introducing water..he won't even go through puddles yet

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amycamycamyc

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i have a 4.5yr old KWPN gelding who will go right out of his way to avoid walking through a puddle, and given I am hoping (one day) for him to be the worlds most perfect all-rounder, I would like to start getting him used to going through water. He's fine with the hose, and if there's no way around a puddle he will go through no problem at all, but if he can see a dry edge then no amount of leg will encourage him through the middle! (same when i'm leading him...) any ideas??
 
My KPWN used to refuse point blank to get his feet wet. One day I was at a show and the car park was full of puddles as it had rained really heavily during the night. I was slightly freaked out as the only way into the warm up arena and then through to the competition arena was through a massive puddle. Fortunately it filled the entire walkway and entrance so he had no option but to go through it. My friend very kindly led him through with me sitting on him. Since then he has not had an issue with water and thinks jumping into it x-country schooling is great fun.

I see from your post that he will go through a puddle if there is no way of avoiding it. He is actually being quite sensible by avoiding putting his feet somewhere that is he unsure of.

If you really want to conquer this - to be honest it wouldn't worry me as long as he would go through when there is no get out - try long reining him through a big puddle with good footing. If you are riding him, keep your hands wide to give him a 'channel' to go through, sit back and keep your leg on. The puddle has to be wide enough that it is not easy for him to skip down the side of.
 
Meet me at Great Westwood and stick him up Zoom's bum through the water jump :D

Seriously though, Monty would Never walk through puddles if there was an alternative although would jump into water etc out xc. I think Ferdie is just precious......you may find he is absolutely fine when you actually need to cross water, but will continue to tippy-toe around the edges of tiny puddles.
 
Yep find a big enought puddle that he can't go round.

Had same problem with big ginger lad, one weekend after we had a hell of a lot of rain I made him go through every single puddle I could find until it was just easier to walk through rather than stop, walk round or launch over them.

Once he got the idea and realised there was no sharks in there :rolleyes::D, he's now happily plodding through as many puddles as you can find.

Lots of praise and encouragement but don't take no for an answer neither.
 
Walk through puddles yourself if you are leading him. :) Every time. Not just when you are thinking about water training but out to the field, whenever.

I think a lot of people inadvertantly discourage their horses from going through water by edging arround it themselves when leading or trying to lead them in but hesitating to find the shallowest places to stand or tensing to stand on tippy toe. No one likes wet feet but even if you are just thinking about soggy socks I'm sure most horses think we are checking for alligators or avoiding piranas and assume that all puddles have something nasty in them if even their human wont go through.
 
My boy will go round puddles as if his very life depended on it. Face him with a ford and he walks straight in without breaking stride. I have given many a lead at pleasure rides through water. He will jump in and out of water as well. I don't think walking round puddles means water jumps/fords will necessarily be an issue.

Horses are so odd aren't they?

I would find a horse who is good with water and get them to go through to give a lead and keep going not wait for yours, most horses don't like to be 'left behind'. And/or get off and lead through purposefully yourself.

Jane
 
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to be honest, it had never actually occured to me that he might be completely fine with "proper" water - i'd just assumed that an aversion to puddles = aversion to all water. But you lot have given me hope! I love your reply lilith - from now on I will be marching straight through deep puddles while my horse pansies around the outside :-)
And yes M&Z, he is a little precious!! we've at least mastered front boots (well we managed a couple of booted canters without broncing on the lunge) so fingers crossed we'll eventually get there with back boots as well.
 
My arab used to be TERRIBLE about puddles and water - tbh he will still 'fairy' around puddles if there is an escape route however he will jump into and out of water jumps and ford streams no problem?! No logic to it!
I also have a big (half KWPN!) rising 4 year old youngster and he is not keen on water either - but will walk through some puddles and not others! Out riding with a friend recently we did a very wet route and one puddle he flatly refused to go through, however when friend got off and led him with me still on board he was fine..... water jumps are next thing we need to tackle!
I think maybe go through as many different puddles as you can to get the practice in without making too much fuss of the fact there is a puddle there? If that makes any sense?!?
 
Good Luck, I am watching this one with interest in the hopes that I may find something I haven't tried yet.

Since the beginning of March when the snow melted and formed a shark infested, Zeus eating puddle right the way across his gate my built like a brick outhouse 5 year old will NOT come out of his paddock. Food, bribes, leading, long reining, you name it, nothing has worked, there is even an in season mare in a paddock 12' across the walkway and she can't tempt him either (Mr Hormone himself) The silly sod will just have to wait until his puddle dries up. My long held theory that if a horse wants to go somewhere badly enough then he WILL cross water has been shot to pieces. It is very frustrating that my mini will go out of his way to play in water!

Years ago I had a little arab that would plough through the deepest mud out hunting, but face him with a teeny little creek and the only way we could get him through was to make an Ali sandwich, horse infront and a big one ramming him across behind. Once in he was fine, it was just the initial plunge. I once spent 20 minutes, half a mile from home (alternative was a 4 mile loop) trying to get him through a puddle across a road, in the end some lovely motorist took pity and led him across, the water didn't even cover the sole of her shoes! :mad: The utter pig just dropped his head and followed like a dog...grrrrrrrrrrr.
 
Hi. My 6 year old cob avoided puddles as much as possible, so I took her to a ford with her friend. Made my OH take his horse across the ford and my mare was scared and wanted to jump the ford to go with the other horse. We stayed at the edge of the ford for a while and eventually she went in, we walked through it a few times. She now loves puddles and wants to stop and play in each one we come across. About three weeks ago we had heavy rain and part of the road was flooded, my little cob marched confidently through this massive puddle that was all the way across the road, my OH's horsey was snorting and scared of the new puddle!
 
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