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.

Joints

Magnesium

Silicon

When your horse comes out of a heavy competition season or has just been broken in, you may want to provide some extra support for his joints. Even if your horse is a bit older and sometimes stiffer, it can be a good idea. When do you use which supplement and do you continue to give it or opt for a short course? We will explain it to you!

Supporting Joints: continuous supplementation or as a short course?

When your horse comes out of a heavy competition season or has just been broken in, you may want to provide some extra support for his joints. Even if your horse is a bit older and sometimes stiffer, it can be a good idea. When do you use which supplement and do you continue to give it or opt for a short course? We will explain it to you!. To combat stiffness and joint pain in a horse, there are various supplements available. It depends on the horse and the situation what you can give and how to best use these supplements. Magnesium: important ingredient A sport horse needs magnesium. This mineral is essential for the nervous system, bones, and muscles. A horse that performs a lot of work and experiences above-average stress needs extra magnesium. Because Dutch roughage contains relatively little magnesium, it is good for most hor...

Cannabinoids

Joints

Clove

Is your horse a bit stiff when starting out, or is he stiff after training? The cause for this may lie in the joints. For example, when your horse is a bit older and has developed some arthritis. Or because you have trained heavily and uric acid crystals have accumulated in the joints. Herbs can help to make your horse more supple and relieve joint pain.

Which herbs are suitable for the joints of horses?

Is your horse a bit stiff when starting out, or is he stiff after training? The cause for this may lie in the joints. For example, when your horse is a bit older and has developed some arthritis. Or because you have trained heavily and uric acid crystals have accumulated in the joints. Herbs can help to make your horse more supple and relieve joint pain.. As a horse ages, changes in the cartilage can occur. This falls under the umbrella of arthritis. Also, wear and tear of the joints, a lower production of joint fluid (lubricant), or local inflammation in the joints can cause pain and reduced mobility. Herbs for arthritis and joint inflammation There are several herbs that can be used for conditions such as arthritis and arthritis. A well-known one is devil's claw, for example. This herb should not be used in pregnant horses and horses in competi...

Nettle

Detox

Dandelion

If you want to boost your horse's immune system or stimulate its body to expel accumulated waste more quickly, you can give your horse a special treatment. You have the choice between a detox with a herbal mixture, a treatment with nettle, or a treatment with dandelion. When do you use which plants?

Dandelion, nettle or a detox?

If you want to boost your horse's immune system or stimulate its body to expel accumulated waste more quickly, you can give your horse a special treatment. You have the choice between a detox with a herbal mixture, a treatment with nettle, or a treatment with dandelion. When do you use which plants?. One of the major differences between a detox, nettle, or dandelion is the intensity of the treatments. Dandelion and nettle are mild herbs that are suitable for all horses. This means that even horses with underlying conditions such as laminitis, muscle stiffness, and obesity can use dandelion or nettle. These herbs are also suitable for pregnant mares. You can give them several times a year when you want to give your horse a boost. A herbal detox is only intended for healthy horses. A detox tre...

Dandelion

In the spring, many meadows are full of dandelions. A cheerful sight, but did you know that this plant also has powerful medicinal properties? The leaves and roots of dandelions contain tannins and other 'bitter substances' that are beneficial for digestion and liver function, in both humans and horses.

What is the healing effect of dandelion?

In the spring, many meadows are full of dandelions. A cheerful sight, but did you know that this plant also has powerful medicinal properties? The leaves and roots of dandelions contain tannins and other 'bitter substances' that are beneficial for digestion and liver function, in both humans and horses.. The dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) may seem like such a common plant and is often seen as a weed, but it is actually a very special flower. Both the leaves and the root have been used for centuries for their medicinal properties. Dandelion for digestion Dandelion gives your horse's digestion a real boost. An adult horse's digestive system is about 40 meters long and can hold up to 200 liters! This huge organ is crucial for a horse's health. Dandelion supports the functioning of the stomach and...

Detox

Wild horses eat everything: grasses, herbs, branches, and shrubs. They choose their food according to the season and their needs. A natural diet contains plants that provide detoxification, so that waste products are removed and the body is cleansed. Our domesticated horses have fewer choices. When is it time to give your horse an herbal detox? And when is it not a good idea?

When do you give your horse a detox?

Wild horses eat everything: grasses, herbs, branches, and shrubs. They choose their food according to the season and their needs. A natural diet contains plants that provide detoxification, so that waste products are removed and the body is cleansed. Our domesticated horses have fewer choices. When is it time to give your horse an herbal detox? And when is it not a good idea?. For some horses, a detox is a good idea, but for others, it is actually a very bad idea. The timing of the detox also matters, you preferably give a detox at a time of the year when the horse would naturally detox as well. Twice a year In general, the advice is to give healthy (non-pregnant) horses a detox twice a year. This can improve their skin and coat, give them more energy, and boost the immune system and metabolism. Early spring and the end of summer are suitable times for this. For horse...

Guest blog

Feeding

A balancer is meant to restore the balance in your horse's diet. This means: replenishing the vitamins and minerals that are not present in the roughage or grass, tailored to your horse's needs. Madelief from Vitalbix tells AskHeltie how to make a good choice for your horse.

Guest blog Vitalbix: How to choose a good balancer?

A balancer is meant to restore the balance in your horse's diet. This means: replenishing the vitamins and minerals that are not present in the roughage or grass, tailored to your horse's needs. Madelief from Vitalbix tells AskHeltie how to make a good choice for your horse.. “If you feed your horse exclusively roughage, there's a high chance of deficiencies,” says Madelief. “The soil is poor in minerals such as copper, zinc, and selenium. Horses that don’t graze often don't get enough vitamins A, D, and E either. These mineral and vitamin deficiencies are often not immediately apparent but can surface in the long term. This leads to various problems, such as a weakened immune system, poor hooves or coat, and weaker muscles, tendons, and bones. It can take years for...

Guest blog

Stress

The science has discovered that when a body is experiencing stress, cell division occurs differently than when there is no stress. This is the reason why a body becomes "sick". The stress remains in your cell, so every cell that divides afterwards carries the information of the stress again. Only when this stress is released can the next cell division take place without the information from the stress! It's pretty cool how something like this works, right?! But then, the question may arise: How do you relieve the stress?

Guest blog HOPE for Horses: Stress in horses

The science has discovered that when a body is experiencing stress, cell division occurs differently than when there is no stress. This is the reason why a body becomes "sick". The stress remains in your cell, so every cell that divides afterwards carries the information of the stress again. Only when this stress is released can the next cell division take place without the information from the stress! It's pretty cool how something like this works, right?! But then, the question may arise: How do you relieve the stress?. Learning to release stress I think we all know that being exposed to stress for a long time or frequently is not beneficial for health. Unfortunately, you cannot escape stress, it is a given that you will have to deal with stress in your life. The good news is that you can learn how to deal with it and how to release stress. This varies from person to person and certainly also from horse to horse! Knowing that avoiding stress is impossible, how can we help release the stress? From well-behaved t...

Dandelion

Feeding

The mineral buffet is becoming more and more popular in the horse world, and it's no wonder. It's ideal to provide your horse with an extra choice in the nutrients it wants/can take in, and it stimulates their self-selection ability. Of course, it's important that we help our horses a bit and not continuously give them the same options, but vary them. This way, we can ensure that we continue to stimulate the intuition of the horse, as not every plant is available all year round.

Dandelion as an addition to a mineral buffet

The mineral buffet is becoming more and more popular in the horse world, and it's no wonder. It's ideal to provide your horse with an extra choice in the nutrients it wants/can take in, and it stimulates their self-selection ability. Of course, it's important that we help our horses a bit and not continuously give them the same options, but vary them. This way, we can ensure that we continue to stimulate the intuition of the horse, as not every plant is available all year round.. Dandelion is one of those plants that is mainly seen in spring, but has many benefits. A tincture of it is ideal to add to your mineral buffet. Not only in spring, but also in autumn. What is dandelion? We all know the little yellow flower that takes over the meadows in spring. After a while, the yellow flower turns into a puffball. It is a rich plant that contains a lot of minerals, but also a lot of vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for the quality of eyes, embryo development, skin protection,...

Nettle

Detox

You often hear that a herbal detox is good for your horse. It is a natural way to cleanse the body. Horses in the wild also 'detox'. Firstly, because they lose fat tissue - and thereby a lot of waste products - during the winter months. And secondly, by eating various herbs and branches. Is a detox also a good idea for your horse?

Which horses benefit from a detox?

You often hear that a herbal detox is good for your horse. It is a natural way to cleanse the body. Horses in the wild also 'detox'. Firstly, because they lose fat tissue - and thereby a lot of waste products - during the winter months. And secondly, by eating various herbs and branches. Is a detox also a good idea for your horse?. It is important to ask this question because a detox is not suitable for all horses. For example, sick horses, horses with extreme overweight or laminitis and pregnant horses should not be given a detox treatment. Sometimes, a mild purification with nettles may be a good idea for these horses. So, a detox is always a matter of customization. What are the benefits of a detox? A detox is intended to remove toxins from the body. Toxins arise in daily life, for example from digestion or from minuscu...

Guest blog

Feeding

At HELTIE horse, we are all horse girls and each have our own horse. Talking about horses, horse health, and horse nutrition fits perfectly within our interests. We always discuss healthy food, natural food, grain-free, low in sugar, etc. But how do we apply this to our own horses? What do we feed them? In this section, Marjolijn will explain what she feeds her mare, Floxely.

What nutrition and supplements does Floxely, the horse of our colleague Marjolijn, receive?

At HELTIE horse, we are all horse girls and each have our own horse. Talking about horses, horse health, and horse nutrition fits perfectly within our interests. We always discuss healthy food, natural food, grain-free, low in sugar, etc. But how do we apply this to our own horses? What do we feed them? In this section, Marjolijn will explain what she feeds her mare, Floxely.. Getting to know Floxely You may have already seen Floxely in photos on social media and blogs. Floxely is an 11-year-old mare, a crossbreed of Friesian and Tinker. She stands at 1.67m tall and recently weighed over 770 kg. Floxely has been my horse since day 1, so she has been my companion for 11 years and I know her like the back of my hand. She's a true mare, so her nicknames are Milady and Tuthola. Floxely is always honest, caring, and has a great sense of humor. When it comes to nutrition, F...

Digestion

Feeding

Horses are very sensitive to digestive problems. The gastrointestinal tract of an adult horse can be as long as 40 meters, with a capacity of up to 200 liters! Along this entire tract, various problems can arise. The health of a horse is therefore largely dependent on the health of its digestive system. Especially in winter.

Why a horse's health starts with the intestinal flora

Horses are very sensitive to digestive problems. The gastrointestinal tract of an adult horse can be as long as 40 meters, with a capacity of up to 200 liters! Along this entire tract, various problems can arise. The health of a horse is therefore largely dependent on the health of its digestive system. Especially in winter.. One of the most important ways to maintain your horse's immunity is to ensure a well-functioning gastrointestinal tract. This is literally the foundation of your horse's health. Of course, this primarily means that there should be sufficient high-fiber roughage of good quality available for your horse. This is essential for the health of the intestinal flora. Your horse's intestinal flora The intestinal flora (or microbiome) is a complete ecosystem of bacteria and fungi that assist in digesting...

Digestion

Feeding

Probably you have not previously considered the difference between pro- and prebiotics. Often pro- and prebiotics are mentioned together, but the difference between the two is significant. It is good to know exactly what this difference is and how both work on the gut flora of horses (but also humans).

What is the difference between pro- and prebiotics? And does it have an effect on the gut health of horses?

Probably you have not previously considered the difference between pro- and prebiotics. Often pro- and prebiotics are mentioned together, but the difference between the two is significant. It is good to know exactly what this difference is and how both work on the gut flora of horses (but also humans).. What is the difference between pre- and probiotics A probiotic is officially defined as a living microbiological food supplement that can influence the microbial balance in the gut. Probiotics can be used when the gut flora is disturbed. With a disturbed gut flora, harmful microorganisms get a chance to expand in the intestines and this can cause various diseases. Probiotics are also used preventively to avoid a possible disturbance of the gut flora, for example, due to antibiotic use. Prebiotic...

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