Training Water Drops

[njaysharpie]

Hi

My horse is 10 years old and we're in our second season of eventing now, looking to move up to BE100. He's an absolute whizz XC, bravest horse I've ever ridden, however he used to have a big thing about water. He's over it now and will canter/step/jump into water without hesitation.

However when we jump down steps or over drops into water he does such a large over-dramatic jump and I find it really hard to sit (a bit of context: he's a 16.3hh warmblood, I'm 5'3). I have actually been thrown off backwards before just from the sheer force of his jump - he also has a tendency to land practically on all fours. He's perfectly fine with drops and steps that aren't into water, and he's not afraid of jumping in, I think he's just not sure how deep it is so he over-compensates.

Has anyone got any tips or training exercises I can use to try and tone down his jump into water (or feel more secure in the saddle when he does it)?

 

[wkiwi]

Is he doing a 'pause' just before throwing himself bravely to certain death amongst the sea serpents?
Have you got somewhere you can practice? If so, then trot up the drop a number of times first (i.e. out of the water). Then trot around in the water lots, then walk the drop back into the water (safety seat, neck strap as needed). Very important not to override the fence (which encourages the jump out). If he does a big leap from walk, then repeat jumping out and trotting around in water a number of times before trying again.
When he will walk and 'drop off the edge', then try trot but don't use a lot of leg - just flop along in a ambling jog and try not to tense up your seat muscles before he actually leaves the ground.
If this works, then repeat at as many strange water jumps as you can find. I used to live somewhere with a shallow river and excellent firm banks so could pick different places, but otherwise it is finding artificial ones.

 

[Penumbra]

There was a recent thread about similar issues to this (which I now can't find the link to, very helpful ) but one of the suggestions was lunging the horse over the water without a rider on.

As the horse is possibly struggling more knowing what to do with his legs/figuring out the depth, perhaps doing this might be a good way to allow him to figure out the question without putting yourself at risk?

 

[njaysharpie]

Thanks both for your advice, I can get him to walk and trot down steps and just step down, but as soon as we canter he starts leaping!

If anything it's exhuberance rather than uncertainty - for example if I set him towards water then change my mind for any reason it's incredibly difficult to stop/turn him away, he just wants to get in there.

Lunging sounds like a brilliant idea - I'll definitely try that, thank you!

 

[wkiwi]

It sounds more like he is a 'let me jump in and play with my friend the sea serpent'! LOL
Practice a 'coffin canter' and repeated transitions canter/trot until he is really responsive no matter where you are and this might help too.
Let us know how you get on with the lunging method.