In addition to providing honest advice, we at AskHELTIE believe it's important to have a wealth of information available for horse owners. This way, you can expand your knowledge and help your horse to the best of your ability. Together, we ensure that horses come a little closer to nature.
Minerals
Feeding
Additional minerals healthy for many horses
Minerals are of great importance for all horses. And when a horse sweats a lot, exercises, grows, or has a foal at its side, additional minerals are often needed. Dutch roughage has become increasingly poor in minerals over the last few decades. A horse that only gets hay or hay and a little concentrated feed can therefore develop a deficiency in essential minerals.. Minerals Are Important for Horses Minerals are crucial for the skeleton, nervous system, and digestion of horses. All mammals require various minerals, even if sometimes only in tiny amounts. Sport horses that use their bodies more intensively and sweat more have a higher mineral requirement than horses that only perform light work. They especially need more sodium, chloride, and often potassium. These minerals can be found in electrolyte products. Growing horses and lactating mares also have ab...
Feeding
Why it is best to switch balancers every six months
Many horse owners feed their horses roughage and a balancer pellet. This is an excellent choice for most horses that are ridden recreationally or in basic sports. Roughage is the foundation, and a balancer ensures that your horse gets all the vitamins and minerals it needs daily. However, we do recommend changing the brand every six months!. English: It's obviously very convenient to always use the same balancer. You already know that your horse likes this product and you see that it looks healthy. Nothing more to do, right? It's a bit more nuanced than that… Different Compositions There are many different balancers on the market. Most of them adequately meet your horse's actual daily needs. So, that's not the issue. However, each balancer has a slightly different composition and different ingredients. This depends on the choices ma...
Feeding
Starch: is it the same as sugar for a horse?
You often hear or read that it's not good for horses to consume a lot of sugars. This also applies to sugars from concentrated feed with a lot of grains. The digestive system and metabolism of horses are not well adapted to this. But what about starch? Is it different in this case?. The short answer is "no," it's not different. Starch is essentially viewed by the horse's body as sugar and is therefore just as bad. When looking at the ingredient list of a bag of concentrated feed, it's important to consider both the sugar content and the starch content. For a more detailed answer, let's delve deeper into what "sugar" actually is and how a horse processes it. All Carbohydrates Sugar, starch, and glucose are all forms of carbohydrates. Here's a brief explan...
Respiratory
The best housing for horses with respiratory problems
Horses can suffer from various respiratory conditions, such as a cough or a cold. Chronic issues like COPD, asthma, and dust allergies are also common in horses. How can you best accommodate your horse if it has respiratory problems?. Many people have learned that it is good to stay warm when we are sick. Close the windows to avoid drafts and dress warmly. However, for horses with chronic breathing problems, coughing issues, or a dust allergy, a closed stable is not a good option. Fresh air is very important. Outside! A horse with respiratory problems is best kept outside as much as possible. In a stable, the amount of irritating substances such as dust and ammonia is much higher. These substances irritate the lungs, causing...
Respiratory
Can a horse be cured of a pollen allergy?
When pollen starts floating in the air again in the spring and summer, your horse may suffer from hay fever. Some horses experience symptoms earlier in the year, for example, from blooming trees. Other horses are more sensitive to grasses and shrubs that bloom later in the year. How can you support your horse if he has symptoms, and can a pollen allergy be cured?. An allergy is nothing more or less than an exaggerated reaction of the immune system to certain substances, also known as allergens. Specific cells in the blood, called mast cells, play an important role in this process. They trigger a defense mechanism against the perceived intruder, in this case, an allergen. Horses or people with a pollen allergy will then cough, sneeze, and have a runny nose. The allergic reaction of the mast cells causes small inflammations in the airways and mucous membran...
Nettle
Lymphatic system
Lymphatic problems and CPL: which herbs support your horse?
Your horse's lymphatic system is an important part of the immune system. Fluid and waste products are transported out of the body through the lymphatic vessels. A well-functioning lymphatic system is crucial for a healthy and happy horse. The lymphatic system can be affected by conditions such as CPL and "einschuss." Which herbs can support the lymphatic system?. The Lymphatic System The lymphatic system serves various functions. Lymph nodes filter waste products, harmful bacteria, and toxins from the lymphatic fluid and ensure their removal. This is crucial for the immune system and the self-healing ability of your horse. Moreover, the lymphatic system regulates the fluid balance in the horse's body. When the lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels fail to function properly, fluid buildup can occur. You may observe swollen legs, edema, or CPL (Chronic Progres...
Feeding
Concentrate feed or mineral balancer for horses, do you know the difference?
Concentrate feed became the standard in horse feeding in the last decades of the previous century. Concentrate feed contains vitamins and minerals, to which fillers have been added. The idea behind it is to provide horses with their daily needs. From a different perspective, 'the new feeding,' mineral balancers have been introduced to the market in recent years. But what exactly is the difference between concentrate feed and such a balancer? We have listed it for you.. What is a balancer? A balancer is a pellet containing minerals, vitamins, and trace elements. There are no additional substances such as starch, grains, or fillers. That's why you often only give 100 to 300 grams of a balancer per day. That's enough because the concentrations of vitamins and minerals are high. All essential elements are in that small amount of balancer. Furthermore, your horse only needs roughage. The invention of balancers is related to the desire of many horse owners to feed t...
Others
Are you already taking into account the VAT increase in the Netherlands in 2025?
What a strange topic for us, isn't it? But we still want to pay some attention to this as it will affect many horse owners. Starting January 1, 2025, the reduced VAT rate (9%) on agricultural products not intended for human consumption will be abolished. There is little mention of this in the media, but for us as horse owners, this means a significant increase starting January 1, 2025! Therefore, in this article, we want to draw your attention to the upcoming change.. Still a low VAT rate Currently, the low VAT rate is still applied to agricultural products, which means that bedding, roughage, concentrated feed, and supplements for horses have a VAT rate of 9%. But unfortunately, this is going to change in the Netherlands! Increase of 12%! All roughage, all concentrated feed, all bedding, and all supplements will see a 12% increase! Currently, these products have a VAT rate of 9%, but from January 1, 2025, this rate will go up to 21%. As a result, keeping hor...
Detox
Dandelion
When dandelion and when detox for your horse?
In the wild, horses eat a wide variety of herbs, grasses, and trees. This way, they ensure they get plant-based ingredients that help eliminate waste products and keep their kidneys and liver healthy. Our horses have much less choice and variety in their diet. You can help your horse by offering herbal extracts that have blood-purifying and detoxifying functions. But which supplement should you choose?. There are several herbs that contribute to the elimination of waste products and boost the digestion of horses. In this article, more about dandelion and a detox herbal blend. Dandelion An herbal extract of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is made from the entire plant, including the root. It is a mild extract that can always be given, even to pregnant mares. If your horse has mild digestive disturbances, such as occasional loose stools or excessive gas, dandelion can provide support. Also, if y...
Respiratory
Glanders: how dangerous is it for horses?
Every horse owner has heard of strangles. This contagious bacterial infection rears its head annually. The disease primarily affects younger horses and foals, with a large portion of adult Dutch horses having experienced strangles at some point. Horses become quite sick from strangles, but in most cases, it resolves more or less on its own. However, in 1 to 2 percent of cases, strangles can "strike inward," and then it is usually fatal.. The bacterium that causes strangles is called Streptococcus equi. The bacterium is highly contagious and can be transmitted through nose-to-nose contact, human clothing, water troughs, and items such as halters and brushes. The bacterium can survive for a few days in water and soil. Outbreaks usually occur in colder months. Infected horses develop fever and nasal discharge, initially white and then yellow. These horses should be immediately isolated. Monitor the other horses daily to detect case...
Nettle
Detox
Dandelion
Your horse's liver and kidneys: keep them healthy!
The liver and kidneys have an important function in eliminating waste products through urine and feces. The liver also plays a crucial role in digestion and the production and storage of vitamins. The kidneys are essential for electrolyte balance and hydration of your horse. How do you keep your horse's liver and kidneys healthy?. What Do a Horse’s Kidneys Do? The kidneys remove excess salts, water, and waste products from the bodies of mammals. They are part of a system that includes the urinary tract and the bladder. For this system to function well, a horse must always have access to plenty of fresh water so it can drink adequately. Keeping the Kidneys Healthy To keep your horse’s kidneys healthy, first ensure there is always fresh drinking water available. Clean the water trough daily. Also, make sure your horse gets...
Digestion
What you need to know about equine digestion
Horses have a unique digestive system, which has a huge impact on their health. A horse with a healthy digestive system is healthy, happy, and balanced. It is therefore important to understand what makes the digestive system of horses so special.. A horse is not a human, and a horse is also not a cow. That's obvious, but it's sometimes forgotten when we talk about digestion and the gastrointestinal system. However, it's an important fact because horses need to be fed differently than cows or humans. 'Hind gut fermenter' A horse is a so-called 'hind gut fermenter.' With this English term, scientists indicate that the main part of the food digestion process in horses occurs in the hind part of the digestive tract. That is to say: in the lar...