Science: When to be Skeptical
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Bronzz fact-checks with me
Scientific studies provide valuable information, but not every “fact” claimed to be scientific is accurate or relevant for your horse. For example, one study title announced, “Horses Able to Stay Fit When Kept at Pasture”. Sounds great until you know that the horses studied were turned out in a 100 acre pasture. Not relevant for my horses who get 6 acres when they are lucky! Another study showed how horses became stressed when fed off-schedule. However, the studied horses were accustomed to being fed on a strict schedule. In contrast, many people have observed that horses fed on a flexible schedule show less stress.
Bronzz says it's dinnertime
Beware of conflict of interest. People or companies who “study” their own products (equipment, feed, supplements, etc.) or otherwise have a vested interest in the outcome, are not objective. This is marketing, not science. Anyone can claim something is scientific and use impressive terms. This is how faulty information gets passed around and repeated so often that it becomes widely accepted as true. I like to see sources cited. Finally, no one is infallible, no matter how much experience they have, how famous they are, or how impressive their credentials look. Always put things to the test of your own experience and common sense, whether it applies to your horse, and most of all whether it contributes to his welfare.
References:
“Pastured horses maintained their fitness level, plus had greater bone mineral content than other horses.”
Study: Horses Able to Stay Fit When Kept at Pasture
Posted by Kristen M. Janicki, MS, PAS
https://thehorse.com/116860/study-horses-able-to-stay-fit-when-kept-at-pasture/
Improved Ability to Maintain Fitness in Horses During Large Pasture Turnout
Patricia M. Graham-Thiers, PhD L. Kristen Bowen, BA
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0737080612007356
Study: Off-Schedule Feeding Compromises Horse Welfare
Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA
https://thehorse.com/183832/study-off-schedule-feeding-compromises-horse-welfare/
The Effect of an Irregular Feeding Schedule on Equine Behavior
Manja Zupan, Ivan Štuhec, Dušanka Jordan
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335680982_The_Effect_of_an_Irregular_Feeding_Schedule_on_Equine_Behavior
When flexible feeding schedules make sense
By the editors of Equus Magazine
https://equusmagazine.com/horse-care/flexible-feeding-schedule-8579/
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