My horse hates water…

[SophW1898]

Looking for some tips on how to get me horse to go in water
Did a hunter trial today and it’s so frustrating as he’ll literally storm over any of the difficult/scary fences but as soon as we get to the water her digs his heels in and says no thank you..
Would love to do a BE80 next season but no point at the mo

 

[ChipsChaps]

A lead with an experienced confident horse in a low pressure environment? Take him schooling with company, and let him figure out that actually water is fine. Once he's progressed, hunter trials as a pair would be a nice way to progress. Speaking from experience, try school over running water! A piddly little stream put the brakes on my fellow last season, haha.

 

[AmyMay]

What have you done to get him used to water?

 

[SophW1898]

A lead with an experienced confident horse in a low pressure environment? Take him schooling with company, and let him figure out that actually water is fine. Once he's progressed, hunter trials as a pair would be a nice way to progress. Speaking from experience, try school over running water! A piddly little stream put the brakes on my fellow last season, haha.

I took him cross country schooling with a horse that walks straight in and he still refused stood there for about 10 minutes and he wasn’t having any of it

 

[sassandbells]

How does he react to puddles out hacking?

This is how I introduced my youngster to puddles.

 

[Cortez]

I suggest that you get help from an experienced cross country trainer. Pfaffing about can often make horses worse if they are afraid of water, when all they need is a bit of sensible introduction and encouragement. And occasionally a judicious kick up the bum, but that needs experienced handling.

 

[ycbm]

How does he react to puddles out hacking?

This is how I introduced my youngster to puddles.

Mine will walk through any puddle of any size anywhere. Man-made water or 3 inch deep running water, not a chance!

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Waders for you and a stream…in hand introduction..then to cross country training venue in your waders. Ride through every puddle you can and with a willing puddle loving friend if you can.

 

[SophW1898]

H

Mine will walk through any puddle of any size anywhere. Man-made water or 3 inch deep running water, not a chance!

Hes exactly the same! Our arena was water logged yesterday after all the rain last night too, he cantered through it out of choice

 

[LEC]

It’s time and repetition. It’s also quite a lot of money on xc hire!

 

[ycbm]

It’s time and repetition. It’s also quite a lot of money on xc hire!

This is where I find myself blessing the fact that I have 4 water fences on 2 Cross country courses and 2 ponds and 2 stream crossings on the farm ride available with my livery.

We have currently cracked two ponds and can't get anywhere near the steam even with a lead either on foot or on horseback, after a half hour waiting him out session.

I'm not sure we'll be eventing any time soon

 

[SophW1898]

T

It’s time and repetition. It’s also quite a lot of money on xc hire!

Yes I think that’s what it will be, luckily we do actually have a yard not far away that just hires out their water complexes, so think I’ll take him there over winter and if I spend the whole session just trying to get him in I don’t feel like I’m in the way of other people at least
As you can see the fences really aren’t an issue so hoping I can crack it over the next 5/6 months!

 

[cauda equina]

Do you have any hacks nearby with a ford?
A nice shallow one with tarmac underfoot, and somewhere quiet so you can faff around for as long as you want, is a great thing for water bravery training

 

[SophW1898]

We h

Do you have any hacks nearby with a ford?
A nice shallow one with tarmac underfoot, and somewhere quiet so you can faff around for as long as you want, is a great thing for water bravery training

We do have one about 5 minutes up the road, he’s not very good hacking on roads but could easily box up to it, and like you said no restrictions on time then I guess!

 

[Birker2020]

Looking for some tips on how to get me horse to go in water
Did a hunter trial today and it’s so frustrating as he’ll literally storm over any of the difficult/scary fences but as soon as we get to the water her digs his heels in and says no thank you..
Would love to do a BE80 next season but no point at the mo

Like others have said. I had this experience with a previous horse. And reining it back worked for me.

Partner told me to just rein him back into the water - it was a shallow stream with no banks as such on a XC course. He kept planting when I tried to go into it so reining back meant that he thought he was 'winning' because he was facing away from the water which is what he wanted. I reined him backwards and once he was in there he realised it wasn't as scary as he thought it was. We had a bit of a splash around for five minutes and then repeated a couple of times thereafter gradually building up his confidence so he could walk, trot and canter through it fine. After this it never phased him again.

 

[Orangehorse]

If they won't follow another horse they will sometimes follow their rider. I remember leading my horse through a stream on a fun ride and had water filled boots for the rest of the ride. There was no way she was going to go just following other horses.

So its practice, practice, practice - like lots of things. Start small and easy and build up. I wouldn't start with something dark and scarey like a difficult stream crossing, that comes later.

The trouble I have found with local fords is that they have concrete on the bottom for cars and I always worry that they will be slippy for horses.

 

[Bob notacob]

There is always the Bob notacob Technique . He has been known to try and share his love of water by chesting a recalcitrant horse and hurling it through a water jump. One minute you are staring at the water thinking it is the scariest thing ever then you discover that actually the scariest thing ever is 3/4 tonne of Irish Draught on a mission!

 

[SpeedyPony]

My young mare wasn't keen on water initially- any little streams she would jump (cat leap) even with a lead from a sensible pony. The first time I took her out hunting we came to a ford- about 8-10' wide I would guess? She saw all the others trot through it, got to the edge herself, paused, leapt and couldn't make the distance, we landed in the middle in a spray of water and gravel (bit dramatic). After that I decided I would take any opportunity to get her used to water, started by leading her through a flooded patch on a bridleway. I rolled my trousers up to my knees in readiness, strode confidently into the water and promptly discovered that it was up to the top of my thighs she did follow me though! She has since gone through floods/fords ridden- even as lead file, but still jumps the smaller streams

 

[lottiepony]

That's the trick that worked with mine. She wouldn't do it whilst I was mounted but on foot I simply reversed her in. It wasn't every water just certain ones but once cracked we never had an issue again. I also then hopped on when we were in to walk and splash about. She flatly refused to follow her best pal in or be led.
She's gone now but love this photo of one of our schooling session where clearly I should have worn waders lol!

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Today I watched the youngster splashing in all the puddles (mini lakes and plunge pools) in her field…so my updated advice is…turn out in a really wet field! Lol

 

[MagicMelon]

Find any opportunity to practice. Ive got a horse who is only just getting used to water on the XC course but she's only gone through one once straight away. Otherwise it takes ages. Ive found it quicker to hop off and lead her into it, then get on when in the water. Paddle about a while then she'll go in and out fine. Obviously can only do that in training, but it seems to have built her confidence as when she starts arguing she shuts down so this avoids that and minimises the drama. She's got better over time with that. But I take every opportunity to go through water, even walking round a puddle ridden car park the other day at a horse event. If you have any water near you thats safe then practice in it loads. I have a ford type farmers track near me always has a pond running through it. If Im not riding then I take her down on the lead and simple play around in the water with her, giving her plenty treats, letting her stand in it while grazing the edges etc. My key is trying to keep it fun and lighthearted. Beating the pony up over it wont end well and doesnt give a willing, happy horse at the end of it.