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
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...
Cannabinoids
Skin
Insulin resistance
Clove
Sweet itch
Summer Itching: Why does my horse have itch?
The sun is shining, the grass is green, and the evenings are long. A delightful time. But spring and summer are also the time when some horses get a lot of itching. Often this is immediately thought of as sweet itch: an allergic reaction to the bite of small midges. But there can also be other causes for itching. Why does your horse have itching? And what can you do about it?. During the transition from winter to spring and summer, many horses spend more time outside. Typically, the diet also changes from hay to (partially) fresh grass. With the higher temperatures, insects also become active again: flies, mosquitoes, midges, horseflies, and ticks can be troublesome for your horse. Not all itching is sweet itch! It is important to find out why your horse is scratching in the summer months. The reason is not always sweet itch. A horse can also get itchy as a reaction t...
First Aid
Skin
Why an EM skin spray belongs in the first aid kit
A scratch or wound is quickly incurred by a horse. Even with the wet weather of recent times, a mud spot can quickly develop. A spray with effective Micro-organisms (EM) is therefore indispensable in your horse's first aid kit!. Not disinfecting, but supporting! Many wound sprays and products against mud are made to kill bacteria, fungi, and other micro-organisms. These products have a disinfecting function, but unfortunately, they also kill the good bacteria/micro-organisms. The good micro-organisms are extremely important for the skin. They support the healing process and drive away the bad micro-organisms. For wound healing, it is therefore better to choose a skin spray with these good organisms! The effective micro-...
Nettle
Skin
Minerals
Stubborn mud fever? Happy bacteria can help!
Many horses deal with mud fever, especially when it is wet outside, the paddock remains muddy, or if they spend more time indoors. The term 'pastern dermatitis' refers to a variety of problems. A comprehensive approach is important, supporting the horse from the outside and from the inside. Unfortunately, there are sometimes stubborn spots where the skin remains irritated. What should you do?. Mud fever is a collective term for skin problems, scabs, and wounds on the lower legs of horses. Mud fever can be caused by fungi, bacteria, and even sunburn (on white legs). Often, complaints caused by parasites such as mites are also referred to as 'Mud fever.' But in reality, this is something different. Mud fever often presents with flakes, scabs, redness, and cracks in the pastern. The pastern, especially in horses with white legs or long socks, is a lovely spot for pathogens. Your horse ge...
Skin
Others
Why you better not use detangler and shine spray on horses without a blanket
Are you a fan of detangler products and shine sprays? They are ideal for keeping your horse's tail and mane tangle-free and easily combable. But did you know that you should be careful when using them on horses that live without a blanket? Read more about this in this blog.. Skin oil important for horses Do your hands also have a white/grey layer after you've cuddled your horse? That is the skin oil that is on and between the fur. Especially in periods when the temperature drops or during shedding, there is extra skin oil. Many owners then recognize the dust on the horse that brushes off when grooming. Sometimes it is thought that the horse has dandruff, but it is actually very important skin oil. In certain periods, horses can even have a dull appearance due to all...
Skin
Silicon
Feeding
A shiny coat says nothing about the health of the horse
'My horse is perfectly healthy because he shines' you have probably heard a horse lover say. But is that true? Is a horse that shines always healthy? We as horse owners like to see a horse that shines like a mirror. But making a horse shine is not an art, it says less about the actual health of the horse than is thought. Read on below!. Oil and silicon make a horse shine Did you know that when horses shine from being given oil, it is because their body cannot get rid of the excess fat and it will secrete it through the skin as a temporary solution? Therefore, never give more than 50-75 ml of oil per day, divided into multiple portions. Horses that are fed oil will automatically shine more. The fats ensure a more oily skin, which makes the coat slightly oilier and shiny. The shine a horse gets from being fed oil does not come fr...
First Aid
Skin
Wounds in horses close quickly with Effective Microorganisms (EM) spray
Every horse occasionally gets a small wound. A nip in the paddock, a bump, or an annoying insect often lead to minor skin damage. Unfortunately, horses can be very sensitive to this and such a wound can lead to unpleasant infections. Sometimes even resulting in blood poisoning or a swollen leg (Einschuss). So you want wounds to be cleaned and closed as quickly as possible!. On the skin of your horse (and yours!), there is a wide biodiversity of microorganisms. It is a whole web of microscopic life. An interesting way to support the natural healing process of the skin is by using Effective Microorganisms. These are 'happy' or 'good' bacteria and other microorganisms that initiate the healing process and help prevent infections. What are Effective Microorganisms? The term 'Effective Microorganisms' refers to a mixture of active bacteria, fungi, and yeasts. These tiny...
Skin
Sweet itch
Note: this is why summer eczema often has a resurgence in September!
The end of the summer eczema season is finally in sight. The temperatures are starting to drop and the days are getting shorter. Many horse owners think they can stop treating summer eczema. However, they are often in for a surprise. Because horses often experience a resurgence of itching in September and October. Keep reading for the cause and tips to alleviate a resurgence.. Mosquitoes in moist grass Mosquitoes lay eggs in water or in moist soil. In September and October, the nights are much more humid, which is ideal for mosquitoes to lay eggs. When the temperature rises, these eggs hatch en masse. That is also the reason why you can still see swarms of mosquitoes in September and October. If summer eczema horses no longer have a blanket on and no other precautions have been taken, you will see the itching resurface. Change in diet Did you know that far fewer horse...
Skin
Insulin resistance
Sweet itch
Do fewer horses have sweet itch than we think?
When horses are scratching in the summer months, it is often quickly assumed that a horse has summer eczema (SME). However, there are many more causes of scratching in the summer months. This leads to many horses being treated as if they have summer eczema, without results. Therefore, it is very important to determine the cause of the scratching in the summer months. A horse may react to sugars in the diet, be sensitive to insect bites, be overweight, or have itching for other reasons during the summer period. There are also horses that scratch from grassland treated with artificial fertilizers. So, a horse scratching in the summer months does not always have sweet itch. Below is an overview of possible causes of itching in the summer and what measures you can take.. Itching Due to Overweight Most horses in the Netherlands carry a very generous amount of weight. Just like with humans, we all know that being overweight is not healthy for horses. But did you know that overweight can cause itching in horses? Fat deposits cause small inflammatory reactions under the skin, especially around the mane. These inflammations cause irritation, leading the horse to scratch. Scratching creates wounds that cause further inflammatory reactions at those spots, and this cycl...