to a large extent with some meat/fat/sugars thrown in now and then.

Answer 2

How many vegeterians do you know that sleep standing up? How many babies you know can walk when they are born? How fast can you run 25MPH? No, no one? Horses and other herbivores have survived because they can do such things. Their bodies work completely different than for us humans. But the reason many of such humans do not have "the look" is because they do not work at it. We can get protein from other sources other than meat. Beans is on top of the list with about 9 grams (per 100 grams or about 3.5 oz) but you can also get protein from pears (7 grams), asparagus, cauliflowers, brocolli (3 grams). You would have to consume more compare to meats chiken (26g), pork chops (28g). buger (18g). But you can still get protein. In addition, to build muscle you have to excercise (how about sprinting been chased by a lion until the lion gets tired?). The reason that Bob the fat blob that eats meat 5 times a day next door does not have the mass look is the same reason that Jimmy the vegeterian toothpick does not either. Usually is what they not do more than what they eat.

Answer 3

Horses have specialized digestive tracts that enable them to digest fibrous foods and extract a lot more proteins from them. They are muscular because natural selection has bred them that way to evade predators. P.S. Most whumans are omnivores.

Answer 4

Well, we aren't chased by humans and wolves. They excercise alot 'cause there're either running from us or running while we're on them.