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.
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...
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...
Magnesium
Stress
How long before the competition do you start giving a stress product to your horse?
Many horses experience tension during competitions. As a result, there is little focus from the horse on the rider or even dangerous situations can arise. There are many supplements available to combat stress and tension, but how long before the competition should you start using them? Read on in this blog.. A supplement is not always the solution It is important to realize that a supplement is never a miracle cure. Supplements are a part of training support and can help in creating a positive experience. Horses are flight animals that are taken out of their familiar environment for competitions and have to perform in a place they do not know, with a lot of hustle and bustle around them. Horses need to learn this with the right guidance in relaxation and peace. There are also many horses that take o...
Stress
More focus on your horse in competition thanks to the right herbs
The outdoor season has started again! Finally, we can enjoy competing in the fresh air, in beautiful outdoor arenas. Unfortunately, there are often all kinds of goblins and ghosts present. Ducks in the ditch next to the arena, a tractor in the field further away, or simply phenomena that only your horse can see... How do you help your horse to stay focused?. A horse is naturally a flight animal, so it's not uncommon for him to feel a bit insecure in a new environment. However, if you want to achieve a good performance in the ring, it can be very inconvenient! It would be nice if your horse stays focused on you and isn't just preoccupied with everything happening outside the arena. Keep riding Of course, there are many solutions for a slightly unfocused and nervous horse. Making sure you arrive at the competition on time and calmly explore the arena,...
Others
Silicon
Feeding
Can I prepare containers with liquid supplements for my horse?
Many horse owners whose horses are at a boarding stable do not always have the opportunity to be with their horse daily. Additionally, feeding is often centrally organized at fixed times in many stables. This can make administering supplements a challenge. Can you prepare containers in advance with supplements included? And if so, how far in advance can you do this without losing effectiveness? Keep reading, we'll explain it to you!. Preferably not set up in advance Liquid supplements are ideal to use because they are so easy to dose over the feed. For example, horses don't blow them out of the bucket, so you have minimal waste. However, liquid supplements can dry out, which can potentially decrease their effectiveness. It is therefore always preferred to add supplements to the feed at the last moment. We understand that it is not possible for all horse owners to arrange this daily. Boarding stable owners also do not want to...
Minerals
Silicon
Feeding
Does giving silicon have any benefit if I am not with my yearling every day?
Silicon is an important mineral for building bones, tendons, cartilage, ligaments, and muscles. Especially in winter, when horses have limited access to fresh grass, it is advisable to give your horse a supplement of liquid silicon. This is especially important when your horse is still growing. However, many people do not visit their young horse in the rearing facility every day. Does giving silicon still make sense?. A young horse needs good nutrition and plenty of exercise to grow big and strong. Silicon is essential for this. This important mineral contributes to collagen formation and bone formation. Often, young horses in the rearing facility receive additional foal feed or other supplementary feed in winter, but giving liquid silicon is not yet a common practice everywhere. Giving silicon a few times a week is also useful Many young horses are in the rearing facility and it is not always close to their...
Joints
Magnesium
Minerals
Silicon
Feeding
.png)
How can you strengthen the physique of your young horse?
Horse owners are always looking for what is best for their horse. Often this concerns adult horses or even seniors. The young horse is often "forgotten", while with the right guidance it can make an extra good start. Therefore, read in this blog how you can support the physique of your young horse.. What is a young horse? Actually, horses are late bloomers, all growth plates are only fully closed around the age of 6/8 years. Therefore, you can say that up to the age of 7 years, the horse can be considered young. Especially the first 5 years are important for the development of the physique. The horse then goes through many growth spurts, which challenges the skeleton. But even after this age, horses continue to grow. Many horses are only fully grown around their 7th year. Movement, movement...
Joints
Others
Silicon
Feeding
From what age can a young horse start working?
There are few topics that spark as much debate among horse lovers as starting with young horses. From what age can a horse start working? How do you actually define work? And how can you ensure a healthy start to the 'working life' of your young horse in general?. As an owner and trainer of a young horse, your most important task is to ensure that the animal is physically and mentally prepared for its life as a riding horse. You want to give the horse a solid foundation and ensure that it develops trust in humans. The horse should be physically capable of functioning as a riding horse in the future, and it should continue to enjoy the work and be mentally capable of handling it. That's quite a laundry list and a responsible task, indeed. When do horses' g...
Nettle
Skin
Minerals
Stubborn mud fever? Happy bacteria can help!
Many horses deal with mud fever, especially when it is wet outside, the paddock remains muddy, or if they spend more time indoors. The term 'pastern dermatitis' refers to a variety of problems. A comprehensive approach is important, supporting the horse from the outside and from the inside. Unfortunately, there are sometimes stubborn spots where the skin remains irritated. What should you do?. Mud fever is a collective term for skin problems, scabs, and wounds on the lower legs of horses. Mud fever can be caused by fungi, bacteria, and even sunburn (on white legs). Often, complaints caused by parasites such as mites are also referred to as 'Mud fever.' But in reality, this is something different. Mud fever often presents with flakes, scabs, redness, and cracks in the pastern. The pastern, especially in horses with white legs or long socks, is a lovely spot for pathogens. Your horse ge...
First Aid
Skin
Why an EM skin spray belongs in the first aid kit
A scratch or wound is quickly incurred by a horse. Even with the wet weather of recent times, a mud spot can quickly develop. A spray with effective Micro-organisms (EM) is therefore indispensable in your horse's first aid kit!. Not disinfecting, but supporting! Many wound sprays and products against mud are made to kill bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms. These products have a disinfecting function, but unfortunately, they also kill the good bacteria/micro-organisms. The good micro-organisms are extremely important for the skin. They support the healing process and drive away the bad micro-organisms. For wound healing, it is therefore better to choose a skin spray with these good organisms! The effective micro-...
Others
Feeding
# Why you should never train a horse on an empty stomach
Horses have a unique digestive system, which cannot be compared to that of humans. Horses continuously produce stomach acid because they naturally eat for about sixteen hours a day. If a horse hasn't eaten anything for a few hours, the stomach can contain a lot of stomach acid. When you then start training, you risk the development of painful stomach ulcers.. Stomach ulcers are still common in horses. They are usually caused by horses being without forage for too long, being stressed, or having to train on an empty stomach. Or by a combination of these three causes. Saliva neutralizes horse stomach acid Horses continuously produce stomach acid because they are made to eat almost constantly small amounts of forage. A horse produces a lot of saliva when chewing. Especially when eating fibrous forage, such as well-unpacked hay. All that saliva then neut...
Skin
Others
Why you better not use detangler and shine spray on horses without a blanket
Are you a fan of detangler products and shine sprays? They are ideal for keeping your horse's tail and mane tangle-free and easily combable. But did you know that you should be careful when using them on horses that live without a blanket? Read more about this in this blog.. Skin oil important for horses Do your hands also have a white/grey layer after you've cuddled your horse? That is the skin oil that is on and between the fur. Especially in periods when the temperature drops or during shedding, there is extra skin oil. Many owners then recognize the dust on the horse that brushes off when grooming. Sometimes it is thought that the horse has dandruff, but it is actually very important skin oil. In certain periods, horses can even have a dull appearance due to all...