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...

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...

Floxely is expecting a foal! Are you following along? Part 1

It is now March 2025 and that means that in about 3.5 months Marjolijn's mare (Floxely) will have a foal. Super cool of course and very special to witness! But how did this whole process go? How was the stallion choice made, what changes were made and what else has changed since Floxely got pregnant? In this blog series, Marjolijn takes you through this whole process!.

Preparing your mare for the birth of the foal

If your mare is expecting a foal, it is an exciting time. Preparing for the birth starts well before the due date. What do you need to think about and what do you need to have in the house?. The most important thing you can do to prepare for the birth as best as possible is to keep your mare in good health and condition. Giving birth is like top-level sports, so you want your mare to be optimally prepared. Growing the foal in the womb and nursing it afterward are also intensive processes. Sufficient Exercise Make sure your mare continues to get enough exercise, even in the final phase of pregnancy. Plenty of free movement with social contact is essential, but riding, lunging, or gro...

What if your (older) horse can no longer eat so easily?

You know the drill: you put down the feed bowl, and normally it is empty in no time. But suddenly you notice that your horse takes longer to eat, leaves food on the table or maybe even spills or crams it. Maybe at first you thought he was just having a lesser appetite for once, but when it happens more often, a light bulb goes on. What is going on?. Older horses can struggle with eating for various reasons. One of the most common causes is their teeth. After years of chewing, their teeth wear down, sharp edges or hooks may develop, or they may even lose teeth. It’s understandable that eating becomes more difficult! Another factor is digestion. As a horse ages, its ability to absorb nutrients decreases. Even if it can still chew reasonably well, it may still lose weight or have less energy. Painful joints can also play a role—bending down to...

The role of trace elements in the equine body

A horse needs daily vitamins, minerals as well as trace elements in its ration. Trace elements are also known as microminerals; they are important in small quantities. This is in contrast to macrominerals such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, of which a horse needs quite a lot every day. What do trace elements do?. The most important trace elements for horses are: iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, selenium, cobalt, molybdenum, and sulfur. These minerals are needed in small amounts for the proper functioning of a horse. Long-term Considerations Trace elements are not always sufficiently present in roughage or grass. This usually doesn’t lead to an immediate problem, but in the long term, deficiencies can arise that affect your horse’s health. Trace elements must also be present in your horse's diet. Fo...

What happens in the horse's body when there are deficiencies?

If your horse is fed a ration that does not meet all its needs, various problems can arise. Sometimes you can see this quite quickly, but in other cases, the body masks deficiencies of certain nutrients until it really can't. And then you can ‘suddenly’ have a bigger problem.. A horse needs energy, building blocks, vitamins, and minerals for its daily functioning. If an animal does not get enough energy, this is usually quite easy to see: the horse will lose weight. You can easily solve this by providing more roughage or adding some oil to the diet. Of course, weight loss can also be caused by certain diseases, dental problems, or a worm infestation. If adding energy to the diet does not help, consult your veterinarian. Self-produced or from feed? Your horse produces...

Does horse hay contain enough minerals and vitamins?

Hay is the basic ration for horses. Hay is dried grass and what it contains is determined by the type of soil, fertilisation and growing conditions of that grass. The length and conditions of storage also affect the substances contained in hay. The question is therefore: is your horse getting enough vitamins and minerals from its hay?. Fresh grass contains many important nutrients for horses, including a variety of vitamins. However, when grass is dried and stored, some of these vitamins gradually diminish. Vitamin E, which is essential for muscles, starts to break down fairly quickly after harvesting. If your horse does not eat fresh grass, you should supplement this vitamin. Vitamin A also disappears relatively fast. This is why many horse owners feed their horses carrots in winter, as they are rich in vitamin A. Additionall...

What is Brainwork? In broad terms, brainwork involves hiding food in, on, or between materials that are unfamiliar to horses. When it comes to food, you can choose fresh vegetables or fruit, but since you’ll need a lot of treats, healthy and not-too-large horse snacks are also very suitable. Especially for horses that are sensitive to sugar, it’s important to choose treats with a low sugar content. You can hide the treats in a sniffle mat, but you could also use a large feed bucket filled with d...

The difference between organic and inorganic mineral supplements for horses

When it comes to minerals for horses, you quite often hear the terms ‘organic compound’ and ‘inorganic compound’ come up. This sounds a bit complicated, but what exactly is it? And why is this important when choosing a supplement, balancer or feed for your horse?. The difference between organic and inorganic mineral compounds lies in the chemical structure of the molecules. The atoms of a mineral are always bound to one or more other atoms to form a stable compound, which can then be given to your horse in powder or liquid form. This bond with other atoms determines whether the mineral is in an organic or inorganic form. Organic Mineral Compounds In an organic compound, minerals are bound to carbon-containing molecules, such as amino acids or proteins. An...