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.
Stress
Feeding
The different types of stress in horses
Horses can experience different types of stress. All these types of stress have their own form of expression. Sometimes it is also not immediately obvious that certain behaviour stems from stress. In fact, much stress in horses is wrongly interpreted as disobedience.. In addition, there is a difference between short-term stress and prolonged stress. In general, we can say that being startled once is not a problem, but prolonged exposure to stressors is. When stress becomes chronic, it can lead to continuously elevated cortisol levels in the blood, which can cause physical damage. Long-term stress can also lead to issues such as stomach ulcers, unmanageable behavior, weight loss, stiff muscles, and depression in your horse. Physical Stress / Training Stress Ph...
Insulin resistance
Nutrition, herbs and supplements for horses with Insulin Resistance
If your horse has insulin resistance (IR), appropriate nutrition is very important. For instance, your horse should not eat too many fast sugars and starches. A deficiency in minerals such as magnesium can also worsen IR. Finally, certain herbs can help to better regulate blood sugar levels and support the immune system.. A diet low in sugars and starch, combined with sufficient exercise and the right supplements, can help improve insulin sensitivity. It’s important to tailor the diet to the individual needs of the horse. Often, you can see your horse becoming fitter, leaner, and more energetic when you’re on the right track, but it can be helpful to have a vet check blood glucose levels from time to time. Nutrition is Key Nutrition plays a crucial role in both the prevention and management of IR in horses. First...
Insulin resistance
What food to avoid for a horse with insulin resistance?
The insensitivity to insulin—and the resulting metabolic disruption—is caused by persistently high blood sugar levels. IR can trigger and worsen various diseases, such as EMS, laminitis, Cushing's disease, and sweet itch. Low-Sugar Diet For horses with IR, a diet low in sugar and starch is recommended. If your horse is overweight, has a cresty neck, or frequently rubs its mane and tail, it's wise to avoid sugary feeds. This means: as little grain and concentrate as possible. Instead, the diet sh...
Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance in horses: What happens at the cellular level?
Insulin resistance (IR) in horses is a metabolic disorder in which the body becomes less sensitive to the hormone insulin. What exactly happens in the body and cells of a horse with insulin resistance?. From Sugars to Glucose When a horse consumes sugar-rich foods such as grains and grass, its body breaks down these carbohydrates into glucose. This leads to an increase in blood sugar levels. In response, the body produces insulin, the hormone that helps transport glucose into the body’s cells. Glucose serves as an energy source for all the daily functions of the cells. Insulin Resistance With IR (Insulin Resistance), the body becomes less sensitive to insulin. When large amounts of sugar are co...
Feeding
Diseases
Welfare
What are mycotoxins in horses?
Health problems like a disturbed immune system, an overloaded liver can be caused by mycotoxins. This can then cause vague symptoms such as reduced resistance, skin problems, poor hoof growth and behavioural changes. But what are mycotoxins, how do horses ingest them and what are natural ingredients to get rid of mycotoxins in horses?. What Are Mycotoxins? Mycotoxins and endotoxins are toxic substances produced by molds. Hay (especially silage and haylage), grass (that has been turned and may have heated), straw, grains, concentrates, and other types of feed can contain these mycotoxins. Especially when stored improperly, there's a risk that mycotoxins are present. Mycotoxins are not visible to the naked eye, but their impact on your horse's health can be significant. They disrupt the immune system and place a heavy burden on...
Breeding
Floxely is expecting a foal! Are you following along? Part 2
In part 1, you could read how 2023 was not a successful year to get Floxely pregnant. Of course, we didn't give up and just started again in 2024 in good spirits to cover Floxely. So in part 2, I take you through what I did to get everything as optimal as possible for Floxely.. Beautiful Start to the Year with Strong Heat Cycles 2024 started off great in terms of heat cycles! Flox came into season beautifully—just as I know her. But it was still early in the year, so we had to wait and see how things would develop. Then, in March, something very sad happened in my personal life. And because Flox and I are so deeply connected, it affected her as well. At the start of the breeding season, my mind just wasn’t in it. It didn’t feel right at the time. As a result, Floxely d...
Insulin resistance
Diseases
What is the difference between IR and EMS in horses?
Insulin resistance (IR) and Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) are two related, but different, conditions in horses. Both diseases involve a disturbed metabolism and excess weight. To help your horse properly, it is important to know exactly what is going on.. What is Insulin Resistance (IR)? Insulin resistance is a condition in which a horse's cells become less sensitive to the hormone insulin. This means that the body becomes less efficient at absorbing glucose from the blood. Since the glucose is no longer properly removed from the blood, blood sugar levels increase. As a result, the horse has more difficulty maintaining balanced blood sugar levels. The primary cause of insulin resistance is overweight. When a horse receives more feed or a diet hig...
Breeding
What is colostrum and why is it so important for the foal?
A newborn foal must drink enough colostrum from its mother within 24 hours. This is hugely important for a young foal's resistance and health. Why is this so? And why should it be so soon?. Colostrum is the first milk a mare produces. It is also known as first milk and is thicker and more yellow in color than the milk the mare will produce later. Colostrum is rich in essential nutrients such as fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, colostrum contains important antibodies and immunoglobulins that support the foal’s immune system. These antibodies help protect the foal from diseases and infections during its early life. Low Immunity Foals receive very few antibodies fr...
Feeding
Why fewer ingredients in supplements is better: Less is more!
In the world of supplements, it often seems: the more ingredients, the better. But is that actually true? At AskHELTIE, we believe in the power of simplicity and effectiveness. In this blog, we explain why it is better to choose supplements with only a few, well-chosen ingredients.`. The Power of Targeted Dosage Many supplements contain a long list of herbs and other additives. This may seem appealing, but the problem is that the dosage per ingredient is often very low. If a product contains, for example, twenty different herbs, your horse will only receive a tiny amount of each. This is often too little to have a real effect. By choosing supplements with only a few key ingredients, you ensure that each component is present in an effective dosage. This makes the supplement m...
Breeding
Do's and don'ts when giving birth to a foal
Your mare is pregnant and the birth of the foal is approaching. An exciting and special event, even if you have experienced it before. Fortunately, most births go well, but if not, you need to act very quickly. We list the do's and don'ts of giving birth.. In general, a pregnancy duration of 11 months is usually assumed, but on average, mares carry for 340 days. That is a good week longer than eleven months. A foal is viable from 320 days but can also remain in the womb until 360 or even 365 days. Some mares always carry over by a few weeks. Inducing labor in these mares is not a good idea and is almost never necessary. Do: Keep an eye on your mare Labor progresses quickly, and sometimes you will see little to no signs in your mare in the hours le...
Breeding
Vitamin E
Feeding
Why vitamin E is so important for your horse at the end of winter
Winter is drawing to a close and the first signs of spring are becoming visible. For horses, this means that grazing is back in sight, but this transition period in particular is a time when extra attention is needed for your horse's vitamin E status. In this blog, we explain why it is important to supplement vitamin E at the end of winter and how this will benefit your horse's health.. Vitamin E is an essential antioxidant that helps protect body cells from damage caused by free radicals. It supports muscle function, the immune system, and the overall health of the horse. Horses normally obtain a large portion of their vitamin E from fresh grass, but in the winter months, this source is limited or unavailable, making it necessary to supplement their intake in other ways. Deficiencies After Winter During the winter months, many horses rely on hay as their primary feed, but hay...