Articles on laminitis, alfalfa, horse/human interaction, and hoof problems were among the most-read in 2018. | Photo: iStock

With 2018 coming to a close and a new year of horse health news and articles ahead, The Horse’s team took a few moments to tally the 10 articles that received the most views this year. Covering a variety of topics related to horse health, the following articles (including some perpetually popular ones) received the most views over the past year. Did your favorites make the list?

10 Early Warning Signs of Laminitis—It’s a painful condition that veterinarians, farriers, and horse owners have been racking their brains about for decades. Laminitis—the separation or failure of laminae, which connect the hoof wall to the coffin bone within—can cause permanent structural changes in a horse’s foot. To help you catch this devastating hoof disease while your horse still has a chance to avoid suffering its consequences, our sources have helped us come up with a list of 10 early warning signs. Regardless of the type of case (-supporting-limb, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, or endocrine disease-related), these red flags could indicate laminitis is setting in—even before you see any signs of lameness.

How Much Does a Horse Cost?—It has often been said that owning a horse is akin to digging a deep hole in the backyard and throwing in large sums of money, never to be seen again. Horse-crazy people, however, might say, “So what? What does it matter how much it costs as long as I have my horse?” Let’s take a look at what it really costs to own a horse besides the initial purchase price