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.
Mites
Feeding
Good horse nutrition is important for mites
When your horse is bothered by mites, it is useful to tackle that problem through multiple routes at the same time. The brushes, blankets, and environment of your horse need to be clean, your horse needs to be treated for mites, skin and resistance can use support, and it is important that your horse eats as healthily as possible. You can read about that in this article.. The health of a horse is largely dependent on the health of its gastrointestinal system. Digestion is one of the most important bodily processes for horses, and they are therefore very sensitive to disruptions in the digestive tract. A healthy bacteria population in the small intestine, cecum, and most importantly the colon of your horse is essential. Microbiome The bacteria, fungi, and yeasts in a horse's intestines are called the microbiome. That name indicates that it is actually a whole ecos...
Mites
Which stable floor for horses sensitive to mites?
Stamping, rubbing, and biting in the legs: Mites in horses are especially a problem in autumn and winter. In horses that are kept outdoors, mite infestations can occur due to a wet and muddy ground, but in horses that are also stabled, the bedding is often a significant factor. Which stable floor is best for horses sensitive to mites?. Mites are spider-like insects that are not visible to the naked eye. They thrive in moisture and warmth. Therefore, socks of cold-blooded and Friesian horses are often a favorite habitat for mites. But mites can also be found in straw and hay. Straw, flax, or sawdust? Mites can come from straw. So, if your horse spends a lot of time in the stable and is sensitive to mites, it may be useful to choose a different bedding. When using sawdust or flax in the stable, the risk of mite infestation is mu...
Detox
Mites
Why does my horse have a mite infestation?
As the days get shorter and winter begins, many horses face an annual problem: mites! How does your horse get a mite infection? And can a mite infestation be prevented?. Stamping, rubbing, scabs, and sometimes even swollen legs: an infection with mites is no fun for your horse. During the winter months, when horses spend more time in the stable, these pesky parasites often strike. What are mites? Mites are tiny creatures that like to nest on horse's legs. They resemble little spiders. Mites are especially at home on horses with long socks. The Chorioptes mite, the type of mite that is common in horses in the Netherlands, causes itching, scabs, and irritation. Ho...
Skin
Mites
Does my horse have mud fever or mites?
Your horse is stamping its feet, has crusts in the fetlock pits, or keeps rubbing its legs... What could be the issue? Some say: mud fever! Others call out: mites! But what's actually the difference? And what should you do if your horse has mud fever and/or mites?. Mud fever is a collective term for various skin conditions above the hoof, in the fetlock pit, and on the lower legs. You may see crusts or small wounds and your horse often has itching. Although itching is not always present. Mites are parasites that reside in the socks and complete their entire life cycle, from egg to adult mite, there. Mud Fever and CPL The term mud fever is used for different conditions and does not provide much information about the cause and severity of the ailment. Mud fe...
Cannabinoids
Clove
Stress
Triphala
Horse Stress: Choose your clove, triphala or a stress product?
If your horse is stressed, you would like to do something about it. Stress is not fun for your horse and can even lead to dangerous situations. But... there are many remedies and supplements available. Which one should you choose? The answer depends on your horse and your situation!. Every horse experiences tension from time to time. Sometimes it is short-lived, but sometimes it is truly chronic. If you want to help a horse with stress, it is important to first investigate where the stress is coming from and what type of stress it is. This way, you can better assess what you need to do. Circumstances Horses are herd animals that require social contact and free movement. If they do not (or insufficiently) receive this, it can lead to prolonged, chronic stress. A lack of rough...
Weight
Feeding
How to keep a thin horse at a healthy weight in the winter?
Usually we receive questions about overweight horses and the best way to help them lose weight. But there is also a group of horses that easily lose weight and become thin quickly, especially in the winter season. And helping a horse gain weight, in a healthy way, may be even more challenging than helping a horse lose weight.. In this blog, we want to give you tips on how to keep a thin horse at a healthy weight! Losing weight in the winter is okay! Remember that it is normal for horses to lose weight in the winter, it is part of nature and actually very desirable! In nature, horses become overweight in the summer due to the rich nutrients in the grass, but in the winter they lose weight because there is less food available. This is also a natural detox for horses and is actually beautiful when it happens! As horse ow...
Digestion
Feeding
How do you keep the pH value of the horse's stomach balanced?
Horses have much more stomach problems than people. Stress, heavy work, and a less adequate feed policy can contribute to this. But also, for example, after a move or illness, stomach problems can occur. What can you do about this and how do you keep the pH of the horse's stomach under control?. In the lower part of the horse's stomach, gastric juice is released, which contains a lot of hydrochloric acid. This acid kills harmful bacteria, fungi, and yeasts that may be present in the feed. If the stomach is too empty or if there are other disruptions, the acid can 'splash' up to the upper half of the stomach and damage the gastric mucosa there. Many stomach problems A 2000 American study showed that about 60% of the horses in the study had stomach problems. This increased to as much as 9...
Others
Digestion
Feeding
# The ideal feeding schedule for horses with limited hay
Giving limited or unlimited roughage to your horse is still a topic of much debate. Some horses do fine on unlimited roughage, but there are also horses that become way too fat. Often, this is not due to the amount of roughage, but to the nutritional value of the roughage. As a horse owner, you cannot always change this and have to deal with the feed that is available (at the boarding stable).. Hay high in sugars In recent years, we are seeing more and more issues with feeding unlimited roughage. The hay in the Netherlands is very high in sugar due to the dry/warm summers, with percentages around 15% becoming almost normal, whereas it is preferred to have them under 8% and even under 5% for horses sensitive to sugars. Due to the high sugar percentages, horses easily gain weight, develop health issues, and unlimited feeding becomes a risk. Of course, roughage is more than just hay! Roug...
Digestion
Feeding
Why you should always give roughage before concentrate
Traditionally, it has always been said: first give roughage and then concentrate to a horse. But why is this actually the case? What is the effect if you give your horse concentrate first? We are happy to tell you in this blog!. Ideal horse never without roughage In the ideal scenario, this issue would not even be a concern, because we prefer to see horses have roughage available 24/7 and never have an empty stomach. However, this is not possible for all horses and on all farms. In many boarding stables, there are still separate times for roughage and concentrate feeding. In this case, it is important to give the roughage first. Roughage stimulates saliva production While we humans produce saliva continuously, it works...
Guest blog
Guest blog Finecto+: Is keeping chickens with horses dangerous?
People who have animals at home usually don't just keep one type of animal. Often, it becomes a whole stack of animals that run around and live together. With chickens, there are often problems with mites, especially red mites can be a huge nuisance. Is it dangerous to keep chickens and horses together? Finecto+, specialist in the control of red mites, explains!. What are red mites? Red mites is actually the wrong name, they are actually mites, but generally the name red mites is used. These mites occur on birds, poultry, and also on reptiles. But especially with chickens, red mites are a huge nuisance. Infection usually occurs by adding a new chicken, but wild birds often bring an infestation of red mites as well. Red mites are extremely persistent, a real nuisance, they reproduce very fast, so within a week a few red mites can become 10,000 red mites....
Organs
Triphala
Translate from Dutch to English: What does triphala do for stomach problems?
Triphala is an herbal mixture from the Aryuvedic tradition. It is particularly suitable for horses with symptoms of stomach problems. This is because the herbs not only support digestion, but also help reduce chronic stress. You can read about how this works in this article.. Triphala is a mixture of three types of fruits, namely: Amalaki (Indian gooseberry - Emblica officinalis), Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica), and Haritaki (Terminalia chebula). There has been quite a bit of scientific research done on the effects of the fruits in Triphala. For example, Indian gooseberry stimulates digestion and has laxative and anti-inflammatory properties. Bibhitaki is useful in bacterial and viral infections and is good for intestines and lungs, among other things. Haritaki pro...
Organs
Digestion
Function and anatomy of the horse's stomach
Horses have a unique and sensitive digestive system. The whole process 'from mouth to butt' is quite complicated. The stomach of a horse is an essential and sensitive part of this digestive process. What does that stomach actually look like and how does a healthy horse stomach function?. A horse has a very long digestive system, but the horse's stomach is relatively small. However... due to this small stomach, huge amounts of food and water must be ingested daily. An adult horse needs about 1 percent of its body weight in dry matter every day. This is a whopping 30 to 45 kilograms of fresh grass or 7.5 to 12 kilograms of hay. In addition, a horse drinks about 25 liters of water per day. If the horse has to work or if it's hot, even more water is needed! No stretch A horse's stom...