Scientific Evidence and Common Perceptions of Factors Affecting Sugar Content in Pasture Grass: Is There a Link With Pre‐existing Horse‐Related Experience?

BACKGROUND: Several equine conditions are associated with and exacerbated by increased high-sugar grass intake. Knowing how climatic and biotic factors affect sugar content in grasses is important for decision-making by those involved in the management of equines. OBJECTIVES: (1) To characterise equine owners' knowledge and perceptions of the factors affecting sugar content in grasses to inform in the management of grasses and equines. (2) To identify associations between pre-existing horse-related experience and level of knowledge about equine nutrition and health conditions. METHODS: A questionnaire was developed and distributed online to characterise the perceptions of those involved in the management of equines and their knowledge of the environmental factors known to impact grass non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) levels, describing also the extent to which these factors associated with participants' level of experience in equine management. RESULTS: 194 self-declared equine owners or responsible for equines completed the survey. Our results indicate that participants were relatively well informed regarding only some of the environmental factors known to affect sugar content in grasses, and less so in relation to how the presence of fungi, overgrazing/rotational stocking might influence NSC, indicating a significant gap in knowledge. The level of previous experience with equines was not associated with more accurate knowledge, highlighting the need for facilitating more knowledge exchange activities between stakeholders and the scientific community. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that enhancing the dissemination of the effects of plant-fungal interactions and rotational stocking on NSC within the equine community may further improve their understanding around NSC content in grasses and its management, as fungi could be used to manage grass establishment and growth in paddocks and the grass sugar content.