If you water your horse with a trough, here’s a quick and easy way to save gallons of water.

Once a day or so, use an inexpensive swimming pool skimmer (available for about $12 at your local pool supply store) to skim out drowned insects, floating algae, and bits of grass, hay, or grain left by messy muzzles. It takes only moments, and it can keep water cleaner longer, requiring fewer drainings and refillings.

—H&R reader Randy Clayton Clio, South Carolina