Bathing Horses

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Torryvald

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Do any of you have any tips on helping my horse get used to being bathed?? I started off on the winter rubbing him all over with a dry sponge in preparation -which he was ok with- but he really doesn't like the sensation of the water on him at all and fusses a lot. Should I just be patient and persevere, or is there a better way. I have tried sponging his back and shoulder area about four times now over the past few weeks and he seems to be getting more stressed about it rather than less? Could it be that some horses will never like it?

Thanks
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Start with a hose playing gently on his feet. I presume he is used to having his feet hosed as we have come through a muddy winter?

Then slowly play the hose up the legs and allow him to settle with that first before moving slowly up to the shoulder.

You need to get a happy medium between irritating trickle and full on torrent though.
 
I haven't had the hose any where near him to be honest!! He spooks when I use it to fill up water buckets so I may have my work cut out for me, but may give it a try
 
Thanks custardsmum, he stands like an angel whislt the horse dentists rasps his mouth, but come near him with a wet sponge......!!! Thing is he is young and I know this is part of his eductation so I need to perserve, will try wetting his leggies
 
Hiya are you on a yard with other horses? Only if you are it may be worth an idea of having him tied up near to another horse being bathed or hosed so that he can see it will not harm him.
We have a youngster I say youngster although he is now turned 7. We bought him last September as broken in last summer needs bringing on etc. He had been on a stud and out at grass for pretty much 6 years hence the term youngster as despite his age he has done very little compared to a lot of cobs his age.
He has gradually got used to us and patience and kind sounding good boys and growling or sounding assertive when he has done something unsavoury has worked the trick.
He was none to keen on being bathed and still doesn't like a bucket of water being chucked on him or poured over as we can't use a hose on yard unless emergency etc such as hosing down a leg ( injury etc). I have used the hose a few times though ( naughty me lol) basically to get him used to the sensation as the plan is to walk the boys home in the summer and wash on our drive with a hose so want to make sure he is ok with it first.
He has danced around etc and in the past used to rear sometimes at things he didn't find pleasurable or were scary. Just how bad does your horse react? Does he just try and move away or does his antics become dangerous as in his actions could injure you and he has no respect for you?
We tried washing the legs after washing his neck and took it from there really.
I know a lot of books I have read have said about grooming them from a position they can see you in so a shoulder would be ideal. Try getting him used to a damp sponge on it and then rubbed and then progress to a wet sponge so the water can dribble down. He can see it and feel it too.
Just try to reassure him when you do it and having a more experienced horse tied up near to him a few times may provide a bit of comfort as horses like safety in numbers and it may calm him a little.
Only suggesting that as we used to tie my big lad next to him and we found that it settled him and he didn't get as worked up, basically he felt safer and then he could see when we washed the big lad and poured water on him and he saw that the other horse didn't react badly etc.
May be worth a try eh?
But be patient and no I don't know of any horses personally who hate water all their lives.
It's just a case of taking one day at a time and being patient so that he learns but in his own comfort zone.
All too often ( and I'm not saying you btw) rush horses in their preparation for riding and conditioning to situations etc and all you end up with is either a badly behaved horse or a nervous wreck.
Good luck and please let us know how you get on?
Cazx
 
Mine are all sprayed down with a gun attachment and they actually like it. Once in a while a new horses that I buy will surprise me as they appear to have never been sprayed, therefore I take the gun attachment off and just hose their feet, slowly moving up their legs when they are happy and then eventually doing their neck and finally onto their backs.

Use a long cotton lead rope so that if the horse moves you can keep the hose still on him following him around. They soon get used to it.

In the summer over here, my horses are hosed down in the field twice a day - the hose is switched on to sprayers on the fenceline and all the horses come up to have showers LOL!! They love it and do it of their own volition.
 
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try with warm water - it seemed to do the trick with my youngsters
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Yes was going to suggest that! That is what we do and just take it slowly
 
tias tip for following them round and not giving in is the solution, start at the bottom of the legs and just go slowly. I always use warm water when bathing unless it's a heatwave, you can sloosh off with cold but start off warm , they object less.
I've never met a horse who doesn't eventually stand still when you just keep a hose playing on them, it's when you back off they won't stand still!
 
I wish I could use warm water but we don't have access to it at the yard and the only solution I find is to try and leave a few buckets in the sun to try and make it tepid.
 
my pony use to object to bathing with a hose so i used a bucket of Warm water and a sponge, as he got use to it, i could tip buckets of water over him. he did't mind warm water but did't like it cold..
 
I have been using warm water, but I think I need to untie him and let him walk around me and just let him know that fidjiting and moving away will not work. He is not dangerous and I don't think he would be, but I don't want this to become an issue so I am prepared to take my time.

There has been loads of suggestions, I am going to try some of them out tomorrow if the weather is nice. I may try with the hose at his hooves and take it from there. He has also been washed next to other horses but they were not right next to him so I may try that too!!

Thanks again everyone
 
What ive been doing with my youngster is hosing the legs then move up higher, there is an attachment you can buy for cars, its a brush with a sponge in it, i use that, or you can buy a horsey brush with sponge in it, same thing only the car one attaches to to the hose...each time my lad stands still for a second i remove the water and tell him hes a good boy and give him a rub, i then go back, and i keep removing the water each time he is good and build up the time...pressure release! warm water might be better, or picka really hot day when hell be glad of some cooling down..
 
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Mine are all sprayed down with a gun attachment and they actually like it. Once in a while a new horses that I buy will surprise me as they appear to have never been sprayed, therefore I take the gun attachment off and just hose their feet, slowly moving up their legs when they are happy and then eventually doing their neck and finally onto their backs.

Use a long cotton lead rope so that if the horse moves you can keep the hose still on him following him around. They soon get used to it.

In the summer over here, my horses are hosed down in the field twice a day - the hose is switched on to sprayers on the fenceline and all the horses come up to have showers LOL!! They love it and do it of their own volition.

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I do exactly what tia has said with missy who is a yearling, they will get the hang of it, just give them their head with a long leadrope.
 
Yes, we use a gun attachment as well on the hose as well.

But a nice bucket of warm water will hopefully do the trick. Of course some horses just hate having water put on them - and will always put up a bit of a battle.

If you have no access to hot water, a couple of kettle full's will do the trick.
 
tried the hot water and it really did make a difference. I also let him move about me whilst I held the lead rope. I think little and often will do the trick, and patience!

thanks everyone!
 
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