Table 1.

Description of the direct health parameters applied.

Welfare Indicators	Categorization	Description
Skin lesion	Present/absent	Wounds of any size and severity were recorded according to their location. Lesions at labial commissures of the mouth were also included.
Body condition score	Adequate/inadequate	Assessed on a five-point scale from 1 (emaciated) to 5 (obese) including half scores [6,32]. Scores of 3, 3.5 and 4 were considered adequate.
Hoof health	Adequate/inadequate	Quality, shape and conformation of hoofs were assessed. The hooves were considered adequate if these were round and smooth, had no cracks or sections missing, and did not show defects of the hoof capsule [31,33].
Coat and skin condition	Adequate/inadequate	The coat and skin condition was recorded adequate if the hair coat was uniform, with a general healthy aspect (shiny), without dryness or dirt (mud or feces) or presence of ectoparasites of any species (in hair or skin) [5,33].
Gait abnormalities	Present/absent	Assessed by observation of the horse while walking in a straight line for approximately 20 meters. The observer assessed presence of lameness, uneven stride, reluctance to put weight on one or more limbs, uneven head-nodding or hip movement [31].