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
Dandelion
Pasture
Weeds or actually healthy for horses?
In your horse's pasture, there is often more than just grass. This is not a problem, in fact, it is often a good thing. In the wild, horses do not only eat grass. Herbs, bushes, and trees are also on the menu.. Each plant offers something different and diversity is healthy. But of course, you don't want your horse to eat toxic plants. That's why it's good to know which plants belong in your pasture and which ones don't. 'Green desert' In the Netherlands, many pastures are very monotonous. They mainly consist of English ryegrass or sometimes grass clover, a mixture of ryegrass and clover. This type of grass is good for cows that need to produce a lot of milk. But these pastures are too rich for horses,...
Nettle
Rosehip
Prevent resistance dip in horse? Choose nettle and rosehip!
At the end of winter/in early spring, many horses experience a dip in resistance. Horses are shedding their winter coat and preparing themselves for spring. This is also a period where there can be significant temperature differences, with frost at night and temperatures above 10 degrees during the day. But how can you prevent a resistance dip in your horse?. Liquid rosehip for extra antioxidants and vitamin C Rosehip is a fruit known for being very good for overall resistance and many horses find it very tasty! Many horse owners give these fruits in dried form, and it is a delicious treat for horses. But if you really want to use rosehip for its medicinal properties and truly boost your horse's resistance, always choose a liquid rosehip tincture. Through a tincture, more medicinal substances can be extracted from the fruits, making the effect much s...
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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...
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Detox
Digestion
Feeding
How do you support a horse with sensitive intestines?
Horses have a unique digestive system, which is sensitive to changes in feed, poor quality forage, too much sugar, weather changes, and stress. What can you do as a horse owner if your horse has sensitive intestines and regularly suffers from cramps, mild colic, or diarrhea?. Actually, all horses have a sensitive digestive system, but it is more pronounced in some animals than in others. Horses need a lot of fiber to optimize their digestion. Fiber is the basis of a horse's diet. Sufficient forage, with plenty of fiber and of good quality, is therefore the first requirement for horses with sensitive intestines. Check for mold in the forage and supplement any shortage of good forage with high-quality forage substitutes. For example, alfalfa, (soaked) grass pellets, or...
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Detox
Detox + nettle: ideal combination for keeping the horse's body clean
Each horse accumulates waste products in its body. Not only through nutrition, but also through the environment and as the body renews its cells. These waste products will accumulate in the body, causing it to become "full" over time. This can lead to ailments (itching, mud fever, decreased resistance, etc.) and the proper nutrients may be less well absorbed. So it is important to clean up these waste products. But what do you choose? A detox or nettle? In our opinion: choose both!. Detox supports liver and kidneys We recommend doing a detox for your horse twice a year, but only if it is responsible! In wild horses, detox also occurs, but of course not through a supplement. Horses seek out herbs that aid in the removal of waste products. And at the end of winter, wild horses lose weight drastically due to food scarcity. Because waste products are stored in the fat tissue, they are released and the waste products are removed. So it is not strange to give our modern horse a d...
Nettle
Detox
Digestion
Feeding
Transition from grass to hay: take it easy!
The days are getting shorter and although the grass still grows a little, the nutritional value decreases in the autumn. It's time to supplement feed, and in many cases horses also move to the stable and paddock. This transition can be difficult for horses because they have a very sensitive digestive system. What can you do to make this transition easier?. In the spring, when horses go from hay to grass, many horse owners are cautious. Most people know that you need to gradually increase grass consumption to prevent problems like diarrhea or laminitis. In the autumn, the transition in the diet is also significant, although not everyone realizes that. It is wise to also switch slowly in the autumn. Autumn grass and hay Grass can still contain quite a bit of sugar in the autumn, especially if the nights are cold and the days are sunny. But grass con...
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Detox
Organs
Did you know that it is not always wise to give a detox to your horse?
In spring and autumn you hear and read a lot about detoxing horses. We also participate in this, because detoxing is a natural phenomenon in horses and has health benefits. But detoxing is not without risks and should always be given with careful consideration. In this blog, we want to tell you why detoxing is not always wise. If you want to detox your horse, always consult with us first or do it after consulting with a therapist.. Wild horses detox too Wild horses also detox when they live in natural conditions. These horses live according to the rhythm of nature, which means they gain a lot of weight in the summer, but lose a lot of weight in the winter due to scarcity. Toxins are stored in the body in fat tissue, and as the horse loses weight, it slowly gets rid of these toxins throughout the winter. In the wild, horses do not only eat high quality hay or fresh grass, they eat whatever they can find. During certain peri...
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Detox
Organs
Do you know what the benefits are of a detox for your horse?
A detox, or in other words, a cleansing of the horse's body, has several benefits for the horse. Many horse owners are a bit anxious about detoxing, and we understand that, but if done thoughtfully, it is actually a very beneficial action for your horse. Therefore, read in this blog about the benefits of a detox for your horse.. Note! A detox is not always safe to give. Removal of toxins The main function of a detox is to remove toxins. Horses (and also humans) accumulate toxins in the body. These are substances that enter the body through food, illness, obesity, allergies, exercise, and so on. It is inevitable that we get toxins in our bodies, and fortunately, we have a liver and kidneys for that. They help filter and eliminate toxins. However, this is often not enough, and toxins are still stored in the body. A detox...
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Skin
Sweet itch
How do I support my horse with sweet itch?
When your horse has sweet itch, it is important to constantly monitor the itching in the summer months to prevent it from getting out of hand. A total approach works best in this situation, which means combining multiple measures. You may have already put a rug on your horse and applied soothing cream to the affected areas. What else can you do to support your itchy horse and prevent it from rubbing its mane and tail raw?. First of all, it is important to make sure that your horse indeed has sweet itch, as horses can experience itching in the summer months due to other causes as well. For example, excessive sugars in their diet or allergies can also cause itching. Overweight horses are more prone to itchiness, and some horses may itch if their pasture has been spread with fertilizers. Total approach important Sweet itch is a challenging issue. The best way to combat it is by implementing a range of measures. This...
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Cannabinoids
Skin
Clove
Sweet itch
Itchiness? These herbs help support your horse!
The summer is the season of itchiness in horses. Insects, heat, grass, fertilizer, and many other reasons can cause horses to itch. Itchiness is not only extremely annoying for the horse, but also for us as horse owners. How can you support your horse so that it has less itchiness?. There is no miracle cure Unfortunately, there is no miracle cure that can eliminate all itchiness in all horses, if only it were that easy! Each horse is different and each horse reacts differently to herbs. What works perfectly for your horse may not work at all for your neighbor's horse. The effectiveness of the herbs also greatly depends on your horse's diet. Therefore, do not expect miracles from the herbs below, but see them as an additional support. Don't forget to examine the diet! You ca...
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Digestion
Feeding
How do you prevent disruptions in the horse's intestinal system?
Slack manure, diarrhea, gas formation, esophageal obstruction, stomach ulcers, or other digestive complaints. Perhaps the most common problems in horses are related to the stomach and intestinal system. The intestinal system of horses is very complex and also extremely sensitive. Read in this blog how you can prevent disturbances in the intestinal system.. Digestion = resistance The intestines can be seen as the most important part of the horse. If the intestines/digestive system are in order, then the resistance will also be in order. The resistance and the intestines are closely linked. That is why you often see that when horses have a resistance problem, it also affects the digestion. A well-functioning intestinal system will optimize the resistance of the horse. It is therefore extremely important to carefully deal with the stomach and intesti...
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...