swimming

diggerbez

diggerbez

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has anyone ever sent their horse anywhere to go swimming? just wondered about positives/ negatives as looking into it for when i go on holiday :)
 
Have not sent my horse to go swimming but have been taking him most weeks for the last 3 months. He is a big young horse and I wanted to improve his fitness (as he has never been properly fit yet) without stressing his joints on the very hard ground we had.

In 10 swims he has gone from 9 laps in 1s and 2s to 32 in 2 lots of 16. So it has been built up gradually. Not sure how much swimming they would do in a week with a horse that has not swum before. Whereabouts are you looking at sending him?
 
The one I go to is bit further North in Cumbria.
They do say you have to retrain horses for water sometimes after swimming. Some almost try to start swimming in knee high water!!
I took mine up to the ford nearby the day after he swam first and we have not had a problem.
 
i've taken my horse to higher spen before, they're very good and knowledgable, however i didn't send him away just took him for one session.
he plunged in (he loves water jumps :) ) then panicked a bit when he couldn't touch the bottom, and they were really good with him, kept him up and moving until he realised he had to swim. they also kept his sessions short and sweet so as not to worry him. friends that took their horses at the same time had slightly longer sessions because there horses were fine with the whole thing, so they do care for each horse and treat them all as individuals, which is really nice. they were all very friendly and i would recommend it.
 
do you mind me asking how much it costs? :o PM if you prefer...there's nothing on the website so no idea if its totally out of my price range! :eek:
 
I'm lucky that where I work has an equine pool and I regularly box my horses over to swim. It's such good exercise and fitness for them, with no worry about concussion injuries and it's always nice for them to do some hard work without the sack of spuds on their back ;) The thing to remember though is that if you take them somewhere then the initial session or 2 will always be short, to introduce your horse to the pool and assess their fitness. So its a waste of money IMO unless you're planning on taking them fairly frequently.
 
Well it depends on what work they're already in. Mine go swimming maybe once every fortnight at the moment. What i'm trying to say (probably not very well!) is that it doesn't work as a 'one off' since the initial session will be so short. If you're planning on booking a few trips at least then it's more worth your money :)
 
so if i was going to send him for a week's 'holiday' then i should send him a few times beforehand? :) i have emailed them so hopefully they'll get back to me :)
 
Sounds like a plan to me! Then they can get right into it when he goes on hols and not have to introduce him :) Oh and then you know beforehand that he will do it - its rare but some horses just panic completely and sink, and never take to it :o
 
Hi, my mare spent 8 weeks at Higherspen after she had been on box rest for 10 months due to fracturing her nearside hind pedal bone.

The first 4 weeks were covered by my insurance and after that i paid £95 per week, i think that was a good price (and was maybe reduced slightly because she was a long standing customer lol) as she was on full livery and had use of the spa, solarium and horse walker, it was best thing i could have done for her.

Give Jane a call, she is a really friendly and knowledgeable lady and your horse will love it.

Would highly recommend.
 
I used to take my horse to keep his fitness after he had strained his ddft and couldnt do any fast work on the hard.

He loved it and trotted in and normally jumped the last bit!!

My chiro and vet did say (and I have heard from others) that swimming wasnt the greatest for them as they hold their backs in a funny way to keep their heads out of the water. That didnt put me off as I was within a rock and a hard place with the leg, but I wouldnt let any of mine swim more than once a week, maybe twice if I was away.

Then I payed 15 per session and I boxed there
 
I would definitely do it. A bit different but with my old JA pony, we spent 3 mornings a week down at the beach walking in the sea in water between knee and elbow depth. It kept a very old (30+) pony very sound and very fit for a long long time.
I would love to do it with mine and the price quoted seems quite reasonable.
 
Vickijay said:
My chiro and vet did say (and I have heard from others) that swimming wasnt the greatest for them as they hold their backs in a funny way to keep their heads out of the water.
Click to expand...

echo this- i would be more inclined to use one of the water horse walkers with the water at about knee height so you get the extra work without the stress and with the horse's topline in a natural shape.
 
Ive not read the replies, but ive always been told by my physio that swimming horses in a pool is really bad for their backs as it forces them to keep their heads in an unnatural position. My physio has said shes treated lots of horses with very sore backs after they have been swimming. Its a very unnatual position for a horse to be in.

I think water treadmills are meant to be better but I dont know much about them.
 
Great minds and all that :D

Water treadmills are definitely better, they can REALLY improve a horse's paces - a friend used to send her PSG horse regularly and she swore by them saying that the change was amazing (and he was already a huge mover).

Lots of dressage riders use them, I think I read Laura B has one at her yard and uses it on all her horses alternating with a normal treadmill.
 
oooooo sounds really interesting, might have a google and see wht i can find. I think there is a place down the road from me that has one - not that i have a horse to use it on!! Dont think Bloss and her mini-me would appreciate it somehow! :p
 
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