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.
Weight
Hormones
Insulin resistance
Feeding
Sweet itch
My horse is already getting fat from a single blade of grass! How is that possible?
Many horses quickly become overweight when put in the pasture. It seems like they gain weight from just a single blade of grass. These horses are often referred to as 'easy keepers' because they don't require much feed. However, managing these types of horses is often not easy for owners. How is it possible that your horse gains weight so quickly? And what can you do about it?. The answer is not so much in the grass itself, but in your horse. Many horses consume too many sugars, for example in the form of concentrate or rich hay. Due to the dry summers of the past year, the hay is much higher in sugars than usual. Concentrate feed often contains a lot of sugar and starch, which are easily absorbed and lead to a higher blood sugar level. Not designed for fast sugars In the wild, horses eat a lot more cellulose from coarse plant stems. This cellulose is converted by the...
Algae
Insulin resistance
Salmon oil
Sweet itch
Insulin resistant horse: choose for directly absorbable EPA and DHA omega-3
Omega 3 fatty acids are always lumped together under the characteristic "anti-inflammatory". But there are different types of omega 3 fatty acids: ALA, EPA, and DHA. EPA and DHA are the most important for the body. However, these are not found in plant oils such as flaxseed and olive oil. The horse's body still has to convert ALA to EPA and DHA on its own. And in horses with Insulin Resistance (but also summer eczema and overweight), ALA can actually be pro-inflammatory if the body cannot convert them properly. That's why in many cases, it is better to choose directly absorbable EPA and DHA. Read in this blog how that works.. Omega 3 fatty acids in horses There are three types of omega 3 fatty acids: ALA, EPA, and DHA. Horses get ALA through fresh grass, but it cannot be utilized directly in the horse's body. ALA needs to be converted to EPA and DHA, which is a very inefficient process, but for healthy horses, no problem at all. ALA is also found in plant oils (e.g. flaxseed oil and olive oil). The horse produces EPA and DHA through the conversion of ALA. But it can also be provided through fish oil, salmon oil, or a...
Electrolytes
Insulin resistance
Minerals
Insulin resistant horse? Choose concentrated Bering Sea water as electrolytes!
Horses and ponies that are insulin resistant benefit from receiving as little sugars as possible in any form (carbohydrates, starch, dextrose, etc). However, these horses do need extra minerals, especially if they sweat a lot. But how do you manage this since most electrolytes contain some form of sugar? Choose concentrated Bering Sea water. 1 liter of concentrated Bering Sea water is equivalent to 100 liters of seawater. Seawater contains 20 to 28% table salt, which is filtered out. You can imagine that there are a huge amount of minerals in 100 liters of seawater.. Why are electrolytes necessary? Horses that sweat lose electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium) through sweat in addition to fluids. These minerals are essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system, but also aid in recovery after exertion and promote muscle flexibility. An electrolyte deficiency can lead to issues like cramping. Horses can lose 10-15 liters of sweat in hot weather or during intense exercise, resulting in a loss of electrolytes. To ensure th...
Skin
Insulin resistance
Sweet itch
Do fewer horses have sweet itch than we think?
When horses are scratching in the summer months, it is often quickly assumed that a horse has summer eczema (SME). However, there are many more causes of scratching in the summer months. This leads to many horses being treated as if they have summer eczema, without results. Therefore, it is very important to determine the cause of the scratching in the summer months. A horse may react to sugars in the diet, be sensitive to insect bites, be overweight, or have itching for other reasons during the summer period. There are also horses that scratch from grassland treated with artificial fertilizers. So, a horse scratching in the summer months does not always have sweet itch. Below is an overview of possible causes of itching in the summer and what measures you can take.. Itching Due to Overweight Most horses in the Netherlands carry a very generous amount of weight. Just like with humans, we all know that being overweight is not healthy for horses. But did you know that overweight can cause itching in horses? Fat deposits cause small inflammatory reactions under the skin, especially around the mane. These inflammations cause irritation, leading the horse to scratch. Scratching creates wounds that cause further inflammatory reactions at those spots, and this cycl...
Insulin resistance
Salmon oil
Salmon oil for Insulin Resistance (IR)
In previous blogs, we have indicated what insulin resistance is and that this is often the cause of rubbing in horses and ponies. For horses and ponies with Insulin Resistance, the most important thing is to adjust the ration to a limited intake of sugars. But did you know that salmon oil can also have a positive effect on insulin resistance?. Salmon oil lowers the glucose level in the blood American researchers have discovered that horses fed salmon oil not only have a lower heart rate during exercise, but that the cholesterol and glucose levels in the blood were also lower than in horses that did not receive salmon oil. Because salmon oil has a positive effect on the glucose level, salmon oil is very suitable for horses with Insulin Resistance. Salmon oil reduces inflammation A horse with Insulin Resistance often rubs the mane as a...