A Conversation Worth Having: Reflections on Progress in Equine Health

Last week, I shared a post examining beet pulp through the lens of functional nutrition. The response—over 20,000 views and countless passionate discussions—demonstrates something profound about our equine community: We care deeply about doing right by our horses. That passion, regardless of where we stand on specific issues, gives me tremendous hope for the future of equine health.

The Power of Shared Purpose

What struck me most wasn’t the variety of opinions, healthy debate strengthens our field, but rather the universal commitment to equine wellbeing evident in (almost) every reply. Whether from horse owners sharing their gratitude and stories, or professionals defending established practices, each voice reflected concern for horses. To me, this shared foundation matters far more than our differences ever could.

Understanding Different Perspectives

Change is never comfortable. When presented with information suggesting that accepted practices may need reexamination, it’s natural to feel unsettled. I understand why professionals who have built careers on certain recommendations might find new perspectives challenging. That discomfort isn’t a weakness, though. It’s human.

Similarly, I understand why horse owners who have seen their animals improve after dietary changes feel validated by emerging research. Their lived experiences deserve recognition alongside academic expertise.

Let’s acknowledge what we know:

• Documented calcium-phosphorus ratios in beet pulp significantly exceed ideal ranges

• Industrial processing involves chemical applications

• Modern agriculture has evolved far from traditional farming methods

• Our understanding of nutrition, regardless of species, continues advancing

These aren’t radical statements. They are documented realities we must thoughtfully address regardless of where that conversation leads.

Every advancement in equine nutrition, and all science really, has followed a similar arc. Initial resistance, heated debate, gradual acceptance, and eventual integration. This isn’t a disaster. It’s the scientific process working exactly as designed. Today’s controversies become tomorrow’s standard practices, but only through rigorous discussion.

Those who rushed to publish rebuttals aren’t adversaries, they’re participants in this essential process. Their urgency reflects an investment in equine health, even if expressed through defending familiar paradigms. I respect that dedication, even as I encourage openness to evolving understanding.

The transformation happening in our industry reflects a broader awakening. Today’s horse owners don’t simply accept what they’re told—they investigate, they research, they demand transparency. The same discernment they apply to their own health, their children’s nutrition, and their pets’ wellbeing naturally extends to their horses. When these informed owners discover that many conventional feeds contain industrial byproducts and agricultural waste, they ask the questions we should all be asking: Is this good enough? Can we do better?

Their scrutiny isn’t cynicism—it’s love in action. They recognize their horses as the sentient, feeling beings they are, deserving clean nutrition designed for their specific needs rather than repurposed leftovers from other industries. This shift in consciousness, from viewing horses as livestock to embracing them as family, drives a demand for better that the industry must meet or become obsolete. A very hard pill for some to swallow, but nonetheless true.

Again, this shift in perspective isn’t radical; it’s evolutionary. In recognizing horses as the complex, sensitive emotional and physical beings they are, rather than “mere livestock”, we’re simply catching up to what our hearts have always known. The question becomes: Will we as professionals and owners evolve with this understanding, or risk becoming irrelevant to increasingly educated owners seeking better answers?

As scientists and practitioners, curiosity should be our compass. The moment we stop questioning, stop adapting, stop allowing evidence to reshape our understanding—that’s when we fail both our profession and the horses we serve.

Economic Realities and Ethical Choices

We must acknowledge that nutrition discussions don’t occur in a vacuum. Industries exist around current practices. Livelihoods depend on established systems. These realities deserve recognition.

Yet our primary obligation must remain to the horses. When economic interests and optimal health practices diverge, we face choices that define us as horsemen and women. These moments test our commitment to putting horses first, a principle I believe unites us all.

Perhaps it’s time to ask ourselves more difficult questions. If our current feeding practices are optimal, why are we seeing unprecedented levels of metabolic disorders? Why have ulcers become so common we consider them normal? Why do soft tissue injuries plague our performance horses at rates previous generations never experienced? The timeline is worth considering: These health challenges have risen in parallel with the increased use of industrial byproducts in equine feed. Correlation doesn’t prove causation, and I’m certain there are other contributing factors that compound the problems, but it certainly warrants investigation.

We owe our horses an honest inquiry.

The Quality of Our Discourse

As we navigate these discussions, we can choose to elevate or diminish our community. Personal attacks and defensive postures serve no one.

Instead, let’s model the thoughtfulness we’d want to see:

• Address facts directly rather than attacking messengers

• Share data openly instead of guarding territories

• Ask curious questions alongside stating positions

• Remember that today’s critic might be tomorrow’s ally

The horses watching from their stalls don’t care about our egos, they just need us to help them thrive instead of simply survive. So let’s not let those egos get in our way of progress.

Moving Forward Together

Progress doesn’t require consensus—it requires conversation. Some will embrace functional nutrition principles immediately. Others need time to integrate new concepts with established knowledge. Both responses have value in pushing our understanding forward.

What matters isn’t the speed of change but its direction. Are we moving toward more thoughtful, individualized approaches to equine nutrition? Are we asking harder questions about industrial feed practices? Are we prioritizing long-term health over short-term convenience? These questions transcend any single feed ingredient.

In the spirit of empowering informed choices, I’ve begun collaborating with a like-minded feed company that shares the belief that transparency serves everyone. Together, we’re developing two resources: The ‘Dirty 30’—a list of concerning feed ingredients—and the ‘Clean 15’—ingredients that meet the highest standards for “cleanliness” and efficacy. (Similar to the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 by the Enviornmental Working Group. (EWG.org)) Because those leading the industry forward understand that empowering owners to make the best decisions requires access to comprehensive, unbiased information.

An Invitation to Growth

To my colleagues in traditional nutrition: Your expertise matters. Your experience has value. Consider how functional nutrition principles might enhance, rather than replace, your knowledge. The best practitioners synthesize established wisdom with emerging insights.

To those exploring alternative approaches: Remain rigorous in your analysis. Question everything—including your own assumptions. Good science welcomes scrutiny and emerges stronger from it.

To all horse owners: Trust your observations while remaining open to education. You know your horses better than anyone, but partnership with knowledgeable professionals whose values and missions align with your own creates the best outcomes.

The Long View

Twenty years from now, many of today’s debates will seem quaint. Practices we defend fiercely today will probably be obsolete. New challenges we cannot imagine will demand fresh solutions. This is the nature of progress.

What will endure is our commitment to equine welfare. Whether we feed beet pulp or alternatives, use traditional or functional approaches, embrace industrial or whole food options—these are tactical decisions. Our strategic imperative remains constant: Optimal health for the horses who enrich our lives.

I’ll continue sharing research that challenges conventional thinking—not to create division, but to spark conversations that advance our field. I’ll continue respecting those who disagree while standing firmly behind documented concerns. Most importantly, I’ll continue believing in our collective ability to transcend entrenched positions for the benefit of horses.

Let me be clear, this isn’t actually about beet pulp, or any individual feed ingredient for that matter. It’s about something far more important. Empowering owners with information to make what they feel are the best decisions for their horses. Each horse is unique. Each situation is different. What works brilliantly for one may not serve another. Our role as professionals isn’t to dictate, but to educate. Not to restrict choices, but to illuminate them.

When owners have access to comprehensive, transparent information about what they’re feeding—from mineral ratios to processing methods, potential contaminants to nutrient density—they can make informed decisions aligned with their values and their horses’ needs. That’s not threatening to good practices; it’s the foundation of them.

The Measure of Our Success

We won’t be judged by who "won" arguments. We’ll be measured by whether horses under our care lived healthier, happier lives because we had the courage to ask tough questions and the wisdom to listen to uncomfortable answers.

That’s a legacy worth building together.

The conversation continues. The horses are depending on us to get it right. I remain optimistic that we will—not because we agree on everything, but because we agree on what matters most: Their wellbeing.

Let’s keep talking. More importantly, let’s keep learning.