Comparison of owners’ perceptions and observed welfare conditions in stables for cold-blooded and warm-blooded horses

Animal welfare assessment requires the integration of objective welfare indicators with owners’ perceptions to identify potential gaps between management practices and actual welfare outcomes. This study evaluated welfare conditions in stables for cold-blooded and warm-blooded horses in Slovenia by comparing owners’ self-assessed importance of welfare parameters with structured observational assessments conducted by veterinarians. Welfare was assessed across five welfare parameters: general status, animal behaviour, health status, living conditions and environmental conditions, using a harmonised owners’ questionnaire and welfare assessment protocol. Statistically significant discrepancies were found between owners’ perceptions and observed conditions across all welfare parameters, with the largest gaps identified in environmental and living conditions, particularly regarding dust levels, ammonia odour and thermal comfort within horse stables. Owners generally rated welfare parameters more positively than was supported by observational findings. Participation in professional education and training was associated with improved welfare outcomes and more accurate owner perceptions, whereas years of experience alone did not show a meaningful association with observed welfare conditions. Differences between cold-blooded and warm-blooded horse stables were most pronounced in environmental conditions, reflecting variations in housing systems and management practices. These findings indicate that owner perception alone is insufficient for reliable welfare evaluation and highlight the importance of structured welfare assessments and targeted educational interventions to improve equine welfare, particularly regarding stable environments.