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.
Mites
**Note! The mite season is starting with horses**
Although we hope for many nice late summer days, autumn is becoming inevitable. And autumn means: mites! Those nasty little insects that live in your horse's socks, bite, drink blood, and cause a lot of discomfort and itching... Act in time and limit the discomfort for your horse.. Mites are very persistent. This is because the eggs remain viable for a long time and due to the life cycle of the mites. Did your horse itch last winter? Then there is a good chance that there are still eggs somewhere on his body. Those eggs hatch as soon as the temperatures start to drop. When autumn comes, that is. The larvae of the mite live close to your horse's skin, under the hairs. They eat skin flakes. Over time, the larvae turn into adult mites. And those mites, which look like small s...
Vitamin E
Feeding
Pasture
# 'You can't go against the pasture': These nutrients are found in grass, but not in hay
If your horse has plenty of grazing in the summer and is stabled in the winter, you may be familiar with this old wisdom: "You can't go against the pasture." A horse is almost never as shiny, vital, and energetic as when he is in the pasture. Why is that? What nutrients are present in grass but not in hay? And how can you - even in the winter - get as close as possible to the fantastic effects of grass with your feeding policy?. Hay is nothing more than dried grass, but unfortunately, during the drying process, some things are lost. Especially vitamins and fatty acids. If your horse is on pasture for less than four hours a day, or wears a grazing mask, it is necessary to supplement with some nutrients. For example, with a supplement or a balancer. Hay alone is really not enough, not even for hardy breeds! Vitamin A for the eyes, growth and fertility Vitamin A and vitamin E are the most important vitamins to consider whe...
Magnesium
Horse often jumps wrong or crosses over? Support with magnesium! (+experience story)
It is widely known that magnesium is good for the muscles and nervous system of horses. But what many people do not know is that magnesium can contribute to the canter departure. This is because magnesium helps relax the muscles. A deficiency in magnesium can result in a horse having muscle tremors, showing stiffness, and acidifying faster during training. Do you notice that your horse often jumps wrong or crosses over? Then keep reading!. Relationship between magnesium and canter Magnesium is a mineral necessary for bone formation, transmission of impulses in the nervous system, and signaling to the muscles. It also aids in muscle relaxation. For the canter departure, signaling to the muscles is very important. But did you know that a horse cannot store magnesium in its body? When a horse is deficient, the body can extract magnesium from bone tissue. Cells in bones are regularly replaced with new cells. In this process, calcium a...
Insulin resistance
Vitamin E
Feeding
Sweet itch
5 nutrition tips for horses without access to pasture (fresh grass)
Not all horses are able to be on pasture every day throughout the year. Sometimes because of the horse's health, sometimes because of limitations in stabling, space, or type of ground. Especially in the winter period, many horses are kept in a paddock because the grass is gone or the fields are too wet. But what should you take into account in the nutrition of horses that are not on grass? Not all the nutrients found in fresh grass are also present in hay. That's why we have put together five tips for you. Keep reading!. Horses primarily get Vitamin E from fresh greens Vitamin E is essential in a horse's diet, you could say it is one of the most important vitamins. Vitamin E is a very powerful antioxidant and essential for muscles and the nervous system. Vitamin E helps repair damage to muscles and remove waste products from the muscles. This helps keep muscles supple and promotes faster recovery after training. A deficiency in vitamin E can make horses stiff, increase the risk of tying-up and lead to muscle lo...
Magnesium
Magnesium for horses: why magnesium synergizes with B-vitamins and tryptophan
Many people give their horse some extra magnesium. For the muscles and the nervous system, or because their horse is nervous. Because a horse does not always absorb enough magnesium from its food, a supplement can definitely be a good idea. However, there are a few things to consider. Such as the absorbability and the function of magnesium in the horse's body. Is there really a deficiency? What is the best way to supplement magnesium, solid form or liquid? And are there any other important substances such as B-vitamins and tryptophan?. Magnesium is an important mineral. In horses, it is important for energy transfer in muscle cells. The nervous system and immune system also need magnesium. The amount of magnesium a horse needs depends on factors such as the horse's age and the amount of work the animal does. For example, a sport horse needs more magnesium than a recreational horse, and a mare with a foal at foot needs more than an adult gelding. Magnesium deficiency in horses Sick horses often have a magnesium deficiency, espe...
Guest blog
Digestion
Guest blog Janneke from Worm&Co: 'A horse's body is never completely free of worms'
Proper worm management is important for keeping your horse healthy. But what does that involve and how can you use fecal testing to monitor your horse as effectively as possible? And why can a horse never actually be completely free of worms? We discuss this with Janneke van der Wal from Worm&Co: "It's not a problem if you occasionally see a worm in your horse's manure.. Janneke van der Wal founded Worm & Co in 2016. "I noticed that many horse owners were still choosing to deworm their horses routinely. This was often not out of ignorance, but due to a lack of information." Why fecal testing? "Until 13 years ago, you could simply get a dewormer for your horse anywhere. The legislation changed because research showed that gastrointestinal worms were starting to become resistant to the existing active ingredients in those dewormers. Since no new...
Digestion
Why is one horse more susceptible to worms than the other?
Your horse always has a positive fecal test, but your friend's horse always tests negative. Same conditions and yet one horse is affected by worms and the other is not. How can this be and what exactly does this have to do with? This mainly has to do with the immunity and the early years of your horse. We explain it in this blog. Keep reading!. Rearing period of young horses sets the basis for worm susceptibility The influence of the rearing period is extremely important for the susceptibility to worms. Foals from mares who have had worm problems during and after pregnancy automatically face a higher level of worm infestation. Foals eat their mother's feces to build their intestinal flora, if this feces is infected with a higher amount of worms, the foal is immediately exposed to an infection. It is therefore extremely important to be...
Nettle
Detox
When do you choose nettle and when for a detox for horses?
A horse in nature cleanses its body twice a year through a period of scarcity (winter) and by seeking out cleansing plants and herbs. Did you know that waste products are stored in fat tissue? In winter, when there is a scarcity of food, horses in nature lose weight, causing the fat tissue containing the waste products to break down. A very natural process through which the horse cleanses its body throughout the year. In summer, horses in nature are very capable of eating herbs and plants that support the body in cleansing. Our horses do not have this option, so what then? And do you choose liquid nettle or a detox for your horse?. What are the benefits of liquid nettle for your horse? We humans often see nettle as a weed that causes itching if touched incorrectly. But horses see nettle as normal food. Some horses eat them fresh, but most horses prefer them dried and without the "sting". Nettles are extremely healthy for horses, rich in minerals, and have an alkaline effect. But most importantly, they purify the blood! And it is this blood-purifying property that makes nettle a nice herb for horses. Ideal for hor...
Detox
Mites
Mite season approaching: do a detox!
Mites are troublesome insects that can cause a lot of itching and misery. Horses with thick socks, such as draft horses and Friesians, can suffer greatly from these pests. In the fall, mites start to emerge. Want to prevent crusts and itching as much as possible? Give your horse a detox before the mite season begins!. Mites become active when the temperature drops and horses start to grow their winter hair. They then crawl into the socks and thicker hair to keep warm. Mites usually start their activities in early October, when the temperature drops below 15 degrees. To ensure that your horse suffers as little as possible from itching, irritation, wounds, and crusts, give your horse a detox. Do this in time, before autumn begins. If the mites are already active, then you are too late. Prevention is the key wor...
Guest blog
Organs
Digestion
Feeding
Natascha Bos: 'Disturbed pH value in horses often not recognized'
The pH value, we have all heard of it before. Something to do with chemistry and that little piece of paper that changes color, right? What many people do not know is that the pH value, or acidity, plays a very important role in the health of our horses. An imbalance in pH can lead to various symptoms. Natascha Bos from Blauwe Hengst discusses the influence of acids and bases in the horse's body, how to recognize acidification, and how to prevent it. What is the pH value and how does it work in horse nutrition? The pH is the degree of acidity, or acidity levels. You may have had to measure this in a liquid using litmus paper in high school. The pH can vary from 0 to 14. A pH of about 7 is considered neutral. In nutrition – for humans and for horses – we talk about acidic and alkaline foods. Natascha explains: "Humans naturally consume acidic and alkaline foods. For example, animal products and grains are acidifying, while leafy greens a...
Others
Feeding
Do you have a `sour` horse?
We are not talking about a sour mare in terms of behavior, but literally a horse with a high acidity level in the body. Did you know that an acidic horse will eventually experience physical complaints? And that you can prevent acidification of the body by ensuring the base is good? Read in this blog what we mean by a sour horse, how to recognize it, and also how to prevent it.. Everything depends on the right pH value Acidity is expressed in pH. A high acidity level, so sour, is a low pH. A low acidity level, so basic, is a high pH. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. The lower the number, the more acidic it is, where 7 is neutral. Every cell and organ in the body has a specific pH value at which the cell functions optimally. For example, the stomach has a lower pH value to kill pathogens, while other organs may require a higher pH. However, the pH of the blood is crucia...
Guest blog
Feeding
Guest blog Agrobs - Grains: horse feed or not?
You hear more and more that people prefer to feed their horses as much grain-free as possible. However, the practice of giving concentrate feed based on grains is very old. Why would it suddenly not be good for a horse anymore? What do grains do in the horse's body? And: which horses can benefit from some grains?. Grains, nowadays often hidden in muesli or pellets, have long been an important part of horses' diets. When horses used to work in the fields, they expended much more energy than our current sport and leisure horses. They often worked hard all day and had few breaks to replenish their reserves. They had to eat while the farmworker had his sandwich. Grains can be eaten quickly, contain a lot of energy, and are also easy to transport and do not spoil as quickly. Thus, grains became an important co...