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.
Others
Feeding
# Why you should never train a horse on an empty stomach
Horses have a unique digestive system, which cannot be compared to that of humans. Horses continuously produce stomach acid because they naturally eat for about sixteen hours a day. If a horse hasn't eaten anything for a few hours, the stomach can contain a lot of stomach acid. When you then start training, you risk the development of painful stomach ulcers.. Stomach ulcers are still common in horses. They are usually caused by horses being without forage for too long, being stressed, or having to train on an empty stomach. Or by a combination of these three causes. Saliva neutralizes horse stomach acid Horses continuously produce stomach acid because they are made to eat almost constantly small amounts of forage. A horse produces a lot of saliva when chewing. Especially when eating fibrous forage, such as well-unpacked hay. All that saliva then neut...
Organs
Feeding
The importance of vitamin C in liver problems in horses
Liver problems are common in horses. Often this is not immediately noticed by horse owners, but is revealed through a blood test. Did you know that vitamin C is produced in the liver and can therefore help horses with liver problems? Read more about this in this blog.. What is vitamin C? Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that the horse can produce in the liver. The horse produces vitamin C from glucose with the help of an enzyme. Horses also obtain vitamin C from food, mainly from fresh grass. Vitamin C has several very important functions in the body: It strengthens and activates the immune system It is a powerful antioxidant Works antiallergic Aids in lowering blood sugar Increases absorption of iron, zinc, chromium, calcium, and magnesium Involved in gro...
Guest blog
Feeding
Guest Blog Bart van Heesbeen: 'Horses perform better when you feed them naturally'
Bart van Heesbeen is a show jumper, trainer, instructor, and nutrition expert. He knows exactly what good nutrition does for a sport horse and what does and does not work. He regularly advises owners of sport horses and has a holistic view on horses, feeding, health, and performance.. “When I worked as a professional competition rider, I often felt something was off with my horses. I frequently asked myself, 'Why aren't they performing as well as I think they can? What is holding them back, what is causing them to knock down five poles even though they feel careful enough?'" That's why I went looking for solutions. In that search, I found good forage and started focusing on forage products that can further help horses." Knowledge about forage "For me, it's all...
Feeding
Why you should always have roughage analyzed!
In the agricultural sector, it is a standard practice. All roughage batches are analyzed and the concentrate feed is adjusted accordingly. But why have we not reached this point yet with horses? Why do we mostly assess hay based on appearance and let smell determine it?. Read in this blog why we recommend always having a roughage analysis done. Know what your horse eats Do you know exactly what your horse is eating? And whether it is getting enough nutrients? At customer service, we often hear that customers actually do not know the quality of the roughage. Which is understandable, because many horses are on boarding stables where you do not always have influence on the feeding policy, but it is extremely important to know! Roughage is always the basis of the ho...
Feeding
Why it is good to not give the same brand of balancer / concentrate throughout the entire year
So many feed brands and therefore also an overwhelming amount of choices in the type of feed you give. Each feed is different and developed for a different purpose. One feed may only contain vitamins and minerals, while other feeds are specially designed for extra support in muscle building or for sensitive stomachs. But did you know that it is good to not give the same feed throughout the entire year? Read more about this in this blog.. Reason 1: Each feed has a different composition We are not talking about the amount of energy/sugars/starch/proteins in the feed. But about the composition of vitamins and minerals. Each feed manufacturer has their own vision on which ratios of vitamins and minerals are best for the horse. One brand, for example, may contain more iron than another brand. This applies to all vitamins and minerals. But could it be possible that your horse is getting a deficiency or excess of a certain mineral/vita...
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...
Vitamin E
Feeding
How much vitamin E is in hay?
Horses that spend many hours in the pasture get enough vitamin E from fresh grass. But in the winter, most horses are hardly on the pasture anymore, or the pasture is bare. They mainly eat dry forage, such as hay. There is much less vitamin E in hay, especially when it has been sitting for a while. In storage, vitamin E disappears from the hay.. The degradation of vitamin E from drying hay is very rapid. Often half of it has disappeared after two weeks. You can imagine that the vitamin E content has become very low by the end of winter. Your horse cannot meet its vitamin E needs in that period with just hay. Why is vitamin E important for horses? Horses need vitamin E as an antioxidant, for the proper function of their muscles, and for the immune system. Vitamin E is also important for the nervous system. All horses need daily vitamin E...
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...
Nettle
Detox
Feeding
8 tips to prevent stable legs in your horse
Unfortunately, in winter many horses get less exercise. They spend more time in the stable and especially during the holidays, they train less. This can cause stable legs: thicker, swollen (hind) legs, which do not feel warm. What exactly is this, is it harmful and what can you do about it? We give you eight useful tips!. Horses are naturally made to be slightly active all day. When the heart pumps harder during this movement, the circulation in the legs also improves. This is partly due to the hoof mechanism: the expansion of the hoof with each step, pumping the blood through the lower leg and hoof. What are stable legs? By 'stable legs' we mean: fluid in the lower legs because the horse stands in the stable for a longer period of time. When a horse stands still for a long time, the circulation in the legs decre...
Guest blog
Digestion
Feeding
Guest Blog Ellen Wijnands - Manure Water in Horses: from Nutritional Advice to Supplements
Ellen Wijnands is a natural nutritionist and uses bioresonance to measure and treat energetic disturbances and blockages, even in horses. In this way, she can offer support for various ailments and issues through a holistic approach. We asked Ellen what issues she encounters in her practice and how she proceeds. Manure water turns out to be a common problem. Ellen: "Manure water is not normal, it is not something that 'belongs to your horse'. A multi-faceted approach gives the highest chance of success. Keep in mind: every horse is different.". Ellen explains: "Especially at the beginning of winter, I often see digestive problems. I also frequently encounter horses with manure water. Manure water arises from changes in the diet. Especially when horses transition from pasture to a diet of only dried roughage." Cause of manure water With manure water, your horse has relatively firm to quite soft manure balls, but a significant amount of liquid is also expelled. This manure water indicates that the digestive juices are not prope...
Algae
Feeding
What is the difference between spirulina and DHA algae for horses?
There are several types of algae supplements available for horses nowadays. Spirulina and DHA algae are well-known examples. What is the difference between these two types of algae? And can they be easily swapped for each other?. Algae are very healthy for horses. They contain proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Make sure to select an algae product specifically made for horses, as there are algae species that are toxic to horses! Spirulina as a protein source for horses Spirulina is a blue-green saltwater algae, known as a cyanobacterium. This is a very ancient life form. Spirulina is naturally very rich in proteins, and also contains vitamin B12, essential amino acids, and omega-3 fatty acids. Spiruli...
Digestion
Feeding
Psyllium cure for sand colic: often dosed much too low in horses!
Psyllium, or flea seed, is a good way to remove sand from the intestines of your horse. If your horse regularly ingests some sand, in the paddock or on a short pasture, it is good to give a course of flea seed every month or six weeks. But beware: the dose stated on the packaging of many psyllium products is too low. A sand cure works best when short, but powerful. Read on to find out what the correct dosage is.. A horse ingests sand while grazing, by eating hay from a bare ground, or by intentionally licking sand in the paddock. Dust in hay can also cause the absorption of sand or clay. A little sand in your horse's intestines is normal, and small amounts are simply excreted by your horse. What you want to prevent is the sand accumulating. This sometimes happens if a lot goes in and little comes out. This can lead to sand colic, a painful and sometimes even deadly form of colic. The most risky period fo...