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.
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...
Digestion
Why a fecal examination in horses in the winter can be falsely negative
Many people have fecal examinations done before deworming their horses. In itself, that is a good idea, because this way you can combat the parasites in the horse's belly more effectively. But unfortunately, you cannot rely blindly on this method. Especially in winter, some types of worm infections are not or hardly visible in the feces.. During a fecal examination, the number of worm eggs in your horse's feces is examined. A few eggs are not a problem, but if there are many worm eggs present, then a deworming treatment is advised. Deworming based on fecal examination can prevent over-deworming. This was sometimes a problem in the past, as worms become resistant to deworming agents that are given too frequently. Red bloodworms in hibernation In autumn, the larvae of the red bloodworm go into a resting state. They then settle in t...
Digestion
Feeding
Packaged hay/pre-cut hay is often the cause of manure water in horses.
Does your horse frequently have a dirty tail and does a lot of water come out with the manure? This is usually the result of disrupted gut flora. Not all horses can handle the slight acidification that occurs with packaged hay or pre-cut silage. The fermentation process in this packaged hay then leads to poor digestion and the formation of manure water. What is the solution?. Many horse owners try everything when their horse walks around with a dirty tail and constantly has manure water coming out. Unfortunately, supplements usually have little (or only a temporary effect) on this problem. By the way, manure water is not the same as diarrhea. Difference between unpackaged and packaged (pre-cut) hay A good bale of roughage smells fresh, is nicely stemmy, and the grass inside it is in bloom. It is important that the grass is dry enough at the time it is baled, otherwis...