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.
Feeding
5 Tips for optimizing biodiversity in your horse's pasture
Unfortunately, biodiversity has drastically decreased in the Dutch meadows. There is very little variation in grass species, herbs, and other plants. This not only provides a more one-sided food source for your horse, but also leads to a decrease in insects such as bees and bumblebees, which are important for pollinating plants. It's a shame! Because the balance in all of this is important for a healthy environment and therefore a healthy horse.. Read in this blog how you can optimize biodiversity yourself with these five tips! Tip 1: Mow later Insects like to live in taller grass, but birds and other small animals also seek shelter in tall grass. By mowing your pasture later, you help increase the population of insects which then serve as food for birds and other animals. And for example, mow the side of the ditch less often! Another advantage of mowing later: more structured hay for your horse! Tip 2: Natural fertilization instead of c...
Guest blog
Feeding
Good idea: A nice herbal field for your horse!
Did you know that horses in the wild eat a wide variety of plants, herbs, and trees? In a study of Konik horses in Belgium, researchers counted as many as 80 different species of plants on the horse's menu. Variety in roughage is very important for your horse. It is tasty and healthy.. Unfortunately, many pastures do not have as many different types of grass and herbs. The biodiversity of the average horse pasture has decreased significantly in recent years. While all these different plants are so healthy. A wild horse chooses the herbs that it needs, for example because they contain many vitamins or minerals. Create your own herbal field for your horse A fun way to offer your horse some more variety in roughage is by creating an herb garden. It can be done in or next to the p...
Feeding
Pasture
Grass: the biggest sugar bomb for your horse
It's spring, and soon most horses will be allowed back into the pasture. Hooray! But not for all horses is grazing a delight. Especially for hardy breeds and sensitive horses, the pasture can be a dangerous place. Grass can (sometimes) be packed with sugars, especially in the spring and fall after cold nights. However, with proper management, these horses can also enjoy grazing.. Grass and hay contain varying amounts of carbohydrates such as sugars, starch, and fructan. The amount of sugars in the grass depends on the time of day and the season. The type of grass in the pasture also has an influence. Excessive intake of sugars, starch, and fructan is associated with digestive issues and metabolic diseases such as laminitis, insulin resistance, and EMS in horses. Horses with summer eczema or those sensitive to mites also benefit from a low-sugar diet. Tip: Pay attention t...
Feeding
Pasture
Only a meadow with English Ryegrass? With these tips you create more variety for your horse!
Grass is the basis of a horse's diet. This can be in the form of grazing in the pasture, or dried in the form of hay. But did you know that you can improve this basic diet of your horse to make it even more nutritious for your horse? Read in this blog how to do that.. Of course, not everyone has the luxury of their own piece of pasture, but you may be able to take tips from this blog to make adjustments for your horse so that it gets more variety! Choose multiple types of grass Most pastures consist of English Ryegrass. A grass species that thrives in the Dutch climate, provides good yield, and creates a dense sod. However, it is very one-sided for horses and often too high in nutritional value for almost all horses. Many horses can therefore only graze limit...
Minerals
Feeding
When is an extra supplement of minerals in concentrate feed for horses necessary?
Many people think that horses receiving (twice daily) concentrate feed do not need extra minerals. However, that is not entirely true. Much depends on the type of concentrate feed, the quality of hay or pasture, the efforts a horse makes, and the health of the horse. Are there disadvantages to concentrate feed? And when should you supplement with extra minerals?. Traditionally, it is common to give all horses concentrate feed (pellets). However, in recent years, you can see that the science is shifting. If your horse is not in a pasture 24 hours a day, then good hay (unpacked), that is not dusty or moldy, is the basis of the diet in combination with a concentrated mineral pellet. All horses need roughage, in ample quantities, spread throughout the day. Your horse's digestive system cannot function without it. Hay lacks sufficient minerals Minerals are es...
Digestion
Feeding
Packaged hay/pre-cut hay is often the cause of manure water in horses.
Does your horse frequently have a dirty tail and does a lot of water come out with the manure? This is usually the result of disrupted gut flora. Not all horses can handle the slight acidification that occurs with packaged hay or pre-cut silage. The fermentation process in this packaged hay then leads to poor digestion and the formation of manure water. What is the solution?. Many horse owners try everything when their horse walks around with a dirty tail and constantly has manure water coming out. Unfortunately, supplements usually have little (or only a temporary effect) on this problem. By the way, manure water is not the same as diarrhea. Difference between unpackaged and packaged (pre-cut) hay A good bale of roughage smells fresh, is nicely stemmy, and the grass inside it is in bloom. It is important that the grass is dry enough at the time it is baled, otherwis...
Electrolytes
Minerals
Feeding
Is a salt lick sufficient for your horse in warm weather?
Most horses have access to a salt lick, but it is often difficult to assess whether these salt licks are being used. Some horses will consume the salt lick in one go, while others may take years to finish one. But what should you do in warm weather? Should you give electrolytes, or is it not necessary?. Salt lick is part of the basics In addition to good and sufficient roughage, you can see the salt lick as a basic element that every horse should have access to. The horse can then choose to use it as needed. Salt licks come in different types, the most famous being the Himalayan salt lick and the red salt licks (nowadays they are white). But there is also a liquid salt lick made from Bering Sea water) concentrate, as well as flavored salt licks. Salt licks have in common that they mainly contai...
Weight
Feeding
# Why long grass is better than short grass
Most horses are back on the grass by now. It is often thought that short grass is better for horses. A common remark is for example "my horses are in a poor pasture, so they only get a little grass". But is that really the case? Just imagine how tall the grass would be if you had fenced off a piece? That's right, that piece would be quite high. This means that the horses in the poor pasture with short grass have all ingested that grass. In addition, longer grass contains less sugars than short grass. We will explain exactly how that works in this blog.. Side note: it is still important to slowly build up the grazing season for horses that are not on grass 24/7. Long grass does not mean that you can immediately put your horses on it 24/7. Build it up slowly and keep an eye on the fructan index. Very useful to have as an app on your phone. Short grass vs. long grass for horses We have listed the characteristics of grass for you. Because long grass and strip grazing is definitely recommended for all horses. See below in this table the differences...
Joints
Others
Feeding
How can you support the aging horse?
From the age of 15, horses are considered "older." This is a point where many horses start to experience joint difficulties and the first signs of aging. However, every horse is different. Some horses still happily trot around at 25, while others may experience some discomfort at 15. Therefore, we will provide you with guidelines for caring for your aging horse.. Check the teeth of an aging horse Horses' teeth wear down over their lifetime. As a horse ages, more dental problems may arise, causing them to have difficulty chewing and therefore lose weight. It is important for all horses to have their teeth checked annually, but especially for older horses. Loose teeth, excessive tartar, diastemas (spaces between the teeth), or the condition EOTRH can cause discomfort, leading to decreased food intake by the horse. In some cases, it may be necessary to adju...
Others
Feeding
Pasture
Are you already prepared for the grazing season?
Spring has sprung and you can almost see the grass growing. That means the horses can almost go back out to pasture! Wonderful of course, but there are a few things to keep in mind when transitioning from stable to pasture. How do you ensure a smooth start to the grazing season and a healthy horse?. To start with, make sure the pasture is ready. Check the fencing for holes and sharp protrusions. Make sure the electric fence is working everywhere and that the gates open and, especially, close smoothly. The water supply is also important. Clean water troughs and ensure automatic waterers are functioning. Check the pasture for weeds that may be toxic to horses, such as seedlings of the Sycamore Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus). These seedlings sprout in the spring, especially if there are sycamore...