POP QUIZ

This seems obvious, but it can be easy to overlook an empty trough on a busy day or a bucket tainted with spilled, and now fermenting, grain. Make it a habit to check buckets and troughs at least twice a day, and test your automatic waterers just as often to ensure they are delivering ample water on demand. Most horses with continual access to clean water will drink enough to stay hydrated no matter how hot the weather may be.

• Give him some space. Hovering next to your horse’s water bucket can make him anxious enough to avoid it. Provide your horse with water, then walk away and take a few deep breaths. If you horse doesn’t appear to be in any distress, give him an hour or two before starting to worry. To even a slightly dehydrated horse, that much time won’t make a difference.

• Try electrolytes. Electrolyte supplements are mixtures of the essential elements that a horse loses when he

Q:From your periodic glances into the pasture, it may seem like your horse is eating constantly all day. But is he? How many hours does a horse with free access to good-quality pasture typically spend grazing?