Getting youngster into water - tips?

arwenplusone

arwenplusone

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I introduced my 5 yrold to XC this weekend - she is mostly training for BSJA but she does a nice dressage test so I'd like her to be able to do XC as well of course (just in case we fancy a go at the ODEs
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Anyway, she was brilliant except for the water. She just refuses to go in, even with a lead and/or encouragement and wallops!
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I didn't force the issue at the weekend as I wanted her first experience to be a positive one but I want to get her over it (or rather, into it)? She's a KWPN, normally very trainable but if you start to fight with her she gets (very) stubborn.

Any thoughts/tips? we only have water trays at home and she's supposed to jump over them anyway! I just don't think she gets the 'going in' bit.

thanks!

( I had this problem with a previous horse - he was also a KWPN - love the breed but think they are bu**ers for being stubborn!)
 
Will she follow you on the ground? I found with my youngster this was the way to get him in & then let him have a sniff and play. You can try and get on then in the water, if agile enough!

I definitely think you need to be quiet and once in you'll probably need to try lots of different waters to gain her trust & so she knows its fun.
 
A brilliant tip which LEC and I heard at a demo, and she used to good effect, was to work the horse hard on the flat near the water, then offer it the chance to walk into the water to have a breather. Bascially make the water a nicer place to be!
 
Find as many puddles as you can and teach her that you won't let her go round them. Don't resort to smacking her as she'll turn this into a bigger issue. Once she learns that you won't let her go round puddles and such like she'll be able to tackle small ponds.

With my water-phobic horse I had to let him know that I wouldn't let him go round or backwards so he had to make the choice to go forwards. Just takes time and a hell of a lot of patience.
 
We had serious problems with our mare getting her into water last year - in the end we spent 2hours at a small water complex with me with spurs and stick, my mum and trainer hidden behind two trees with lunge whips - she was less than a foot away from the edge and she didnt move for two hours - she just planted! Eventually hunger got the better of her and when mum went and stood in the middle of the water holding a hay net she went straight in with me leading her
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(she wouldnt go in with just me leading her).

After going to every water complex around us she positively loves water and goes in with very little fuss at all
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Keep persevering it does pay off
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As said, don't make a fuss of going through puddles etc. My mare used to hate puddles and with reassurance and lots of work through puddles and small floods she is the best horse I have ever had with water
 
Thanks Guys, some great tips here - good to know that patience seems to be the best way - spottedcat I love your approach!
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I'd definately rather not force her and make an issue of it.
 
I got my horse in on the lunge line first as he hated it- this seemed to work!

Another horse I had, now don't laugh, hated water so I TOOK him in the paddock with a hose and made a puddle round him- he was fine after that!
 
I think it works because there is no fight - they work hard in an outline, with connection doing lots of things they find difficult and are then offered the water as a 'way out' - the moment they resist going in, you go back to the hard work. Can take hours, but you avoid any confrontation (and improve the flatwork to boot - a win-win situation!) Because you can do something productive you don't get frustrated or angry, so they don't feel you getting annoyed and tense about the water.
 
next time you try, make sure you have literally all day set aside. have another horse who likes water, a friend on the floor in wellies (sometimes they'll follow a person, not a horse) and a ton of patience.
make sure it's a big pool, too big to sidestep round, and too wide to hop across, shallow with a slope in, not a step. ask her to go in, and keep on until she does. use the other horse and the helper on the ground if necessary. whatever happens, you must win! if the helper needs to flick her gently on the bum with a lunge whip, to make it a better option to go forward than to root herself, then so be it!
 
Brillant Idea spottedcat. Good to know its not just my horses that ground them selves when it comes to water. And I'm not the only one who does 'Puddle training' and won't let a horse around a puddle when riding them out.
 
My horse was a total arse with water. You could not beat him, push him, drag him or bribe him in. I am a very strong rider and he was not moving! Now he is 100% better with the tip that spotted cat mentioned. I have also been to every single water jump in the SW. Its a pain but they have to want to do it. Mine was not scared just being an arse and water is easy to evade when you are 17hh and do not want to move so keep them moving forwards.
 
the beach. i took mine reguarly to the beach as there are lots of little puddles to cross and basically its always wet! its a very good way with not much pressure on the horse. if you have a beach near that is!
 
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