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
Why fewer ingredients in supplements is better: Less is more!
In the world of supplements, it often seems: the more ingredients, the better. But is that actually true? At AskHELTIE, we believe in the power of simplicity and effectiveness. In this blog, we explain why it is better to choose supplements with only a few, well-chosen ingredients.`. The Power of Targeted Dosage Many supplements contain a long list of herbs and other additives. This may seem appealing, but the problem is that the dosage per ingredient is often very low. If a product contains, for example, twenty different herbs, your horse will only receive a tiny amount of each. This is often too little to have a real effect. By choosing supplements with only a few key ingredients, you ensure that each component is present in an effective dosage. This makes the supplement m...
Vitamin E
Feeding
Why vitamin E is so important for your horse at the end of winter
Winter is drawing to a close and the first signs of spring are becoming visible. For horses, this means that grazing is back in sight, but this transition period in particular is a time when extra attention is needed for your horse's vitamin E status. In this blog, we explain why it is important to supplement vitamin E at the end of winter and how this will benefit your horse's health.. Vitamin E is an essential antioxidant that helps protect body cells from damage caused by free radicals. It supports muscle function, the immune system, and the overall health of the horse. Horses normally obtain a large portion of their vitamin E from fresh grass, but in the winter months, this source is limited or unavailable, making it necessary to supplement their intake in other ways. Deficiencies After Winter During the winter months, many horses rely on hay as their primary feed, but hay...
Feeding
Senior
What if your (older) horse can no longer eat so easily?
You know the drill: you put down the feed bowl, and normally it is empty in no time. But suddenly you notice that your horse takes longer to eat, leaves food on the table or maybe even spills or crams it. Maybe at first you thought he was just having a lesser appetite for once, but when it happens more often, a light bulb goes on. What is going on?. Older horses can struggle with eating for various reasons. One of the most common causes is their teeth. After years of chewing, their teeth wear down, sharp edges or hooks may develop, or they may even lose teeth. It’s understandable that eating becomes more difficult! Another factor is digestion. As a horse ages, its ability to absorb nutrients decreases. Even if it can still chew reasonably well, it may still lose weight or have less energy. Painful joints can also play a role—bending down to...
Minerals
Feeding
The role of trace elements in the equine body
A horse needs daily vitamins, minerals as well as trace elements in its ration. Trace elements are also known as microminerals; they are important in small quantities. This is in contrast to macrominerals such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, of which a horse needs quite a lot every day. What do trace elements do?. The most important trace elements for horses are: iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, selenium, cobalt, molybdenum, and sulfur. These minerals are needed in small amounts for the proper functioning of a horse. Long-term Considerations Trace elements are not always sufficiently present in roughage or grass. This usually doesn’t lead to an immediate problem, but in the long term, deficiencies can arise that affect your horse’s health. Trace elements must also be present in your horse's diet. Fo...
Minerals
Feeding
What happens in the horse's body when there are deficiencies?
If your horse is fed a ration that does not meet all its needs, various problems can arise. Sometimes you can see this quite quickly, but in other cases, the body masks deficiencies of certain nutrients until it really can't. And then you can ‘suddenly’ have a bigger problem.. A horse needs energy, building blocks, vitamins, and minerals for its daily functioning. If an animal does not get enough energy, this is usually quite easy to see: the horse will lose weight. You can easily solve this by providing more roughage or adding some oil to the diet. Of course, weight loss can also be caused by certain diseases, dental problems, or a worm infestation. If adding energy to the diet does not help, consult your veterinarian. Self-produced or from feed? Your horse produces...
Minerals
Feeding
Does horse hay contain enough minerals and vitamins?
Hay is the basic ration for horses. Hay is dried grass and what it contains is determined by the type of soil, fertilisation and growing conditions of that grass. The length and conditions of storage also affect the substances contained in hay. The question is therefore: is your horse getting enough vitamins and minerals from its hay?. Fresh grass contains many important nutrients for horses, including a variety of vitamins. However, when grass is dried and stored, some of these vitamins gradually diminish. Vitamin E, which is essential for muscles, starts to break down fairly quickly after harvesting. If your horse does not eat fresh grass, you should supplement this vitamin. Vitamin A also disappears relatively fast. This is why many horse owners feed their horses carrots in winter, as they are rich in vitamin A. Additionall...
Minerals
Feeding
The difference between organic and inorganic mineral supplements for horses
When it comes to minerals for horses, you quite often hear the terms ‘organic compound’ and ‘inorganic compound’ come up. This sounds a bit complicated, but what exactly is it? And why is this important when choosing a supplement, balancer or feed for your horse?. The difference between organic and inorganic mineral compounds lies in the chemical structure of the molecules. The atoms of a mineral are always bound to one or more other atoms to form a stable compound, which can then be given to your horse in powder or liquid form. This bond with other atoms determines whether the mineral is in an organic or inorganic form. Organic Mineral Compounds In an organic compound, minerals are bound to carbon-containing molecules, such as amino acids or proteins. An...
Minerals
Feeding
Guest blog
Feeding
Guest blog Tophooi: What is truly good hay?
If you ask horse owners about the biggest challenge when it comes to keeping horses, I think it is finding good quality hay. Not too dusty, not too rich, the right texture to suit your horse and palatable to horses. After all, what is really good hay?. Who is Tophooi? Tophooi was actually born by coincidence. We (Jurjen & Esther) run a paddock paradise in Drenthe, where we house our own horses as well as boarding horses. Various breeds, different sizes, and unique needs – yet we wanted to provide the option of unlimited feeding. This came with its challenges! We used to buy hay from different forage suppliers, but there was always an issue: analyses that didn’t match, extremely dusty hay, mold, sand, high sugar content, or hay that the hor...
Weight
Feeding
Senior
What nutritional needs does my older horse have?
As your horse ages, its nutritional needs may change. But how do you know when to do something about the ration? At what age does it start? And what should you feed then? In this article, we give you tips for feeding your old(er) horse.. Some horses start showing signs of aging as early as 15 years old, while others remain very active and healthy well into their twenties. The individual differences are significant, so it’s essential to closely observe your own ‘senior’ horse before determining what they should eat. An older horse is still just a horse In principle, older horses don’t always need a different diet than younger horses, but if your horse has ailments or weight issues, it may be wise to make adjustments. Older horses...
Joints
Minerals
Feeding
Senior
Nine tips for keeping older horses at weight in winter
For older horses, winter is always a somewhat difficult period. They lose weight quickly and are sometimes a bit stiff. As an owner, you do not want your horse to become too thin. That is why it is wise to start taking measures in time. After all, it is much harder to fatten up an older horse once it has lost weight. We give you nine top tips to keep your older horse at weight this winter.. At what age a horse is considered a “golden oldie” depends on the individual animal. Generally, you can assume that from around 15 years of age, you should start paying more attention. However, some horses only show their first signs of aging after the age of 20, and for ponies, it often takes even longer before they can be considered elderly. Why Older Horses Lose Weight There are several reasons why older horses are often harder to keep at a healthy weight: Food absorption becomes less efficie...
Weight
Feeding
How do you keep your horse at weight in this winter?
Many horses are overweight, not only in summer but also in winter. But there are also horses that actually lose too much weight in the winter period. How can you make sure your horse stays nicely on weight in winter? We would like to give you some tips!. Losing Weight in Winter is Normal! Many horse owners become “worried” when they notice their horse losing weight. Often, they immediately resort to extra feed, supplements, and other measures. Feed companies’ marketing plays into this concern! However, did you know that it’s entirely normal for your horse to lose weight in winter? Horses naturally gain a lot of weight in summer because it’s a season of abundance. They build up reserves during this time, so it’s not surprising that horses easily...