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.
Algae
Skin
Minerals
Silicon
Salmon oil
Why does a horse's immunity decrease during shedding?
When animals shed or are molting, it significantly affects their immune system. This also applies to horses. Good nutrition is especially important during this time because your horse needs a lot of energy, vitamins, and minerals to shed its coat properly. How can you prevent a dip in immunity during shedding?. The physical effort required to shed an old coat and grow a new one demands a lot of energy and nutrients. As a result, the horse's body can pay less attention to fighting off diseases. During this period, the skin may become more sensitive, and small cracks and irritations can allow bacteria and parasites to enter. Moreover, producing a new coat requires extra energy, leaving less energy available for the immune system. Good Nutrition is Essential Good nutrition is therefore crucial during the...
Algae
Skin
Clove
Salmon oil
Sweet itch
Black cumin
Allergic reactions in horses: How do they occur and what can you do about them?
Does your horse ever have itching, a runny nose, or a slight cough? And do you actually know what causes it? Many horses are allergic to things like dust, pollen, or an ingredient in their feed. How does an allergic reaction occur? And more importantly: what can you do about it?. Here is the English translation: An allergy is an exaggerated reaction of the immune system. The defense system of your horse reacts strongly to substances in the environment that are actually harmless. This disturbed reaction of the immune system can result in itching, eczema, hay fever, coughing, or bumps. Often, you’ll see horses suffering from an allergic reaction scratch, lick, bite, and rub themselves. Congenital or Slowly Developed Allergies are sometimes congenital. For instance, summer...
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...
Joints
Clove
Silicon
Salmon oil
Smooth joints? Combination of housing, nutrition, and exercise!
Older horses often experience muscle stiffness or rigidity due to early osteoarthritis. It is important for horses to keep moving in order to remain flexible. But are there also nutrients that help keep your horse more supple? How do you feed your horse to keep his joints healthy for as long as possible?. Stiffness in (older) horses is often caused by osteoarthritis. This is a condition where (chronic) inflammation occurs in the joints. Cartilage loss occurs, leading to a reduction in joint cushioning. This often makes movement initially painful, and a horse with osteoarthritis needs to 'warm up'. Only after a longer and cautious warm-up do the joints have enough lubrication to move smoothly. Osteoarthritis can also cause changes in bone structure in a more advanced stage. How does osteoarthritis...
Weight
Hormones
Feeding
Salmon oil
How to prevent muscle breakdown in the aging horse?
As horses age, they may suffer from muscle breakdown. This is a natural process. In humans, as well, more muscle tissue is broken down as the years go by. This is due to changes in hormone levels, decreased nerve stimulation to the muscles, and a decline in protein metabolism in an older horse or human.. Maintaining muscles requires a lot of energy. However, a horse also needs them. It is important that an older horse, even in winter, receives enough energy to maintain its muscles. Unlimited roughage is always the best foundation. Additionally, it is wise to add healthy fats to the diet, such as salmon oil. This provides a lot of energy and the appropriate omega-3 fatty acids for horses, namely EPA and DHA. This way, a horse has the necessary fatty acids readily available through the oil without...
Feeding
Salmon oil
Which oils are suitable for horses?
Our customer service regularly receives questions about which oil is best to give to their horse. There are many different types of oils such as linseed oil, olive oil, salmon oil, and sunflower oil. But do you know which oil is best to choose in which situation for your horse? Unfortunately, we still often hear that sunflower oil is recommended for horses, but this form is very unsuitable as you could read in our previous blog. But which oils are healthy for a horse? Read more about this in this blog. Oil for horses only healthy in small amounts In nature, horses do not consume large amounts of oil. There is a small amount of oil in plant material, but it is very minimal. A horse is not built to process large amounts of oil. Bile is needed to digest fat. But a horse does not have a gall bladder, so bile is not readily available in large quantities for the digestion process. In horses, bile comes directly from the liver, but in small amounts. That's why large amounts of oil cannot be well dige...
Algae
Salmon oil
DHA operation horses: how does it really work?
Omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA, are very important for your horse. To ensure an adequate intake of these healthy fats, your horse needs to find them in its diet. This is because the main omega-3 fatty acids are often not sufficiently produced by your horse itself. What exactly is the situation? And what is the difference between EPA, DHA, and ALA?. You have probably heard that there are healthy and unhealthy fats. This applies to both humans and horses. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for the health of our horses and have numerous health-promoting properties. They play a role in eye function, heart function, blood circulation, blood pressure, fat metabolism, vein function, and the triglyceride level (amount of fat in the blood) of horses. The most well-known omega-3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA),...
Hooves
Minerals
Silicon
Salmon oil
Seven useful tips against dry hooves in the summer
Many horses have dry hooves in the summer. This is annoying because dry hooves can crumble or split. Cracked hooves are not solved immediately, but there are things you can do to improve hoof quality and reduce the risk of dry hooves.. Hooves grow slowly. Once they are damaged, they also recover slowly. The key is to prevent hooves from crumbling as much as possible. This means taking a number of measures both externally and internally to keep the hooves healthy. Just applying a bit of oil to the hoof is really not enough! Unfortunately... Tip 1: Timely visit to the farrier Make sure your horse is trimmed regularly. This prevents little chips and cracks from getting worse and prevents the hooves from wearing unevenly. Regular...
Algae
Insulin resistance
Salmon oil
Sweet itch
Insulin resistant horse: choose for directly absorbable EPA and DHA omega-3
Omega 3 fatty acids are always lumped together under the characteristic "anti-inflammatory". But there are different types of omega 3 fatty acids: ALA, EPA, and DHA. EPA and DHA are the most important for the body. However, these are not found in plant oils such as flaxseed and olive oil. The horse's body still has to convert ALA to EPA and DHA on its own. And in horses with Insulin Resistance (but also summer eczema and overweight), ALA can actually be pro-inflammatory if the body cannot convert them properly. That's why in many cases, it is better to choose directly absorbable EPA and DHA. Read in this blog how that works.. Omega 3 fatty acids in horses There are three types of omega 3 fatty acids: ALA, EPA, and DHA. Horses get ALA through fresh grass, but it cannot be utilized directly in the horse's body. ALA needs to be converted to EPA and DHA, which is a very inefficient process, but for healthy horses, no problem at all. ALA is also found in plant oils (e.g. flaxseed oil and olive oil). The horse produces EPA and DHA through the conversion of ALA. But it can also be provided through fish oil, salmon oil, or a...
Algae
Weight
Salmon oil
Horse on a diet? Don't forget the Omega-3 fatty acids!
Is your horse on a limited diet to help it lose weight? Don't forget the essential fatty acids like Omega-3. Your horse needs these essential fatty acids daily in its diet. Not only for essential bodily functions, but also for processing sugars in the body. A recent study on Omega-3 from fish oil has shown that horses in training had lower percentages of fats and cholesterol in their blood after four weeks. The blood sugar levels after training also decreased, leading to less muscle fatigue.. Why winter is the ideal time Winter is the perfect time to help your horse lose weight. Horses naturally gain weight in the summer and then use those reserves in the winter. In nature, this serves as a kind of detox. The fat tissue that is broken down also stores waste products. Because we feed our horses throughout the winter, many horses go into the grass period too fat. And in the spring, the grass is full of sugars. Is your horse overweight? Then winter is the right time to start with a modi...
Salmon oil
Salmon oil for horses: Are horses fish eaters?
Salmon oil is a well-known dietary supplement for dogs. But in the horse world, there seems to be still a "taboo" on salmon oil. Because horses are not fish eaters, right? But salmon oil has very positive properties which make it a good addition for horses as well.. Did you know that horses in Iceland are often fed herring in winter since it's a good source of protein and fat? This used to be very common because obtaining a good protein source was challenging. So, it's not unusual to feed fish to a horse, however, nowadays you see that fish is not given fresh but in supplement form. More is also known about the benefits of fish oil and why salmon oil is an added value for the horse. Why would you feed salmon oil to horses? There are several reasons to give...
First Aid
Salmon oil
Salmon oil stimulates wound healing in horses.
There are many types of wound ointments for horses available on the market that contribute effectively to wound healing. Especially with relatively small wounds, these ointments work well. But did you know that omega 3 fatty acids also stimulate wound healing? You can also stimulate a wound to heal from the inside. Therefore, salmon oil is also very effective for (large) wounds. Read more about this in this blog.. Omega 3 fatty acids reduce inflammation With (large) wounds, there is always a risk of infections. It is very difficult to keep wounds clean in horses. Especially on the legs, the risk of inflammation is high. Salmon oil is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, and these fatty acids are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. By adding omega 3 fatty acids to the diet, you reduce the risk of infections. How do omega 3 fatty acids help in wound healing? Wound healing is a complex system in the body,...