Pain severity scores for common equine disorders as provided by horse owners and equine veterinarians

Summary Background Understanding factors influencing assessment of pain in horses will facilitate communication between veterinarians and horse owners. Objectives To compare estimates of pain experienced by horses as provided by veterinarians and horse owners and to determine factors associated with individuals who perceive horses to be experiencing extreme pain or minimal pain. Study design Cross‐sectional study. Methods Internet‐based questionnaires for horse owners and veterinarians included items related to recognition of pain in horses, estimated degree of pain experienced by horses, and demographic information. Variables associated with perception of a high or low degree of pain were investigated using logistic regression analyses. Results Final data sets included responses from 553 horse owners and 263 veterinarians. Pain scores varied widely and differences in median scores from horse owners and veterinarians were small. Horse owners providing high pain ratings were more likely to have