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
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...
Organs
Feeding
The importance of vitamin C in liver problems in horses
Liver problems are common in horses. Often this is not immediately noticed by horse owners, but is revealed through a blood test. Did you know that vitamin C is produced in the liver and can therefore help horses with liver problems? Read more about this in this blog.. What is vitamin C? Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that the horse can produce in the liver. The horse produces vitamin C from glucose with the help of an enzyme. Horses also obtain vitamin C from food, mainly from fresh grass. Vitamin C has several very important functions in the body: It strengthens and activates the immune system It is a powerful antioxidant Works antiallergic Aids in lowering blood sugar Increases absorption of iron, zinc, chromium, calcium, and magnesium Involved in gro...
Guest blog
Feeding
Guest Blog Bart van Heesbeen: 'Horses perform better when you feed them naturally'
Bart van Heesbeen is a show jumper, trainer, instructor, and nutrition expert. He knows exactly what good nutrition does for a sport horse and what does and does not work. He regularly advises owners of sport horses and has a holistic view on horses, feeding, health, and performance.. “When I worked as a professional competition rider, I often felt something was off with my horses. I frequently asked myself, 'Why aren't they performing as well as I think they can? What is holding them back, what is causing them to knock down five poles even though they feel careful enough?'" That's why I went looking for solutions. In that search, I found good forage and started focusing on forage products that can further help horses." Knowledge about forage "For me, it's all...
Feeding
Why you should always have roughage analyzed!
In the agricultural sector, it is a standard practice. All roughage batches are analyzed and the concentrate feed is adjusted accordingly. But why have we not reached this point yet with horses? Why do we mostly assess hay based on appearance and let smell determine it?. Read in this blog why we recommend always having a roughage analysis done. Know what your horse eats Do you know exactly what your horse is eating? And whether it is getting enough nutrients? At customer service, we often hear that customers actually do not know the quality of the roughage. Which is understandable, because many horses are on boarding stables where you do not always have influence on the feeding policy, but it is extremely important to know! Roughage is always the basis of the ho...
Magnesium
Do you give your horse magnesium continuously or only in periods?
A frequently asked question at our customer service is: should I always give magnesium? And that is a very good question! But there is no one-size-fits-all answer, as it depends on multiple factors. Therefore, read more in this blog about how to feed magnesium to your horse.. You can always give magnesium to your horse Magnesium is a mineral that is involved in many processes in the body. Most horse owners know it for relaxing muscles or reducing stress. But magnesium is also involved in bone formation, nerves, cell division, and protein synthesis. A very versatile mineral that is essential for the horse. Some horses require more magnesium than others. Horses that are a bit "explosive" or easily startled have an increased magnesium requirement. During a str...
Feeding
Why it is good to not give the same brand of balancer / concentrate throughout the entire year
So many feed brands and therefore also an overwhelming amount of choices in the type of feed you give. Each feed is different and developed for a different purpose. One feed may only contain vitamins and minerals, while other feeds are specially designed for extra support in muscle building or for sensitive stomachs. But did you know that it is good to not give the same feed throughout the entire year? Read more about this in this blog.. Reason 1: Each feed has a different composition We are not talking about the amount of energy/sugars/starch/proteins in the feed. But about the composition of vitamins and minerals. Each feed manufacturer has their own vision on which ratios of vitamins and minerals are best for the horse. One brand, for example, may contain more iron than another brand. This applies to all vitamins and minerals. But could it be possible that your horse is getting a deficiency or excess of a certain mineral/vita...
Magnesium
Does my horse have a magnesium deficiency?
Magnesium is an incredibly important mineral for horses. It is essential for muscles, bones, and the nervous system. Owners often only notice a magnesium deficiency quite late. While a magnesium deficiency is quite common and can have a significant impact on the mood and performance of horses.. How do you know if your horse has a magnesium deficiency? And what can you do about it? Signs of a magnesium deficiency Sometimes the symptoms of a lack of magnesium fall into the category of 'vague complaints'. They usually only become apparent when your horse has been receiving insufficient magnesium for a while. So, a deficiency is easy to overlook. Signs of a magnesium deficiency include: Fatigue, poor sleep Stress, nervousness Muscle cramps or twitches Stiff muscles, muscle pain Difficulty...
Behaviour
Minerals
Silicon
Do horses lick sand because of the mineral silicon it contains?
Especially in the autumn and winter, you see it regularly: horses licking sand and sometimes even digging pits in the paddock. Often this is a sign of a mineral deficiency, especially the mineral silicon. Could it be that horses lick sand because of the mineral silicon in it? Why is silicon so important for horses? And what can you do to stop the sand licking?. The main cause of sand eating in horses is a mineral deficiency. Sand consists largely of silicon, a mineral that plays a major role in the building of tendons, ligaments, cartilage, collagen, joint fluid, and even in bone formation. Silicon is an essential mineral for horses and other mammals. Horses try to intake this important substance by licking sand. Eating sand is dangerous But… eating sand is of course not good for your horse. The sand can accumulate in the cecum and colon and cause coli...
Behaviour
Minerals
Silicon
Digestion
Feeding
6 causes why horses lick sand
Mainly in the winter you see more horses licking sand. The shortage of the mineral silicon is one of the most common causes, but of course there are more. We have listed six causes of sand eating in horses. If you see your horse licking sand, do not ignore this, because licking sand provides information that something is not right in the diet or management. In addition, too much sand in the intestines can have unpleasant consequences such as colic. Read the six reasons below!. Sand eating is part of nature Naturally, horses also eat sand, or at least soil. Black soil is rich in various minerals and also contains the roots of many plants. Actually a very nutritious addition to the diet if you purely look at the minerals in black soil. It is therefore not strange that horses lick/eat soil, it is a natural need. Often you see that this need increases during the shedding period, in this period horses have an increased need for minerals to be able to make the new coat. Of...
Nettle
Others
Horse 24/7 outside and still stiff legs?
Last year we already talked about stiff legs. Naturally, the most mentioned response was that the solution is to not stable a horse, but to put it outside 24/7 with a shelter. And for most horses with stiff legs, this is indeed the best solution. But from some responses it appeared that this is not always the solution. Horses that do not come inside can still develop stiff legs. What can you do to ensure that a horse with 24/7 free movement no longer gets stiff legs? Read the tips further in this blog!. What are stiff legs? Due to reduced blood circulation, fluid accumulates in the legs. This causes the legs to swell and the horses to become stiff. This often occurs due to prolonged standing in a small environment, such as in a stable. Movement helps to get the blood circulation going again and the fluid to drain. This is why you see that as soon as horses come out of the stable, the stiff legs quickly disappear through movement. Stiff legs usually occur only in the hind legs, but they can also...
Joints
Stress
Crystallization of uric acid: painful joint problem for sport horses
If your horse is highly worked or experiences a lot of stress, a painful problem can occur: crystallization in the joints. In humans, we call it 'gout,' and horses can also get it. Especially for sport horses, it is important to pay attention to this. Is your horse a bit stiff? Then uric acid crystals could be the cause. Herbs can help solve this problem, but prevention is always best.. Most horse owners are familiar with common joint and muscle issues that can lead to stiffness. For example, arthritis in older horses. Or a deficiency in vitamin E when the horse is not on fresh grass. But apart from these well-known causes of stiffness, there is also a relatively unknown one: uric acid crystallization. What is uric acid? Uric acid is produced during physical exertion and stress. It is a breakdown product of protein metabolism. Under normal circumstances, this acid is absorbed i...
Others
When does a horse really get cold?
Every winter there is a discussion among horse owners. Some horse owners blanket their horse, while others believe that the horse can do without a blanket. But is it so black and white? Do horses without a blanket really not get cold? And when does a horse actually get cold? Read more in this blog.. Horse comfort temperature Horses have a comfort temperature ranging between -5 and 10 degrees. This is the temperature at which horses feel most comfortable. And that is much lower than for humans, as the temperature for humans is around 20 degrees. Horses can usually handle the cold better than the heat. But it is important to remember to see the horse as an individual. Just like with humans, one person may walk around in a t-shirt at 15 degrees while another may need a thick jacket. The comfor...