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.
Electrolytes
Minerals
Feeding
Extra minerals for your horse: When is that necessary?
Minerals are essential building blocks for bones, muscle tissue, organs, and the nervous system. Therefore, your horse needs to be able to absorb enough minerals with its food and water. But minerals are complex, sometimes work together, and occasionally interfere with each other. How do you know if your horse is getting enough minerals or needs extra?. Minerals are important for the skeleton, nervous system, and digestion. Horses require a large number of minerals, sometimes in very small amounts. Minerals are usually divided into minerals and trace elements. Minerals should be given in grams per day, trace elements in milligrams. Some of the 'major' minerals include: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chloride, and potassium. Trace elements include: zinc, copper, iron, manganese, iodine, selenium, cobalt, molybdenum, and sulfur. Compound...
Behaviour
Hormones
Feeding
Why we do not have supplements for heat cycles in our assortment
Mares and heat cycles, some have no problems with it while others may struggle with it extensively. It is common for us to receive inquiries about whether we have anything to offer for mares experiencing heat cycles. And our answer is simple and straightforward: 'No!'. In this blog, we will explain why we are not fans of supplements for mares in heat. Heat cycles in mares are natural! Every mare is expected to go through heat cycles if she is not pregnant. Heat cycles typically occur from around March to October. If the fall season is long, heat cycles may start a bit later, while a long summer may extend the duration. Generally, there are no heat cycles during the winter months. A mare's cycle lasts an average of 21 days, meaning you will witness heat cycles...
Behaviour
Organs
Digestion
Feeding
How to prevent stomach ulcers in sport horses?
Unfortunately, many horses suffer from stomach ulcers. This problem occurs in recreational horses, but many sport horses also experience it. It is often thought that sport horses are "different" and should be kept and fed differently. But is that really the case? And how can you prevent stomach ulcers in sport horses?. What are stomach ulcers? A stomach ulcer is an irritation or wound in the stomach caused by damage to the stomach lining. This results in inflammatory reactions to the stomach wall. The stomach of a horse has a capacity of about 10 liters and can be seen as a bag. The lower part continuously produces stomach acid, and the lining in the lower part is more resistant to this acid. The upper part of the stomach has a different lining and is less tolerant to stomach acid. Due to various circumstances...
Feeding
Pasture
What herbs can you sow in your horse pasture?
That a horse pasture is different from a cow pasture is well known to most people by now. For example, dairy cows need a protein-rich pasture while horses cannot use this. Horses benefit more from a pasture where they can enjoy different herbs. Read in this blog why herbs in the pasture are so important for horses and which herbs every horse can use in a horse pasture.. Why a horse needs herbs Herbivores (plant eaters) are top herbivores. This is because herbivores have alkaline stomach acid and herbs are alkaline. Alkaline is the opposite of acid. Stomach acid must have a certain acid-base balance in order to function optimally. This balance also directly affects the intestinal flora and therefore the overall resistance of the horse. In addition, herbs are rich in various minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. By offering herbs to horses, you give them a much...
Minerals
Feeding
If your horse does not have access to pasture, then what?
In the Netherlands, space is limited. Therefore, it is not always possible to provide your horse with pasture access. How do you deal with this? What should you keep in mind when your horse doesn't have pasture access?*. In the wild, a horse spends many hours and kilometers per day foraging for food alongside herd mates. Even our modern horses are still designed for this "grazing-walking" lifestyle. To keep your horse healthy, you want to mimic this way of life as much as possible, even if it requires some creativity. Free movement and social interaction Free movement is essential for the physical and mental well-being of your horse. The joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles of horses stay in better...
Feeding
Pasture
How do you get your horse used to grass?
Spring is on its way! As the ground warms up again, the grass starts growing. And when the grass has grown strong enough, your horse can go back to the pasture. Naturally wonderful. But how do you ensure the transition to pasture grazing goes as smoothly as possible so that your horse can get used to the grass?. Grass starts to grow when the soil temperature is between 5°C and 8°C. Grass growth is optimal between a soil temperature of 12°C and 20°C. When the soil temperature exceeds 25°C, the grass temporarily stops growing. So, a soft and moist spring is optimal for grass growth. Transitioning Diet If your horse has not been on grass during the winter, the switch to pasture grazing can be quite drastic for the digestive system. Going from a diet of dry hay to juicy and sugary grass is a big change for...
Guest blog
Feeding
Guest blog Bart van Heesbeen: Prevailing beliefs about nutrition in equestrian sports
In my previous article for HELTIE horse® I wrote about natural nutrition in sports. In this sequel, I would like to discuss prevailing beliefs in the equestrian world and whether they are accurate. In equestrian sports, there are often many different beliefs regarding nutrition. 'He needs a lot of energy' or 'he will gain weight from too much concentrate.' Maybe you can think of more. What's interesting for me is that I can understand these opinions very well, as I also come from the world of sports. Therefore, I want to start with my own belief; 'Everyone always does it with good intentions.' Within his/her knowledge, everyone has the best interest of their horse in mind. As long as we hold on to this belief, we can have a respectful conversation with each other.. To get a good context, we need to understand where certain beliefs come from. In the past, horses were used for work in the fields. Initially, they were fed generous amounts of grain. Primarily oats were used for this, and sometimes barley as well. These are the two grains that were originally the easiest for horses to digest. The horses had to work all day in the fields, which naturally had a huge impact. Concentrate feed was needed to endure this. Due to the work, the negative effects of grain...
Feeding
Roughage for horses: there is more than hay!
When we ask our customers what roughage their horse gets, the standard answer is (pre-cut) hay. And this is logical, because this is also the largest source of roughage for horses. But there are several types of roughage that can provide more variety for your horse and even make it possible to keep (almost) all horses on unlimited roughage! In this blog, we will gladly explain to you which types of roughage there are, in addition to unpackaged hay/pre-cut.. But first: what we prefer. We are gradually seeing a shift towards unpackaged hay and we are extremely happy about that! Even large stables are increasingly opting for unpackaged hay and that is so incredibly nice to read. Our preference is really for unpackaged hay. Pre-cut/silage always undergoes a fermentation process because it is wrapped in plastic, which results in, among other things, a different pH. This disturbs so much in the body, causing overall resistance to decrease, minerals to be...
Behaviour
Minerals
Silicon
Digestion
Feeding
Help, my horse is eating sand! What should I do now?
Two times a year we see a peak in questions about horses eating sand. Typically around February/March and usually around September/October. This is quite logical, as these are periods when the molting process is in full swing and the nutritional needs of horses are changing due to a seasonal shift. But what should you do if your horse starts eating sand? Should you just let it happen or should you intervene?. Sand-eating is a natural phenomenon All horses eat sand, this is a natural phenomenon and wild horses do this as well. Sand, or rather soil, is a rich source of minerals. From white sand, horses cannot extract much, as it mainly consists of silicon in a form that is not absorbable. Black soil, on the other hand, is richer in minerals, contains more types of minerals, and in forms that the horse can make better use of. If you see your horse eating black soil, don't panic immediately. It is a sign...
Behaviour
Stress
Feeding
Is your horse acting normal?
Do you ever observe your horse in the pasture, paddock, or in the stable? What do you look for? And what stands out to you? Do you know what is 'normal' for your horse? Small deviations in a horse's behavior can be signs of early discomfort, illness, or social issues. Therefore, make it a habit to regularly observe your horse.. As a horse owner, you want the best for your animal. Therefore, it is important to have an idea of what behavior is 'normal' for your horse. Is the animal dominant or lower in rank? Does it like to play, have friends, sleep often in the paddock or stable? Eating behavior and how often your horse drinks are also interesting facts to know. And of course, it is important to see if your horse eats sand or digs holes. Herd Behavior How a horse behaves within the herd is a crucial indication of how it...
Behaviour
Weight
Feeding
Why a retirement horse also needs to keep moving
Many people are familiar with the saying "use it or lose it", but you only truly understand the meaning when you have been inactive for a while or literally unable to move. As we age, we start to experience more difficulties if we don't keep moving. When you ask older, fit, and agile people what they do, the answer is often: 'Eat healthy and walk'. Moving becomes more challenging as you get older, but you can still keep moving, as long as you don't just stop.. Horses can experience this issue even more than humans. Movement is a crucial part of a horse's life. They can be compared to nomads who traveled from one place to another and never stayed in one place for long. Movement is key for horses. Keep challenging older horses When we notice that an older horse is struggling to move, we often try to make it as easy as possible for them. By making everything easier and reducing the effort the horse needs to exert, we are actually causing more deteriorati...
Behaviour
Others
Feeding
Natural horse keeping is the goal, but look at your horse!
Our goal is to bring horses closer to nature. Therefore, our aim is that horses are kept as naturally as possible. Of course, it is important to consider your horse and its specific needs. Not all horses thrive on being outside 24/7, just like not all horses can handle being in a stall for a few hours.. So, don't focus solely on the idea that your horse must live naturally, but pay close attention to your horse. Here are some tips to keep your horse natural. Tip 1: Thin/poor quality roughage to allow for unlimited feeding Horses naturally eat sparse. Not grass that is fertilized multiple times a year with artificial fertilizers, but grass that is juicy for a short period and then becomes fibrous and withered. Lots of herbs, twigs, tree bark, and bushes. And this for about 20 hours a day, taking...