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
The annual dental check-up: important for a healthy horse
Your horse's health starts with good digestion. And good digestion starts with good chewing. Good chewing can only be done with a good set of teeth. Therefore, it is important to have your horse's teeth checked annually. But... there are a few more reasons why a check-up is wise.. Chewing food finely with the molars and mixing it with abundant saliva is the first - important - step in digestion in horses. A horse that can chew well and has a healthy set of teeth will be less likely to have problems with the gastrointestinal tract. And when digestion is in order, the chances of your horse staying healthy are higher. Continued wear Horses in the wild eat for as much as 16 to 18 hours a day. A true wear and tear on the teeth and molars. But that's exactly the point because a...
Minerals
Vitamin E
Feeding
# Why roughage alone is not enough for horses
If you ask non-horse people: 'what does a horse eat?' then the chances are high that they will answer 'grass'. But that certainly does not apply to all of our horses! Especially not in a cold winter, or a dry summer. What is true, however, is that horses mainly eat roughage, from grass to hay. But unfortunately, roughage alone is not sufficient to keep your horse healthy.. Roughage is obviously the basis for a healthy horse. Horses depend on fibers for their digestion and energy supply. Cellulose, the building material of plant cell walls, is present in fibers. For humans, this stuff is indigestible, but horses derive their energy from it, with the help of fungi, bacteria, and yeasts that live in the large intestine. In English, scientists say that horses are 'hind-gut fermenters'. In other words: they digest the majority of their food with the hind part of their...
Others
Feeding
Do you need to give pellets, or are loose herbs sufficient for your horse?
Many people are afraid that their horse will lack something if they don't give pellets. Is that justified? Or can your horse also get by with only roughage and loose herbs? That is quite a difficult question and very much dependent on your horse and the circumstances under which he is kept.. To start with: it depends on what you mean by 'pellets'. Regular pellets or feed, grains or muesli, are usually not necessary. Many types of concentrate feeds contain all sorts of sugars and fillers that your horse does not need and that overload the horse's body. For many horses, these concentrates also contain far too much energy that they do not need. Start with the basics To put together a good diet (= nutrition package) for your horse, you need to start with the basics. And for horses, that...
Electrolytes
Minerals
Feeding
Extra minerals for your horse: When is that necessary?
Minerals are essential building blocks for bones, muscle tissue, organs, and the nervous system. Therefore, your horse needs to be able to absorb enough minerals with its food and water. But minerals are complex, sometimes work together, and occasionally interfere with each other. How do you know if your horse is getting enough minerals or needs extra?. Minerals are important for the skeleton, nervous system, and digestion. Horses require a large number of minerals, sometimes in very small amounts. Minerals are usually divided into minerals and trace elements. Minerals should be given in grams per day, trace elements in milligrams. Some of the 'major' minerals include: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chloride, and potassium. Trace elements include: zinc, copper, iron, manganese, iodine, selenium, cobalt, molybdenum, and sulfur. Compound...
Weight
Skin
Mites
Sweet itch
Oh no, my horse is rubbing!
As the weather gets warmer, the horses are out in the grass and the insects are emerging from their eggs, the headache for many horse owners resurfaces. Especially Friesians and draft horses are affected: rubbing and damaging the mane and tail. What can you do to prevent this?. Itching is of course very annoying. And it is not fun to watch as your horse feels so uncomfortable that he constantly wants to scratch at fences, stall doors, water buckets, or even at you as the owner. Especially when that lush mane or beautiful full tail starts falling out or your horse injures himself to the point of bleeding. Itch course There are several causes of itching and rubbing. From sweet itch caused by midges, to too much sugar in the diet and skin conditions. We will go through th...
Skin
Minerals
Seven tips to keep your black horse black this summer
Many black and black-brown horses become significantly lighter in the summer, sometimes even turning truly brown. This is a natural process and the horse is not bothered by it at all. But as an owner, you might prefer your horse to stay black. For example, if you have a Friesian going to a show. If you prefer to keep your horse black without using paint, we have seven tips for you.. The brown color is caused by the sun. The hair of your horse fades under the influence of UV radiation. This process is accelerated if a lot of sweat salts remain on your horse's skin. Tip 1: Rinse your horse after work Ensure your horse goes into the sun clean, not covered in dried sweat. This will slow down the discoloration process. It is also more pleasant for your horse to cool off after working on a hot day. A win-win situation. Tip 2: Use a UV-protective fly sheet The less sun exposure, t...
Guest blog
Respiratory
Guest blog: Francis Dalebout - The Limits of Supplements in respiratory complaints and where homeopathy goes further.
Hay fever, pollen allergy, dust allergy, asthma... Many horses suffer chronically from respiratory problems with coughing, excessive mucus production, and often even breathing difficulties. This never develops overnight; usually, it is preceded by a period of increasingly clear symptoms.. When the first cough arises, we try some supplements, some herbs, we ensure a dust-free environment, and then we hope it will go away. And sometimes it does. If it doesn't, then we go to the vet for 'stronger measures.' Sometimes that's enough, but more often than not, the treatment needs to be repeated regularly because the symptoms don't stay away permanently. And now that you think about it... secretly, it's getting a little worse, taking longer to recover, or the bad periods are coming close...
Behaviour
Hormones
Feeding
Why we do not have supplements for heat cycles in our assortment
Mares and heat cycles, some have no problems with it while others may struggle with it extensively. It is common for us to receive inquiries about whether we have anything to offer for mares experiencing heat cycles. And our answer is simple and straightforward: 'No!'. In this blog, we will explain why we are not fans of supplements for mares in heat. Heat cycles in mares are natural! Every mare is expected to go through heat cycles if she is not pregnant. Heat cycles typically occur from around March to October. If the fall season is long, heat cycles may start a bit later, while a long summer may extend the duration. Generally, there are no heat cycles during the winter months. A mare's cycle lasts an average of 21 days, meaning you will witness heat cycles...
Hooves
Minerals
Silicon
No hoof, no horse! What to do in cases of hoof cancer, thrush, and crumbling hooves?
The expression 'No foot, no horse' is old. And a cliché. But yes, healthy and strong hooves are indeed vital for your horse. We list the most important ailments and give you tips to keep your horse's hooves healthy.. The most common 'problem' with horse hooves is crumbling. Especially in dry conditions, many horses have crumbling hooves. Pieces of hoof break off and it doesn't look very nice. Fortunately, it's usually not a very big problem and a visit from the farrier usually resolves it. Sometimes crumbling is (partly) caused by a mineral deficiency. To prevent hooves from crumbling, it is important for you to: Give your horse enough minerals and nutrients Provide enough (free) exercise Not constantly keep...
Skin
Silicon
Salmon oil
What to do with a horse with a dull coat?
A beautiful shiny coat with little apples... that's what we all want for our horse! But the reality is sometimes a lot duller. What can you do about it?. In spring, horses shed their old winter coat and a shiny, soft summer coat emerges. At least, in the ideal case. Sometimes horses come out of their coat poorly or the new coat is not as beautiful and shiny as hoped. Shampoos? Although it can be handy to wash your horse or use an anti-tangle product in the mane or tail, shampoos and gloss sprays are not the real solution if you want your horse to shine. The proverb says: 'True beauty comes from within.' And that applies to the horse's coat too! U...
Cannabinoids
Clove
Triphala
Black cumin
Can you prevent strangles and influenza in your horse?
Strangles and influenza are well-known equine diseases. Both are highly contagious and can make your horse very ill, with high fever. What can you do to protect your horse against strangles and influenza?. While the symptoms may sometimes be a bit similar, there is a very important difference between strangles and influenza. Strangles is caused by a bacterium and influenza by a virus. So, they are actually two very different conditions. However, strangles sometimes gets a chance when a horse's immune system is already weakened after infection with a virus, such as influenza or a cold virus. In such cases, your horse can have both of these diseases at the same time! What is strangles? Strangles is...
Behaviour
Others
Should a sports horse be kept differently than a recreational horse?
Regularly the question arises whether a certain advice also applies to a sports horse. Because a sports horse is different, right? Or not? Are there things you should think about extra when it comes to a sports horse, or can you keep a sports horse the same as a recreational horse?. What is a sports horse? Horses are natural athletes with good fitness levels and they cover an average of 15-18 km per day. And they also graze in the meantime, which means they have to cover large distances at a trot/canter to achieve these distances. Many horses are labeled as sports horses, while in reality they are trained for 4-5 times a week for an hour or two. But to be honest, this is not very intensive for a horse. A sports horse is seen as a horse that is trained/performed at a high le...