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
Skin
Mites
Sweet itch
Oh no, my horse is rubbing!
As the weather gets warmer, the horses are out in the grass and the insects are emerging from their eggs, the headache for many horse owners resurfaces. Especially Friesians and draft horses are affected: rubbing and damaging the mane and tail. What can you do to prevent this?. Itching is of course very annoying. And it is not fun to watch as your horse feels so uncomfortable that he constantly wants to scratch at fences, stall doors, water buckets, or even at you as the owner. Especially when that lush mane or beautiful full tail starts falling out or your horse injures himself to the point of bleeding. Itch course There are several causes of itching and rubbing. From sweet itch caused by midges, to too much sugar in the diet and skin conditions. We will go through th...
Skin
Minerals
Seven tips to keep your black horse black this summer
Many black and black-brown horses become significantly lighter in the summer, sometimes even turning truly brown. This is a natural process and the horse is not bothered by it at all. But as an owner, you might prefer your horse to stay black. For example, if you have a Friesian going to a show. If you prefer to keep your horse black without using paint, we have seven tips for you.. The brown color is caused by the sun. The hair of your horse fades under the influence of UV radiation. This process is accelerated if a lot of sweat salts remain on your horse's skin. Tip 1: Rinse your horse after work Ensure your horse goes into the sun clean, not covered in dried sweat. This will slow down the discoloration process. It is also more pleasant for your horse to cool off after working on a hot day. A win-win situation. Tip 2: Use a UV-protective fly sheet The less sun exposure, t...
Skin
Silicon
Salmon oil
What to do with a horse with a dull coat?
A beautiful shiny coat with little apples... that's what we all want for our horse! But the reality is sometimes a lot duller. What can you do about it?. In spring, horses shed their old winter coat and a shiny, soft summer coat emerges. At least, in the ideal case. Sometimes horses come out of their coat poorly or the new coat is not as beautiful and shiny as hoped. Shampoos? Although it can be handy to wash your horse or use an anti-tangle product in the mane or tail, shampoos and gloss sprays are not the real solution if you want your horse to shine. The proverb says: 'True beauty comes from within.' And that applies to the horse's coat too! U...
Cannabinoids
Skin
Clove
Mites
Mites in horses, start treatment as soon as possible!
Stamping in the winter. A well-known phenomenon in horses, especially in horses with a lot of hair on their legs. Especially when the weather is damp and muggy, and horses stand in the mud more often, it is often a recurring problem. Mites! How do you treat it and especially how do you get rid of it as soon as possible?. Mites occur in all types of horses Customers often think that their horse cannot have mites because it is a warmblood and does not have socks. This is perhaps the biggest misconception about mites. All horses can be affected by mites, but one horse may be more sensitive to them than another. It is possible that a horse carries mites without showing any symptoms. However, horses with socks are more sensitive to mites, and horses with Chronic Progressive Lymphedema (CPL) are also more sensitive. T...
Skin
Mites
Did you know that the feathers of the horse keep the legs dry?
Autumn, winter, mud and rain... The perfect combination for dirty, wet horse legs. Often, we have the tendency to shave off all the hair of horses. Trim the legs neatly, tidy up the beard, make the ears look nice, and so on. A sleek horse, looking neat without much hair, standing like a real model. But is it really wise to shave everything off?. Hair has a purpose! By now, it's (hopefully) common knowledge not to touch or shave off the whiskers of a horse. These whiskers are extremely important and serve a crucial function, preventing horses from bumping into things. But the hair in and around the ears also has a purpose: it prevents dirt and water from getting into the ears and protects them from external influences. Never cut/shave the ear shells, leave the hair on the inside intact! The same goes for the hair on the legs of horses, t...
Skin
Others
Why we are not anti-rugs with horses
Rain rugs and winter rugs for horses are a much-discussed topic in the horse world. There are people staunchly against rugs because they believe that every horse should be able to be in the Netherlands without a rug. That every horse naturally grows enough coat and that the winters in the Netherlands are not so extremely cold that a rug is not necessary. To some extent, that is true, but it is a bit more nuanced. Here is our view on rugs!. Point 1: every horse is different! Some horses thrive in the winter, are completely in their element and enjoy the cold and the season. Some horses stand under the shelter at the first drop of rain, with their heads down feeling miserable. And that is not because they are spoiled by the owner, but because the horse prefers a certain type of weather. They are sometimes just like people 😉. Why wouldn't you provide a rug for the horse that is unhappy in the rain, so that its mood improves and it c...
Skin
Feeding
Vitamin D production in horses: sun appears to have little influence!
We learn something new every day too! It is always thought that horses are comparable to humans in many ways, including the production of vitamin D. We also thought this and also that horses that stand in a fly sheet/eczema sheet all summer, for example, can develop a vitamin D deficiency. There was very little scientific study done on this, so the assumption was quickly made that this is similar to humans. But now there has been some research done!. What is the importance of vitamin D? Vitamin D comes in 2 forms: D2 and D3. Horses get vitamin D2 from their diet (grass, hay, and herbs, for example), while horses produce vitamin D3 themselves. Vitamin D plays an important role in many processes. It is involved in: The absorption of calcium and phosphorus Supporting the immune system Preventing unintended cell division and cell mutations Regulating the production of keratin in the skin Various neurological functions The sun may have little inf...
Skin
Ticks in horses: how does that work?
Ticks occur in the summer, when it is warm and dry. They are mainly found in tall grass and bushes. A tick can survive for up to a year without food and will simply wait until a cow, horse or human passes by. The tick then bites and starts sucking blood, up to 600 times its own weight! Some ticks can transmit diseases. Protecting your horse from ticks can be quite challenging. It is wise to regularly check your horse for ticks. In addition, you can add herbs and essential oils to your horse's feed to make the blood unappetizing for these annoying pests.. What is a tick? Ticks are spider-like creatures with eight legs. The sheep tick (Ixodus ricinus) is most common in our area. This tick bites humans, sheep, cows, and horses. Ticks bite to suck blood, as they need that blood to grow. Ticks go through several moults or metamorphoses, during which they become a little bigger each time. They need the proteins from blood for each moult. Adult females also need blood to lay eggs. The sheep tick can transmit diseases while feeding. This mainly happens...
Skin
Triphala
Black cumin
Horse with melanoma? Combine triphala with black cumin!
Unfortunately, some horses deal with melanomas. These are tumors that mostly occur in fungi around the tail/anus. Some melanomas can cause a lot of problems and discomfort for the horse. But did you know that a combination of triphala and black cumin can support melanomas?. What are melanomas? Melanomas are skin tumors that arise from excessive production of pigment cells (melanocytes). This excessive cell division results in a bump/tumor called a melanoma. The skin of fungi and piebald horses contain more melanocytes, which is why these horses are more sensitive to melanomas, but melanomas can occur in horses of all colors and breeds. The growths are most common around the anus, on the base of the tail, genitals, and head. Some melanomas are visible on the outside...
Nettle
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...
Skin
Others
Three tips to quickly and safely cool down your horse
Summer has begun! Wonderful of course, but it also means that your horse can get quite hot during training. Horses heat up faster than humans and have a harder time getting rid of that heat. Properly cooling down after work is therefore very important. How do you do this best? We give you three tips.. Tip 1: Cool water over the entire body The most important way to quickly and effectively cool down your horse is with cool or cold water. Eventers/endurance riders throw buckets of ice water over their horses when they come out of the cross-country/ride, but you don't have to go that far. You can start by spraying cool water over the entire body. In the second round you can maybe continue with cold water. It is important to make as much of your horse wet as possible. This gives the fastest resul...
Electrolytes
Skin
Minerals
Feeding
Why are electrolytes important for horses?
If you train in the summer months, your horse can sweat a lot. You often hear that you should give electrolytes. Why is that? What are electrolytes actually? When should you give them and what is the most absorbable form?. The official description of electrolytes in chemistry is as follows: they are ions of salts, acids, and bases that are in liquid form in the body. Sounds complicated, but what it comes down to is: they are soluble salts. The most important electrolytes for mammals are sodium, chlorine, and potassium. Sodium chloride is also known as table salt. In addition, magnesium and calcium are also important electrolytes for the functioning of the nervous system and muscles of both horses and humans. Elect...