Floxely is expecting a foal! Are you following along? Part 1

It is now March 2025 and that means that in about 3.5 months Marjolijn's mare (Floxely) will have a foal. Super cool of course and very special to witness! But how did this whole process go? How was the stallion choice made, what changes were made and what else has changed since Floxely got pregnant? In this blog series, Marjolijn takes you through this whole process!.

What is Brainwork? In broad terms, brainwork involves hiding food in, on, or between materials that are unfamiliar to horses. When it comes to food, you can choose fresh vegetables or fruit, but since you’ll need a lot of treats, healthy and not-too-large horse snacks are also very suitable. Especially for horses that are sensitive to sugar, it’s important to choose treats with a low sugar content. You can hide the treats in a sniffle mat, but you could also use a large feed bucket filled with d...

Guest blog HOPE for Horses: communication is connection

For me, dealing with horses every day is a fat fat party! The way of connecting with horses is something that is easier for me than with people. Not because I don't like people, but horses are so honest. There is no hidden agenda in this communication. Because we (HOPE for Horses) also work with traumatised horses, it is sometimes a bit of a puzzle what works best for which horse. There are different approaches to communication, as I wrote in my earlier blogs, but for me, connecting is number one! Connecting with what is there. Horses have a very strong will to connect together. After all, as a herd animal, connection is security.. Communication and Connection 80% of total communication is non-verbal. This means that it happens without words, but instead through energy, body language, knowledge, and intuitive perception. A part of connection is communication: Being connected is communication Communication is being connected Communication is one of the non-verbal forms of communication that I use in my work. Think about that for a moment 😉. Having No Attachment to the Outcome To achieve good communication and connection, t...

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...

Guest blog HOPE for Horses: Sometimes you have to invest first!

I had to laugh a little at this title myself! Anyone who owns horses knows that keeping them is, or can be, quite an investment. As long as your horse is healthy, it’s all manageable, but when health issues arise, the costs can really add up.. I often hear, "My horse doesn't have that," or "My horse doesn't do that," or "My horse isn't bothered by that..." Well, great! Keep it that way! Horses are puzzles When I look at a horse, I actually see puzzle pieces. Either they fit perfectly together, or a few pieces are missing. Sometimes the puzzle has been forced together in a way that it might need to be taken apart first. Many of my clients have horses like this. The pieces have been forced together—at all c...

Guest blog HOPE for Horses: what are we doing?

Heady title of this blog huh? I agree, but it should perhaps be discussed at some point. Because, what are we doing in horse country?. Not too long ago, I helped an incredibly sweet girl with her horse (and they're not alone). The first time I saw them, a few things about this horse caught my attention. Thick neck, little muscle on the neck, no muscles on the back. So, a very thick neck, but the muscles elsewhere on his neck were simply gone. Not every horse has a nice "fat neck," but you can see when the balance is off in the horse's body. Additionally, sensitive all over the back. Barely able to walk "normally&...

Guest blog Marjan Cornelis: How to prevent CPL from worsening

Marjan Cornelis is an orthomolecular nutritionist and lymphatic drainage therapist for horses. She has extensive experience treating horses with CPL and has a draft horse with CPL herself. In this guest blog, Marjan is going to tell you more about the condition CPL. What is CPL? What can you do if you think your horse has CPL and how best to care for a horse with CPL. But most importantly, how can you prevent CPL from getting worse? You can read about it in this blog.. What is CPL? Chronic Progressive Lymphoedema (=CPL) is a condition of the legs of horses and is common in cold horses with fur and in Friesians. Years ago, CPL was only seen in heavier horse breeds such as draft horses and Shires, but nowadays it is also seen in many Tinkers and Friesians, recently, unfortunately, CPL has also been observed in other breeds. There are different manifestations of CPL and different stages at which a horse can have CPL. The abbreviation (CPL) stands for: Chronic Pro...

The introverts, it's not about what you see!

*Written from personal experience by Marjolijn.* "People often say "What a calm horse you have", "She doesn't seem to startle easily", "How nice to have such a cool cucumber". These are a few comments I regularly hear about my mare Floxely. And yes, from the outside she does appear calm, and in daily interaction she is quiet and composed. She is not a horse that immediately freaks out when she sees or hears something strange, or at least... you don't see it, but internally there's a lot going on. And that's where the "danger" lies with introverted horses/introverts.. Looks can be deceiving You often see Floxely passing by on social media and she is also depicted on the label of our dandelion tincture. She is a Friesian x Tinker mare who has been with me her entire life. A big, tough mare with an imposing presence and everyone who sees her in person finds her beautiful. And she is, she is fantastic, both in appearance and character. But she always gets labeled: calm, cool, easy, and relaxed. But looks can be deceiving! Floxely is an incredibly sensitive mare,...

# HOPE for Horses: Respect always pays back

So, "the suffering caused by fireworks" is behind us for a while. No matter how well you prepare your horses, it's not their favorite day.. Respect for the leader Since the former leader is no longer around, the new leader (Trustful) is insecure during New Year's Eve. He runs back and forth, wanting to keep everyone together. When another horse experiences stress, he wants to be there. Because it's not practical for us to leave all horses outside, this is the only time of the year when a door is placed in the stable. Not all horses are inside, some trust in the new leader's abilities. They are just as calm as Trustful used to be. Th...

HOPE for Horses: Training with a traumatized horse.

Sometimes you buy/receive a horse of which you already know that it comes with some baggage. And sometimes a horse comes into your life of which you suspect that there are already some items in the baggage, but it is not clear at first.. Most traumas are not physical Traumas are definitely not always just physical. No, most of the traumas our horses experience are of a different nature, namely: Often moved Overwhelmed Constant pain Stress from a changing herd Stress from improper housing Low-quality roughage Poor quality of the ground. Just a few possibilities where stress can come from, but the list is much longer. Feeling safe on the ground One of our horses had enormous stress from the ground. As soon as it rained for a longe...

Guest blog Finecto+: Is keeping chickens with horses dangerous?

People who have animals at home usually don't just keep one type of animal. Often, it becomes a whole stack of animals that run around and live together. With chickens, there are often problems with mites, especially red mites can be a huge nuisance. Is it dangerous to keep chickens and horses together? Finecto+, specialist in the control of red mites, explains!. What are red mites? Red mites is actually the wrong name, they are actually mites, but generally the name red mites is used. These mites occur on birds, poultry, and also on reptiles. But especially with chickens, red mites are a huge nuisance. Infection usually occurs by adding a new chicken, but wild birds often bring an infestation of red mites as well. Red mites are extremely persistent, a real nuisance, they reproduce very fast, so within a week a few red mites can become 10,000 red mites....