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.
Guest blog
Breeding
Floxely is expecting a foal! Are you following along? Part 4
Soooooo happy!!! After nearly two years, it finally worked out — Floxely is pregnant! I could hardly believe it actually happened, especially since I had already started letting go of the idea. Everything happened so fast, my head could barely keep up. And I don’t think Floxely could either.. Truly a bit confused The heat Flox showed before insemination was intense — the strongest she’d had in a long time. And I could tell the hormones really threw her off. And now with the pregnancy, new and different hormones came into play again, which clearly affected Floxely. I noticed she was mentally a bit confused. She really needed some time to process all the internal changes. She seemed distant, more inward-focused. And physically, especially in her pelvis, she struggled with the looseness...
Electrolytes
Minerals
Why Is There Dextrose in Electrolytes for Horses?
Electrolytes are essential for a horse's recovery and hydration after exercise, hot weather, or diarrhea. But if you take a closer look at the ingredients of many electrolyte products, you’ll often find dextrose (grape sugar) listed as well. This raises questions: why include sugar in a supplement meant to replenish fluids and salts? Does dextrose have a specific role, or is it just a cheap filler? In this blog, we’ll explain exactly what dextrose does in an electrolyte supplement and why it plays an important role in the absorption of minerals.. What Are Electrolytes? Let’s start with the basics! Electrolytes are minerals that are crucial for muscle function, nerve activity, and fluid balance. For horses, the most important ones are sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium. When a horse sweats, it loses large amounts of these minerals—especially sodium and chloride. If these are not replenished, fatigue, muscle issues, and even dehydration can occur. The Role of Dextrose in Electrolyte Products Dextrose is often seen as a sug...
Stress
What influence do you have on your horse's competition stress?
When we go to competition with our horse, we go out of our comfort zone. Not only the comfort zone of the horse, who suddenly has to perform in a strange ring with strange noises and other horses, but also out of our own comfort zone. How does your stress affect your horse's stress level?. A story from the practice of a physiotherapist who works with the Flexchair: “I once had a row of Flexchairs set up during a demonstration, with a group of focused riders doing exercises to improve their balance and mobility.” A Flexchair is a type of saddle connected to a computer. On the screen, you see a ball that you have to keep within a specific shape – for example, moving it left to right along a horizontal bar. You do this by shifting the saddle using your seat. The physiotherapist: “I q...
Welfare
Did you know that social interaction improves horses' overall health?
One of the basic requirements for horse welfare is the freedom to express natural behaviour. Contact with conspecifics is part of this. A horse is a herd animal and needs other horses to function properly.. Contact with other horses includes behaviors like sniffing, playing, and mutual grooming (scratching each other). A lack of, or very limited, social contact can lead to (chronic) stress in horses, which results in elevated cortisol levels in the blood. Cortisol is a stress hormone. When this naturally occurring substance remains at high levels in the bloodstream for too long, it can lead to various (serious) health issues. Cortisol Spending time with other horses and engaging in activities like...
Guest blog
Breeding
Floxely is expecting a foal! Are you following along? Part 3
Would there still be a heat in 2024? That was the big question I kept asking myself. And yes, at the beginning of June I let it go. Took the pressure off and trusted that if a foal was meant for us, Floxely would go into heat. I never doubted she would get pregnant — I just knew that as soon as she came into heat, she’d conceive immediately. I truly felt that in everything!. And then suddenly she was in heat!! I remember brushing Flox one evening in mid-July when I caught that familiar smell of a mare in heat. Mare owners know that scent! But I didn’t see any signs of heat, so I didn’t give it much attention. Because when Floxely is truly in heat, you see it, you hear it, and you smell it! But the next day, my stable owner messaged me saying she suspected Flox was in heat. Could it be? Of course, we didn’t take any risks and immediately called the vet to come scan h...
Magnesium
Stress
Stress at outdoor competitions: help your horse through the summer!
Flapping flags, prams, chip stalls, birds flying up, motorbikes passing by, a scary jury box or a shiny car next to the ring regularly cause tension in competition horses in the outdoor season. Not every combination can deal with this equally well and it affects performance. Fortunately, there are several methods to reduce stress in horses. With training, minerals and herbs.. From April 1st, the outdoor season begins. And although you can still compete indoors in some places, in summer you’ll usually need to head outside if you want to ride tests or jump courses. Not every horse-and-rider combination handles this equally well. So how do you help your competition horse get through the summer as relaxed as possible? Stress in Horses There are various causes of stress at outdoor competitions: transport, changes in feeding times, a tense or ambitious rider... For a fligh...
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Is any kind of stress unhealthy for horses?
Stress, the word alone can evoke stress in horse owners. We would like to protect our animals from the negative consequences of stress. Indeed, severe and prolonged stress can lead to serious health problems and behavioural changes. But is stress always unhealthy? And should you always combat stress in horses?. The term "stress" simply means being alert, ready to flee or fight. Thanks to stress, the body prepares itself to handle threats or escape from them. Stress can actually be positive! Mild tension and alertness, for example, can help your horse stay focused and perform better in the competition arena, or respond more sharply to the aids. Startled and let go Horses are flight animals. When wild horses sense danger, they run away, then stop a little further on and lower their heads to gra...
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...