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.
Behaviour
Minerals
Silicon
Digestion
Feeding
6 causes why horses lick sand
Mainly in the winter you see more horses licking sand. The shortage of the mineral silicon is one of the most common causes, but of course there are more. We have listed six causes of sand eating in horses. If you see your horse licking sand, do not ignore this, because licking sand provides information that something is not right in the diet or management. In addition, too much sand in the intestines can have unpleasant consequences such as colic. Read the six reasons below!. Sand eating is part of nature Naturally, horses also eat sand, or at least soil. Black soil is rich in various minerals and also contains the roots of many plants. Actually a very nutritious addition to the diet if you purely look at the minerals in black soil. It is therefore not strange that horses lick/eat soil, it is a natural need. Often you see that this need increases during the shedding period, in this period horses have an increased need for minerals to be able to make the new coat. Of...
Hooves
Minerals
Silicon
Salmon oil
Seven useful tips against dry hooves in the summer
Many horses have dry hooves in the summer. This is annoying because dry hooves can crumble or split. Cracked hooves are not solved immediately, but there are things you can do to improve hoof quality and reduce the risk of dry hooves.. Hooves grow slowly. Once they are damaged, they also recover slowly. The key is to prevent hooves from crumbling as much as possible. This means taking a number of measures both externally and internally to keep the hooves healthy. Just applying a bit of oil to the hoof is really not enough! Unfortunately... Tip 1: Timely visit to the farrier Make sure your horse is trimmed regularly. This prevents little chips and cracks from getting worse and prevents the hooves from wearing unevenly. Regular...
Electrolytes
Minerals
Electrolytes and minerals: what do you give to your horse and when?
You often hear that your horse needs to get enough minerals in its diet. Also, electrolytes are a good idea during strenuous exercise or high temperatures. But what is the difference? Is there an overlap between these two things? And when do you actually give what?. The five most important minerals that horses need are: Sodium Chloride Potassium Magnesium Calcium In addition, there are a number of so-called 'trace elements', which horses need only in very small quantities. All these minerals are important for regulating fluid balance, muscle function, nervous system, and energy provision. Therefore, it is essential that a horse receives sufficient minerals in its diet every day. Preferably through a mineral pellet, without grains. What is the difference bet...
Electrolytes
Insulin resistance
Minerals
Sweet itch
Which electrolytes are ideal for sugar-sensitive horses?
Warm weather and more sweating, a typical summer for both humans and horses. Horses that are sensitive to sugars also sweat and lose electrolytes in that way. It is therefore important to provide horses with insulin resistance with extra sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride. These minerals, known as electrolytes, are often only available with the addition of a form of sugar. In this blog, you can read how to provide electrolytes to sugar-sensitive horses without sugar.. What are electrolytes and what do they do? Electrolytes are necessary for the functioning of the nervous system, for smooth muscles, and for recovery after exercise. They prevent the "cramping" feeling and acidosis after training. Electrolytes are a number of minerals: Sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Each of these minerals has its own function in the body. But in hot weather, a horse can lose about 10-15 liters of sweat and therefore a large amount of electrolytes....
Nettle
Minerals
Feeding
Healthy horse? Don't forget water quality!
We all want the best for our horses. That's why most horse owners ensure that their horses are kept in good conditions, have plenty of exercise, and are fed well with enough fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Sometimes we forget that water quality is also important. It needs to be safe, tasty, clean, and sufficient to keep your horse healthy and fit.. Horses drink an average of about 30 liters of water per day, and in warm periods this can even increase to 50 liters per day. Water therefore makes up a large part of the horse's total nutrition. Be critical about the water you provide to your horse. If a horse drinks too little, various problems can arise. It can develop stomach problems, dry manure, or even eat too little. If a horse doesn't consume enough water, it also has a negative impact on its athletic performance. Therefore, your horse...
Minerals
Feeding
When is an extra supplement of minerals in concentrate feed for horses necessary?
Many people think that horses receiving (twice daily) concentrate feed do not need extra minerals. However, that is not entirely true. Much depends on the type of concentrate feed, the quality of hay or pasture, the efforts a horse makes, and the health of the horse. Are there disadvantages to concentrate feed? And when should you supplement with extra minerals?. Traditionally, it is common to give all horses concentrate feed (pellets). However, in recent years, you can see that the science is shifting. If your horse is not in a pasture 24 hours a day, then good hay (unpacked), that is not dusty or moldy, is the basis of the diet in combination with a concentrated mineral pellet. All horses need roughage, in ample quantities, spread throughout the day. Your horse's digestive system cannot function without it. Hay lacks sufficient minerals Minerals are es...
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...
Electrolytes
Minerals
Feeding
Is a salt lick sufficient for your horse in warm weather?
Most horses have access to a salt lick, but it is often difficult to assess whether these salt licks are being used. Some horses will consume the salt lick in one go, while others may take years to finish one. But what should you do in warm weather? Should you give electrolytes, or is it not necessary?. Salt lick is part of the basics In addition to good and sufficient roughage, you can see the salt lick as a basic element that every horse should have access to. The horse can then choose to use it as needed. Salt licks come in different types, the most famous being the Himalayan salt lick and the red salt licks (nowadays they are white). But there is also a liquid salt lick made from Bering Sea water) concentrate, as well as flavored salt licks. Salt licks have in common that they mainly contai...