Horse is scared of water

[liss1987]

I have just got myself a new horse and jumping wise he's great and I'd like to do XC with him but he's terrified of water!

Iv tried several times to lead him through/ride him through and he'll go in and then reverse out terrified or just avoid the water all together.

I don't want to stress him out too much and wanted to know how I can get him used to water gradually. It doesn't seem to matter how many times I try and get him to go through water (doesn't matter if shallow or a bit deeper) he doesn't improve.

Not sure if its related, but he's not a fan of the hosepipe either!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[Charmin]

Okay this is how I've always tackled water...

Find a nice water complex, firm base, clear water, preferably many different entrances/exits as possible. Not too deep. Hire a XC course with a nice water, if you say your location I'm sure people can give you some ideas!

Then find a willing friend with a horse that's good with water. Be quite selective, this horse must not hesitate with water, must be quiet and calm enough that it could deal with potential 'lanch' situations. Bonus if friend is good to talk to as it could take a while

Take an on the floor helper, manned with wellies and treats.

Now, walk horse calmly towards water with nanny horse in front. If horse stops ask calmly for it to walk on again. Nanny horse keep going, come around past and through again. Praise every single step forwards towards water, lots of patting, neck scratches etc.

Try not to let horse reverse, just stand very calmly, nanny horse in water or walking past. Then simply wait and sit them out This can take up to a few hours so make sure you have the time. It might help to have person on ground attach lunge line and try and lead through - however I'm not a total advocate of this as they can get jumped on which could be dangerous. Best thing is to wait it out, occassionally leg them on to see if they go. Keep your contact very loose, let them sniff the water if they want to.

Whatever you do, no matter how tempting, do not lose your temper! As it will stress horse out even more. Just make it as blase as possible. Sit and sigh loudly, slouch in the saddle, be the absolute picture of relaxation.

Eventually when they go in (they will!) big pats and lots of praise, take them straight through, no dallying in the middle, and then bring them straight back around. Have nanny horse lead the way again. Come out, have a polo, straight back through. Do this a few times - they may hesitate the first few times going back in, repeat waiting them out, leg quietly on.

When they feel more confident you can then move up to trotting quietly through, removing the nanny horse. I'd leave it there for that day.

Return a few more times, visit different XC courses to see different waters. You may have to wait them out a few more times but should see an improvement each time. You can then go looking for more 'spooky' waters, in shade etc. Confidence will grow every time, don't worry if they hesitate first time, keep your leg on and very calm and confident, give with your hands and just reiterate forwards.

Good luck! It can be done without a nanny horse as well if you can't find one

 

[Darremi]

Have you given him a lead horse? Make sure he is really close to his lead horse. You can even put a lead rope on him from the lead horse. Make sure you boot up the lead horse's legs as young horses can leap into water suddenly.

It's important with young horses to just stand them in the water, but if he is reversing out then you need to keep him moving forward. Try walking him in a small circle in the water.

 

[liss1987]

Iv tried with a few nanny horses, he doesn't seem to care tho, even when the nanny horse is standing on the other side of the water neighing at him, as though going "come on you can do it!" Lol!

If I put too much leg on he does rear so iv got to give just enough without egging him on too much or he goes crazy.

I will definitely try again with the nanny horse as maybe I didn't give him enough time to keep continuously going through. The problem was that he just kept reversing and then I'd turn him round and try and take him back through and he'd go in a bit, reverse, spin around, etc and it is extremely tiring for me so no idea how tiring it must be for him!
In the end I did give up as it seemed as though it was never improving, it was exactly the same process over and over again (walk in, reverse, spin, bring back round, egg on, walk in, reverse, spin etc).

Iv tried in a few different places of varying depths and same thing happens. Iv had other more experienced riders try and there's absolutely no difference in the way he acts.

 

[Darremi]

If you are using a nanny horse you need to have him really close behind, it's no use having the horse on the other side of the water. He needs to have his head at the other horse's flank.

Another thing to try is trotting, because you mentioned he does rear he must be thinking quite backward about the whole water experience. Try getting him forward into a trot as soon as he gets his feet in the water. I know from experience that sometimes if you try and make them contemplate water in walk then they have too much time to think about it and they are worse. Get them to trot and they already focusing on something else, and that helps them to be less scared of the water.

 

[wench]

Puddles on hacks?

 

[paulineh]

Some one leading on foot and long rein him. If he shows no fear then he is just playing up.


I have a mare that hated water so I went for a ride and came back through the river. I just got off and wadded through myself, showed her that I could go over the river and there was no problem.

Another way is just sit there as if the horse was napping and he will soon get bored. Don't force him.

 

[Darremi]

I agree that sometimes leading them is the only way. I had to do this with an ex racehorse I was retraining. He wouldn't go over a tiny ditch with me on board so I hopped off and lead him over.

Be aware that it is slightly dangerous to lead on foot into water though, because they can leap on top of you. It might be worth leading him from another horse.