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[RC] Further Thoughts - Bruce Weary DCRegarding the general ability of endurance riders to absorb and understand new information, I think that will clearly vary. We all come from different walks of life, with varying levels of education and background with horses. Some simply don't have the interest to decipher research, and rely instead on the experts at our disposal (vets, experienced riders, etc.,.) to help us make decisions about the welfare of our horses in this, arguably the most demanding of all equine pursuits in the world. Let's not forget that we (as in all fields) are "in business while under construction." Certainly, we should strive to increase our working knowledge of the horse's physiology. But we all rely on other experts to help make gasoline for our cars, build cell phones, and administer health care without us needing to have anywhere near the same knowledge or expertise in order to safely participate. Our high nationwide completion percentage certainly indicates that we all must be "partially right" about what we are doing.I think we should also remember that what is accepted as fact today is often disproved tomorrow. Making conclusions from scientific studies is still an imperfect, and, at times, risky business. Just look at the list of drugs being taken off the market recently as being unsafe. Science once shined it's bright light of examination on those drugs and declared them safe. Bare scientific facts are rarely useful by themselves. They usually are used in context with other information. For example, the recent discussion regarding beet pulp and/or fat possibly blocking the absorption of calcium and other nutrients may be nullified in horses that receive other supplementation. This may help the horse realize the benefits of all of his foodstuffs, rather than miss out on the beneficial fiber in beet pulp, for example. Certainly, endurance people care deeply about their horses. We often grieve over the loss of a horse more than we do a loved one. We do the best we can with what we know, and all of us have struggled with conflicting information regarding what is best for our horse. None of us can afford the luxury of saying "Don't confuse me with the facts. I've already made up my mind." And at the risk of quoting too many cliche's, I like this one: "Admire the man who seeks the truth. Beware the man who says he's found it." Bruce Weary, whose best three years of life were in 4th grade.
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