Help... need to get my boy liking water fences at XC

NW1

NW1

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He is a great boy, just risen 6, schooling V well (elementary) & jumping well (combinations/ grid work up to about 2'9-3 ft)

I really want to start eventing him soon & i know he is amazing at XC - confident, consistant, sure footed & throroughly enjoys it, HOWEVER......

he has a total dislike of water jumps/ditches... the ones where you have to jump in & out of them, maybe with a jump in the middle...

At my old yard there was an 'in-out' water jump which he point blank refused to go in & i ended up going in it on foot with some nice treats to encourage him in - after the 'firmer' ridden approach.

i have now moved to a competition yard without a XC course and to practice any techniques will have to hire the course - which i can only do every so often.

Does anyone have any tips/techniques of getting him used to popping in & out of water (confidently & comfortably) that i can use when i go to the hired course?
 
Just going as often as possible, and being very quiet and relaxed about it. Go down in walk, and let him drop his head to have a look. Don't hassle him whilst he is standing still, and then quietly insist he goes forward into the water. If he backs up, hassle him, lots of leg and keep him moving, but not backwards!

Once he is back to the edge of the water, again quietly ask him to go forwards. Just make it very clear that forwards (and through the water!) is the easy option
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Once he is in, make a HUGE fuss of him, and quietly walk out, then do the same again, but if there is a small step to come out at, walk out over it. By doing everything slowly, it gives him chance to accept what he is doing, and means there is no pressure on him. Slowly his confidence will increase
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I'd only add to that... use an older horse as a lead if you know someone who'll come with you? Most horses will follow another into water and actually enjoy it much more than if you push them in.

Also try to go to as many different XC courses as you can so that he gets used to the whole concept of water, not just one specific place where he feels ok.
 
You don't need an XC course to practice water.

Can you find a hacking route with some nice big puddles on? These are great for getting them trotting (and cantering if you know the going) through random patches of strange water without a fuss.

Hopefully if you insist that he goes through every bit of water you come accross he will improve.

We cured a pony of anti water\ditches once with a trip to the beach. Didn't work on my TB though, but the above really helped.
 
My horse doesn't like water, but I event him. He still isn't 100% which is a shame, because he jumps everything else! I did loads of clinics with Nick Turner at MKEC, which was great. Basically as people have said - initially stay calm, walk gently round and round in the water and if he won't go in, be insistent. My horse used to throw huge tantrums about even walking in. Now, I can always get him to walk/ trot in, and sometimes I can even get him to canter in off a step! He isn't completely cured though and if its a spooky water and I've not done loads of recent water practice he can sometimes still stop. Walking through puddles is a definite plus. I spent one winter hacking out all the time round the tracks which had loads of puddles. Initially I couldn't get him near them whereas now he will look but go through.
Any other tips I will also look forward to!
 
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