Seven practical steps to help horse owners evaluate equine health claims, spot red flags, and separate science-backed care from stall-side speculation.

I was sitting in the dentist’s chair the other day when I saw an infomercial about the health benefits of olive oil. Who knew that simply by drinking a shot glass of olive oil before bed you could boost your immune system, improve your heart health, and—my personal favorite—protect your aching joints. I resisted the urge to jump up and run to the store to buy a bottle right away, but this information definitely got my attention. Could drinking olive oil really be as good for me as it sounded? Or was it too good to be true?

If you’re a horse owner, you’ve probably run into the same problem — hearing a claim about the latest equine health trend and not knowing how to evaluate horse health claims like that before acting on them. And most of us are all ears when it comes to learning something that might help keep our horses healthier, happier, or performing better. But have you ever read about the latest, greatest treatment, only to learn from your barn buddy that there was something even better? Or, worse yet, that the treatment you’ve uncovered made her horse go lame? Conflicting reports about the latest treatment, nutritional supplement, or shoeing strategy are everywhere. How’s a person to know what to do? 

In a world where misinformation is everywhere, it’s important to know how to verify the things you hear. And in this article, I’m going to give you a seven-step strategy to do just that. As you peruse these steps, I’ll point out red flags you can look for along the way that might cause you to dig a little deeper for the truth. I’ll also give you tools that you can use to guide your search—using my quest to learn the truth about the benefits of olive oil as an example. With just a little bit of time and effort, you can learn to separate fact from fiction and critically evaluate the claims you hear.  

The Seven Steps

Step 1: Push Pause — Don’t Share Unverified Horse Health Claims

What’s the first thing you should do when you hear a new tidbit of information that could impact your horse’s health? Push the pause button. Whether it’s a new treatment option for arthritis, a supplement that’s supposed to help support your horse’s immune system, or a strategy for rehabilitation, the first thing you should do is …nothing at all. Take a moment, listen to what you’re being told, then decide whether it is something you’d like to learn more about.

What shouldn’t you do? Tell someone else all about what you heard. Not until you check the facts. Why not? Because if it turns out the information you are sharing isn’t accurate, you’ve become part of the problem. By pushing the pause button, you’ll avoid being a misinformation superspreader and will give yourself the time you need to learn more. 

The olive oil quest: Instead of running to the store to buy that olive oil, or telling all my friends about my discovery, I decided that I was going to do a little research. 

Step 2: Be Skeptical of New Horse Health Trends

It’s OK to question everything you hear. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a skeptic as “a seeker after truth; an inquirer who has not yet arrived at definite convictions.” That’s exactly what you want to be. But does questioning mean discounting everything altogether? Absolutely not. Being skeptical and questioning what you hear can lead you to the truth. In contrast, being cynical, or believing the worst of everything, means you’re likely to miss out on opportunities. Just because something seems too good to be true, doesn’t mean it isn’t worthwhile. If you keep an open mind and do your homework, maybe you’ll discover something beneficial.

Red flag: If a supplement claims to eliminate colic risk forever or add years to your horse’s life, it’s safe to think it’s probably a stretch. Look instead for claims that appear to be based on some kind of research. For example: In a recent study, horses on this supplement experienced fewer colic episodes.

The olive oil quest: I watched that olive oil infomercial and thought to myself, “Hmm, I’ve heard before that olive oil is a healthy choice, but should I really drink it by the glass? I wonder where that information came from?”

Step 3: Consider the Source — Watch for Biased or Sponsored Research

Where is this information coming from? If it came from a friend, find out where they heard it, then go to the source. Did your friend hear about a new device from a friend or colleague who just purchased the equipment and is hoping to promote its use for profit? Ask to see the research. Or did you see a post on social media that mentioned a new supplement that’s backed by science? See if you can find any supporting research to back those claims up. 

Red flag: If an article or report refers to a study, the authors should provide a reference. If they don’t, it’s entirely possible that it doesn’t exist. If that’s the case, take time to research the mentioned studies and see if you can find the study yourself. 

Another thing to look for is how the research was funded. Was the research funded by a pharmaceutical company that sells the supplement or medication? If so, keep doing research. It doesn’t necessarily mean the research is skewed or wrong, but you’d be wise to question the results and take a deeper dive.  

The olive oil quest: I searched “health benefits of olive oil” and found the infomercial I had seen. Surprise, surprise—it was on a website selling a special kind of olive oil.

Step 4: Find the Primary References Behind the Claim

Remember that game of telephone you played as a child? Tracking down references isn’t all that different. If you find a paper that mentions something reported in another paper, don’t believe everything you read. You’d be amazed how often what gets reported isn’t really what was said. That’s why it is so important to keep following the paper trail until you get to the bottom line. Your goal should be to find the paper that describes the actual research that was done.

It can be especially frustrating to find key references if you don’t have access to some kind of university library as many of these papers are hidden behind a paywall that makes them hard to access. Consider using Google Scholar, a useful resource that’s available to anyone in search of scientific publications.

Red flag: What if the paper provides a reference, but it’s just another article from the same source without the research to support it? The research might not be there. 

The olive oil quest:  The informercial did provide a large number of references that all seemed to support the idea that olive oil is good for you. I couldn’t find any that supported drinking a shot glass before bed.

Step 5: Analyze the Data in the Equine Research Study

Once you find the papers you’re looking for, the next step is to look carefully at the research itself. Is it a legitimate study? When looking at research papers, it’s not always easy to recognize a solid scientific reference. There are a couple of tips that can be helpful. As a rule of thumb, you can have confidence in articles with the labels PMC (PubMed Central), NLM (National Library of Medicine), or NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information). Most of these papers will be peer-reviewed, meaning they’ve been approved for accuracy and value before they are ever published. 

You can also look at the data yourself. While no one expects you to be a statistician, at minimum you should check that statistical significance has been reported. You can also get an idea about the scale of the study by looking at the number of horses that were tested. Were there two groups of three horses? If so, the statistics are likely to be pretty weak. On the other hand, if 700 horses were tested, there’s a better chance that the results are meaningful. Small subject numbers are a common problem in equine research—and something worth noticing.

Red flag: It’s possible it didn’t meet the standard. Just because a couple of horses in the group improved, doesn’t mean the intervention worked.

The olive oil quest:  I found so much legitimate data about the health benefits of olive oil. Still nothing about how much I should drink. For that matter, no solid science about drinking it at all. 

Step 6: Check the Experts for Bias or Financial Interest

Who is backing up this information? When it comes to horse health, there are typically certain veterinarians or research scientists who focus most of their work on a specific condition. As you’re researching your question, try to determine who those individuals are, then look for the information they have made available. A good place to start this search is by checking out the websites of various veterinary colleges, where you might discover an information page about a research laboratory at an institution dedicated to the condition you are interested in. 

Your own veterinarian can also be a great source of information about what expert opinions are worth looking for on any specific problem. For example, if you want to learn more about gastric ulcers or Cushing’s disease, your vet can point you toward the “names to look for” as you seek information. 

Red flag: If the expert promoting the treatment or supplement has something to gain from its use—beware. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t work, but it is something to pay attention to. 

The olive oil quest:  I found so many legitimate scientists doing this research. I also learned the names of the “doctors” touting taking a drink before bed—those were the ones who were selling olive oil. 

Step 7: Look for Backup; Confirm With Multiple Studies

Finally, if you’re lucky and your search leads you to one specific bit of evidence that supports the claim you’re attempting to verify, it never hurts to keep looking. Ideally, you’ll find multiple papers reporting similar results. And every bit of evidence you find can make you more confident about a decision to pursue the treatment or try the supplement. 

Beware—there’s always the chance that you might find conflicting evidence. One study says it works, the next one says something different. Welcome to the world of medical research. When this is where your research leads you, the take-home message might “not yet.” Most legitimate interventions will stand the test of time. And ongoing research will support their use.

The olive oil quest:  My quest was completed. And sure enough—olive oil offers a wide range of positive health benefits, with plenty research to support that claim. None of that research encourages taking a shot before bed. My conclusion? I’ll continue to keep it in my kitchen and might even try to use a little more than I did before. But I’ll skip the shot for now.