Horse is absolutely terrified of water

[Elliebow]

I have a 2 year old sports horse, and whilst he's not bombproof yet, he's never silly and he's coming along really well... However, he is absolutely petrified of water. And I don't mean has a little spook, I mean full on panic attack.

He won't go near hoses, puddles, any running water, and he's very skeptical of any buckets of water I'm holding. Just today he met his worst arch enemy; a water sprinkle. He stood shaking in fear, blowing hard and it took a lot of coaxing for him to get past it.

This is only a new thing, maybe within the last year (along with rugs but we're working on that), and he won't even let me near him with any water, not even a spray bottle. I've tried going slow, using a wet sponge instead of throwing water on him, but he dances and refuses to be anywhere near it. I can only turn him in circles for so long.

Does anyone have any tips? I'm at my wit's end, I don't want to die whilst I'm out hacking him because he's decided a hose pipe is going to eat him.

 

[PurBee]

Its the strangest thing when they are scared of water...yet will stand out in the pouring rain getting soaked no problem!

My mare danced her way around me initially trying to hose off her rear feet. I never gave up. Always kept myself at her shoulder, leadrope in hand, hose in the other - aim at feet, she moves, follow her movement, saying ‘whoa/stand’ - she would ignore a few times and i keep the hose going, and the moment she stands still, i take the hose away from foot. Then return it to that foot. Take it away. Basically i never gave up - it was so tiresome going round and round, hose curling up, but once she knew i wasn’t giving up and she eventually figured out it wasnt hurting her, the next times got progressively better.
Then once the feet are de-sensitised to the hose, work your way up the leg.

I was mindful of the weather and water temp aswell as strength of the spray. I had a mild jet low water pressure. Nothing too powerful/ forceful. If the water is shocking cold they wont like it, except on a hot day. I did this training in the warmer weather as i was using and only had cold water available.
If youve got warm water available that would be less shocking for them.

Are you able to get another chilled-out horse hosed off in full view of the scared horse? They learn by seeing too, so that could help.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Mine was till I went hacking with pony who loved it, and splashed and gradually mine learn to have fun

 

[brighteyes]

He is 2. Use the interim period to carefully getting him used to it with the help of a sensible older one. Have very small goals like walking to a point with a bucket and as soon as he stands and looks a bit accepting take it away.

 

[Red-1]

Presumably he is fine with the rain when in the field, doesn't quake in his boots in the field with a puddle and you say this is a new thing, so either he has eye problems (I don't think it will be this) or you have inadvertently trained this reaction in.

When I was still teaching, I helped a couple of clients with this exact thing. It took a couple of sessions for each horse, but was successful.

Each had inadvertently wet the horse, which the horse moved away from, so the wetting stopped. So, the horse stood, the clients wet the horse, the horse moved, the wetting stopped, usually whilst being told good boy/girl. Repeat this a few times and the horse realises that to stop the unpleasant wetting, they have to move. Then the handler gets frustrated and the experience gets double unpleasant.

You need to set it up so the horse learns that when they stand still, the wetting stops. Also make it so the wetting is not unpleasant. It may be better to wait until the horse is already wet with rain, and a bit chilly, before using a damp, warm sponge. Thus, you wetting the horse is pleasant. Make sure you stop before the horse moves. If you mis-time it and the horse moves, don't me frustrated, simply move with them, keeping the sponge on, until they stop, then remove the sponge.

This needs repeating until the horse simply stands as they know that when they do, the sponge is removed. Once the heat has gone from the situation, they may pick at hay whilst being done. I wouldn't tie up with a net until they are comfortable with being wet whilst being held though.

I would stick with a warm sponge on a wet horse until the excitement has gone too. You know the feeling when getting wet in a cold pool in summer? That is the feeling you want to avoid with them, until they are confirmed as no longer bothered by being wetted. Also avoid a hose or spray bottle until it is all calm and non emotional.

 

[scruffyponies]

We have a welsh D who was was totally paranoid about getting his feet wet. Gradually pushed him through things out hacking, starting with slightly damp tarmac (little rear of panic - I kid you not!), until he could cope with normal stuff. The real breakthrough came after a year or so when we had a very wet winter, and usual road hack routes were flooded. Group rides where he knew the route, and it was unavoidable to splish through the water. Since all the other horses were doing it, and the alternative was being left behind, he conceded that this was OK. After that I got serious with him and spent 20 minutes or so sitting rears and spins until he gave in and went through a ford.
It did help that he telegraphs his rears and carrries them out in what feels like slow-motion.
He is now 100% OK - a novice can ride him through the ford (about 2' deep). He will even take a carriage through without protest.

 

[Tarragon]

Try a couple of things:
Work on the washing down on really hot days to make it a pleasant experience
Find a ford crossing on a road, or a shallow stream where they can see the bototm, and go along with a water-loving pony and lots of patience.

 

[Leandy]

I agree with brighteyes, he is 2! Let him be a baby, I'm not sure what you are doing with him? Most 2 year olds are at grass with their mates and just being a horse whilst they grow up. They are growing in maturity and world experience as well as in size. You say:

I have a 2 year old sports horse, and whilst he's not bombproof yet, he's never silly and he's coming along really well...

A 2 year old is never going to be bombproof, not for years and years or ever at all. I think as someone implied further up that you may be doing some harm in doing things with him with the expectation that they should be scary and so, lo and behold, he finds them scary. Leave him be for at least a year and start all this as part of the breaking in process. His brain will be more mature then. Let him see all this stuff happening to other horses but don't go near him with any water at present. You don't need to tackle this now and if you try to you may well just reinforce the scary experience

 

[Coblover63]

I've had a few that are terrified of water at two but mature out of it by 4. Same with clippers. Don't panic just yet. I wouldn't try and swamp him with pressure yet either, it may have the opposite effect at his young impressionable age. Just be patient.