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.
Magnesium
Silicon
Vitamin E
How do you support a horse with muscle binding?
Muscle binding, also called 'tying up' or Monday disease, is a disease. It is not just a bit of stiffness. The muscle metabolism of the horse is out of control with muscle binding. You must treat muscle binding immediately. How do you recognize muscle binding, what can you do about it, and how do you prevent this serious condition?. Muscle binding usually occurs about ten to fifteen minutes after a horse has been in motion. It is a total acidification of the muscles, especially the muscles of the topline (back, loins, buttocks). The symptoms sometimes resemble colic. Muscle binding is not always easy to recognize. An important indication is that muscle binding mainly occurs after a heavy effort, preceded by several days of rest during which the same feed was given. Muscle binding starts with stiffness, hard muscles, and not...
Behaviour
Minerals
Silicon
Digestion
Feeding
Help, my horse is eating sand! What should I do now?
Two times a year we see a peak in questions about horses eating sand. Typically around February/March and usually around September/October. This is quite logical, as these are periods when the molting process is in full swing and the nutritional needs of horses are changing due to a seasonal shift. But what should you do if your horse starts eating sand? Should you just let it happen or should you intervene?. Sand-eating is a natural phenomenon All horses eat sand, this is a natural phenomenon and wild horses do this as well. Sand, or rather soil, is a rich source of minerals. From white sand, horses cannot extract much, as it mainly consists of silicon in a form that is not absorbable. Black soil, on the other hand, is richer in minerals, contains more types of minerals, and in forms that the horse can make better use of. If you see your horse eating black soil, don't panic immediately. It is a sign...
Behaviour
Guest blog
Guest blog Growth Factory: Using a horse as a therapy horse? Is that weird?
Using a horse for the learning goals of your client? Is that strange, airy-fairy, or actually just day-care instead of working concretely on learning goals? Almost everyone has heard at some point that working with animals, horses in particular, could have a healing effect. 'Very nice' I always thought, 'but that's all in your head'.. Written for Marjolein from @Dutch_Draft_Astor (@groeifabriek) Horse coaching not the suitable term Yet it did trigger something in me, I have been crazy about horses for years myself, and how cool would it be if I could combine my care work with my passion? But, being critical as I am, if I were to use horses for my clients, it had to make a very concrete contribution to their learning process. After a lot of searching on the internet, visiting open days, and gathering information from training...
Behaviour
Hormones
Stress
Many changes of horses in the herd cause stress and reduced immunity!
Horses in a boarding stable don't always have it easy. Turnover in boarding stables is generally higher than in private ownership. And as horse owners, we all know that horses are herd animals. But did you also know that changes in the group cause stress and therefore a decreased immunity? Read in this blog how this works.. Stable herd = safety and security Horses naturally live in herds, with a clear leader and mutual friendships and relationships. Each horse holds a certain place in the hierarchy in relation to another horse. They make way for one horse and not for another. This creates a balance in the herd. And this balance is important for overall safety and feelings of security. The herd can then peacefully graze, rest, play, groom, and relax. Stress only occurs when there is danger, but once the danger is go...
Joints
Magnesium
Vitamin E
Why is my horse stiff?
A healthy horse, without problems in the joints, tendons, muscles, and ligaments, moves rhythmically, regularly, smoothly, and with body usage. If you let such a horse move freely or lunge it, you will see ample steps of equal size, a pulsating rhythm in the movement, and swaying muscles throughout the body, including the topline. Unfortunately, this is not always the reality and horses are sometimes stiff, short in movement, irregular, or lock up their back. The question then is: why?. There are many possible causes of stiffness in horses. Older horses often take a little longer to get going, and a heavy training session and the accompanying muscle soreness from the day before can result in it taking a while before your horse warms up. This type of stiffness is relatively easy to remedy by warming up properly, providing some extra supplements, or adjusting your training schedule a bit. It becomes more troublesome if the cause of the stiffness is not so easily determined. Evalu...
Behaviour
Stress
Feeding
Is your horse acting normal?
Do you ever observe your horse in the pasture, paddock, or in the stable? What do you look for? And what stands out to you? Do you know what is 'normal' for your horse? Small deviations in a horse's behavior can be signs of early discomfort, illness, or social issues. Therefore, make it a habit to regularly observe your horse.. As a horse owner, you want the best for your animal. Therefore, it is important to have an idea of what behavior is 'normal' for your horse. Is the animal dominant or lower in rank? Does it like to play, have friends, sleep often in the paddock or stable? Eating behavior and how often your horse drinks are also interesting facts to know. And of course, it is important to see if your horse eats sand or digs holes. Herd Behavior How a horse behaves within the herd is a crucial indication of how it...
Behaviour
Weight
Feeding
Why a retirement horse also needs to keep moving
Many people are familiar with the saying "use it or lose it", but you only truly understand the meaning when you have been inactive for a while or literally unable to move. As we age, we start to experience more difficulties if we don't keep moving. When you ask older, fit, and agile people what they do, the answer is often: 'Eat healthy and walk'. Moving becomes more challenging as you get older, but you can still keep moving, as long as you don't just stop.. Horses can experience this issue even more than humans. Movement is a crucial part of a horse's life. They can be compared to nomads who traveled from one place to another and never stayed in one place for long. Movement is key for horses. Keep challenging older horses When we notice that an older horse is struggling to move, we often try to make it as easy as possible for them. By making everything easier and reducing the effort the horse needs to exert, we are actually causing more deteriorati...
Behaviour
Others
Feeding
Natural horse keeping is the goal, but look at your horse!
Our goal is to bring horses closer to nature. Therefore, our aim is that horses are kept as naturally as possible. Of course, it is important to consider your horse and its specific needs. Not all horses thrive on being outside 24/7, just like not all horses can handle being in a stall for a few hours.. So, don't focus solely on the idea that your horse must live naturally, but pay close attention to your horse. Here are some tips to keep your horse natural. Tip 1: Thin/poor quality roughage to allow for unlimited feeding Horses naturally eat sparse. Not grass that is fertilized multiple times a year with artificial fertilizers, but grass that is juicy for a short period and then becomes fibrous and withered. Lots of herbs, twigs, tree bark, and bushes. And this for about 20 hours a day, taking...
Cannabinoids
Skin
Clove
Mites
Mites in horses, start treatment as soon as possible!
Stamping in the winter. A well-known phenomenon in horses, especially in horses with a lot of hair on their legs. Especially when the weather is damp and muggy, and horses stand in the mud more often, it is often a recurring problem. Mites! How do you treat it and especially how do you get rid of it as soon as possible?. Mites occur in all types of horses Customers often think that their horse cannot have mites because it is a warmblood and does not have socks. This is perhaps the biggest misconception about mites. All horses can be affected by mites, but one horse may be more sensitive to them than another. It is possible that a horse carries mites without showing any symptoms. However, horses with socks are more sensitive to mites, and horses with Chronic Progressive Lymphedema (CPL) are also more sensitive. T...
Nettle
Weight
Insulin resistance
Triphala
Feeding
Supporting Your Horse in Losing or Gaining Weight
Naturally, a horse's weight fluctuates with the seasons. At the end of summer, they tend to be a bit thicker, and at the end of winter, when the reserves have been used to keep their body warm, a bit thinner. Our domesticated horses usually have enough food all year round and ideally should not fluctuate too much in weight. They should not be too thin or too fat. How do you regulate your horse's weight?. A horse that receives enough high-quality roughage and is provided with its daily vitamin and mineral needs should not lose weight in principle. In very cold weather, horses use a lot of fiber from roughage to keep warm. Therefore, make sure there is plenty of hay available during the winter months. Horses that are in high training or pregnant may also have an extra need for nutrients such as amino acids and proteins. Salmon Oil: Essential Fats Salmon oil can contribute to weight regulation. It...
Minerals
Silicon
Feeding
Does your horse eat sand? And do you know why?
In winter, horses can sometimes have problems with sand in their intestines. This can lead to diarrhea or even painful sand colic. Of course, it is important to treat a horse that has sand in its belly, but it is even better to address the cause. Do you know why your horse eats sand?. Eating sand and sand colic seem to occur particularly in autumn and winter. One reason for this is that horses sometimes graze on short or bare pastures, bringing a lot of sand with the grass roots. The transition from pasture to stable and (boring) paddock can also lead to increased sand intake. Six reasons for sand licking If your horse is consciously licking sand, there can be six possible reasons: Silicon deficiency Deficiencies in other minerals Boredom Worms Insufficient roughage throughou...
First Aid
Others
Feeding
What are the basic values of your horse?
How well do you know your horse? Every horse has its own 'normal' values. For example, how much he eats and how much he defecates, but also what his body temperature, resting heart rate, and respiration rate are. As an owner, it is useful to know these basic values. This way, you can more easily determine if something is wrong. Because horses cannot speak, as owners, we sometimes have to guess if something is wrong with them, if they are sick or experiencing discomfort. It is important not to dismiss abnormal behavior as 'trying it out', 'not in the mood', 'rebellious' or 'messing around'. A horse does not make plans to annoy you. If it exhibits abnormal behavior, there is probably something wrong somewhere. In its body, its head, or its environment. Measuring and writing down basic values To get to know the basic valu...