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.
Organs
Triphala
Translate from Dutch to English: What does triphala do for stomach problems?
Triphala is an herbal mixture from the Aryuvedic tradition. It is particularly suitable for horses with symptoms of stomach problems. This is because the herbs not only support digestion, but also help reduce chronic stress. You can read about how this works in this article.. Triphala is a mixture of three types of fruits, namely: Amalaki (Indian gooseberry - Emblica officinalis), Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica), and Haritaki (Terminalia chebula). There has been quite a bit of scientific research done on the effects of the fruits in Triphala. For example, Indian gooseberry stimulates digestion and has laxative and anti-inflammatory properties. Bibhitaki is useful in bacterial and viral infections and is good for intestines and lungs, among other things. Haritaki pro...
Organs
Digestion
Function and anatomy of the horse's stomach
Horses have a unique and sensitive digestive system. The whole process 'from mouth to butt' is quite complicated. The stomach of a horse is an essential and sensitive part of this digestive process. What does that stomach actually look like and how does a healthy horse stomach function?. A horse has a very long digestive system, but the horse's stomach is relatively small. However... due to this small stomach, huge amounts of food and water must be ingested daily. An adult horse needs about 1 percent of its body weight in dry matter every day. This is a whopping 30 to 45 kilograms of fresh grass or 7.5 to 12 kilograms of hay. In addition, a horse drinks about 25 liters of water per day. If the horse has to work or if it's hot, even more water is needed! No stretch A horse's stom...
Behaviour
Organs
Digestion
Feeding
How to prevent stomach ulcers in sport horses?
Unfortunately, many horses suffer from stomach ulcers. This problem occurs in recreational horses, but many sport horses also experience it. It is often thought that sport horses are "different" and should be kept and fed differently. But is that really the case? And how can you prevent stomach ulcers in sport horses?. What are stomach ulcers? A stomach ulcer is an irritation or wound in the stomach caused by damage to the stomach lining. This results in inflammatory reactions to the stomach wall. The stomach of a horse has a capacity of about 10 liters and can be seen as a bag. The lower part continuously produces stomach acid, and the lining in the lower part is more resistant to this acid. The upper part of the stomach has a different lining and is less tolerant to stomach acid. Due to various circumstances...
Detox
Organs
Horse with liver problems? Then don't do a detox!
We notice that many horse owners perform a detox on horses with liver problems. With good intentions, of course, but not actually very wise. They want to support the horse and the liver so that they are back in order as soon as possible. But a detox is not suitable for that, we are happy to explain to you!. A detox stimulates the liver Every form of detox (herbal combination or, for example, pure milk thistle) has the function of putting the liver to work extra and stimulating it to clean the body. It is a semi-annual cleansing for horses that are healthy and feeling well. Firstly, a detox should never be applied to a horse with reduced health, because a detox is intense and can also cause problems. We therefore always recommend contacting us or a therapist before applying a detox to your horse. An...
Organs
Others
Stress
What do the eyes of your horse say?
As horse owners, we would like to know if our horses are feeling good. And if they might want to tell us something. One of the ways to 'listen' to horses is by looking closely at their eyes. Do you know what each look of your horse says? And what should you pay attention to?. The eyes of horses are located on the sides of their heads. This allows a horse to see almost all around itself; it can't see directly behind itself. Such wide vision is very useful for a flight animal, as it can scan the entire surroundings even while grazing. It can quickly run away if a predator approaches. However, this good vision is not always practical for riding with horses, as a scary object or bush monster is quickly spotted... Beautiful horse eyes Horse eyes can provide us as owners w...
Nettle
Detox
Organs
Do you know what the benefits are of a detox for your horse?
A detox, or in other words, a cleansing of the horse's body, has several benefits for the horse. Many horse owners are a bit anxious about detoxing, and we understand that, but if done thoughtfully, it is actually a very beneficial action for your horse. Therefore, read in this blog about the benefits of a detox for your horse.. Note! A detox is not always safe to give. Removal of toxins The main function of a detox is to remove toxins. Horses (and also humans) accumulate toxins in the body. These are substances that enter the body through food, illness, obesity, allergies, exercise, and so on. It is inevitable that we get toxins in our bodies, and fortunately, we have a liver and kidneys for that. They help filter and eliminate toxins. However, this is often not enough, and toxins are still stored in the body. A detox...
Nettle
Detox
Organs
Did you know that it is not always wise to give a detox to your horse?
In spring and autumn you hear and read a lot about detoxing horses. We also participate in this, because detoxing is a natural phenomenon in horses and has health benefits. But detoxing is not without risks and should always be given with careful consideration. In this blog, we want to tell you why detoxing is not always wise. If you want to detox your horse, always consult with us first or do it after consulting with a therapist.. Wild horses detox too Wild horses also detox when they live in natural conditions. These horses live according to the rhythm of nature, which means they gain a lot of weight in the summer, but lose a lot of weight in the winter due to scarcity. Toxins are stored in the body in fat tissue, and as the horse loses weight, it slowly gets rid of these toxins throughout the winter. In the wild, horses do not only eat high quality hay or fresh grass, they eat whatever they can find. During certain peri...
Weight
Hooves
Insulin resistance
Organs
Digestion
Feeding
Why can horses get laminitis from grass?
In spring, at the beginning of the grazing season, it is always advisable to start slowly with grazing. Your horse's intestines and digestion need to adapt to eating grass before your horse can spend whole days in the pasture. In addition, there is the risk of laminitis. For some horses, this danger remains present throughout the entire grazing season. How does this actually happen? What does grass do in your horse's body? And which horses are at increased risk of laminitis?. Grass is the most delicious thing for most horses. 'Nibble-step' all day through the pasture; there is no greater pleasure for them. However, it is not always healthy. This is due to the way in which sugars from grass are processed in the horse's body. Sugar metabolism: fast and complex carbohydrates During the grazing season, grass is the main source of carbohydrates for many horses. Carbohydrates can be divided into complex carbohydrates and water-soluble carbohydrates. The latter are the 'fas...
Organs
Others
Oh dear, my horse has something wrong with his eye!
Horses have beautiful, large, and expressive eyes. With those eyes, they can almost see all around them. They can perceive any enemy or gnome, often long before their human has seen anything. But those beautiful horse eyes are also vulnerable. Here is an overview of the most common eye problems in horses.. Because horses have large protruding eyes, it is relatively easy for something to get in them. Sand, bacteria, branches, another horse's tail... In general, eye problems in your horse should not be ignored or 'waited out'. Always consult your veterinarian. Sometimes it is harmless and easy to treat, but often you need to intervene in time to prevent worse. So do not try to doctor it yourself or endlessly use boiled water! Eye inflammation: conjunctivitis A common problem is inflammation of the e...
Nettle
Detox
Organs
What does urine say about the health of your horse?
You may not always pay attention to it, but your horse's urine can say a lot about its health. Are the kidneys and bladder functioning properly and are they actually removing what needs to be expelled from the body? Do you see or smell strange things in the urine that could indicate problems in other organs? It's not strange at all to take a look occasionally when your horse needs to urinate!. Urine, you probably don't think about it very often... But it is very important that all waste products from the body find their way out in a proper manner. Healthy kidneys and a healthy bladder are essential for your horse. How much does a horse urinate? How much a horse urinates and the color of the urine mainly depends on how much it drinks. A healthy horse that receives enough fresh drinking water from a clean trough drinks about 35 liters of water per day. On hot days, this can increase to...
Nettle
Detox
Organs
Does your horse pee or drink more than usual?
If you notice that your horse's stall is wetter or that the water bucket is emptying faster, it's a good idea to keep an eye on your horse's drinking and peeing behavior. It doesn't necessarily mean that there's something wrong with your horse's kidneys, but it's important to monitor it if there's a sudden change.. A horse pees almost as much as it drinks Horses typically drink around 35 liters per day and produce around 20-30 liters of urine per day. In higher temperatures, water intake can easily increase to about 50 liters per day. So, a horse pees almost as much as it drinks. What does increased peeing mean? If you notice that your horse is peeing more than usual, it's a good idea to monitor this. It could be that the liver or kidneys are struggling a bit, causing the horse to drink more and therefore...
Organs
Rosehip
How do you support your horse's liver?
For horses, the liver is an important organ. The liver is essential for the removal of waste products, for digestion, and for the production and storage of, among other things, vitamin C. When the liver is not functioning properly, it is not always easy to see in a horse. Accumulation of waste products and reduced release of vitamins usually lead to what are usually called 'vague complaints'.. The liver is the first line of defense against contaminants and toxic substances that may be present in food. Substances absorbed from the intestines are first sent through the liver, so that harmful substances do not go unnoticed throughout the body. The liver filters those toxic substances from the blood. That is also the reason why poisoning by, for example, ragwort mainly leads to liver damage. Your horse's liver takes the blows. Liver important for vitamin C The liver is the largest gland i...