Young horse scared of water

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Louby

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I recently bought a 3 yr old ISH that has come from Ireland. She was halter broken, had feet done but nothing else. Im struggling with anything to do with water. She unfortunately got a nasty overreach cut which needed regular cleaning etc and that has been an ordeal although we have managed with the use of a squeezy bottle of salt water to clean it. Thankfully its now healed. I can understand her being wary of puddles but its even wet ground. On Tuesday she was scared to come out of the field for the farrier, because there was a bit of mud at the gate, stood fab for the farrier and then wouldnt go back in the field because of the mud. It isnt bad mud, just a bit soft and a couple of small puddles near the gate. This morning shes the same, she isnt being naughty, shes scared. I have managed by staying calm and being patient but wondered if theres anything I should or could be doing to try and help her get over this? I have tried pressure release, getting her to moved sidewards in a hope we will then go forwards and asking her to go back, then come forward, she plants and gets worried. Im already wondering how on earth Im going to get her in tonight!
 
Pippity said:
What's she like if another horse gives her a lead?
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To be honest I havent tried that as Ive been alone putting out and bringing in these last few wet days. Theres only the 2 of them in their field, so Im bringing her in first as her friend doesnt get upset if left alone. Im not sure what my girl would do if left, albeit for a few minutes. Hopefully someone else may be at the yard later, so we can try and follow.
 
Is it the muddy puddle she's scared of or is it actually a clicking of an electric fence that is clicking because it's wet? Only asking because one of mine suddenly became terrified to walk out of the gate, and we realised it was the electric click that was the issue.
 
I have a new rising 6 yr old who is the same.

Loads of patience. She doesn't know it doesn't cover a massive pony eating hole. Loads of ground work - get her used to coming toward you from a long line. Either clicker or treats as a reward. Lots of comfort scratches. Get to know her soft spot.

Then wait. She knows you need her to come to you. She knows that coming to you is the right thing. She needs time to process what you are asking her to do and to realize that it is safe. She can stand and look at it all she wants (allow hours if you have to!) but she cannot go backward or sideways. She can stand still or she can come to you. She'll come eventually - and it will be her choice, her decision. No force.

It can help to stand in it yourself, or to get another horse to show her it is safe. Or even to have her feed bucket on the far side. And don't just cross it once. Go over and over and over - although watch the time so you end on a good note. If she does it brilliantly twice and sticks on the third time you are stuck until she unsticks.

My lad has improved massively with mud and standing water but is scared of moving water so we're working on crossing the scary hosepipe whilst it is running at the moment....

Wear a hat, gloves and use a long line. Safety first!
 
Are you going in the mud? If she trusts you she may simply take her lead from you. if you don't go in why should she?

It worked when I had a newly backed 3 year old and we needed to go through a ford to go out and meet traffic. First time at the ford she flatly refused despite having a companion, second time with companion and me wading through in long boots she was a bit reluctant but followed my lead, coming home she accepted that was part of her routine. She was never a problem again with fords, streams etc.
 
Sparemare said:
Is it the muddy puddle she's scared of or is it actually a clicking of an electric fence that is clicking because it's wet? Only asking because one of mine suddenly became terrified to walk out of the gate, and we realised it was the electric click that was the issue.
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You might have just inadvertently answered a question I was mulling over with my mare! :D
 
I'm very lucky with mine (also from Ireland) in that in his last home, he was used to persuade young event horses into the water so it is not an issue I have had with him. However, it does show the value of having a lead as because as far as I could gather, that was his sole purpose for the six months they owned him! He was obviously successful as once they were all confident with the river, he was sold to me.

However, my old horse was scared and I am afraid the only real answer is patience. The first time he met a man cleaning his car at the side of the road with a trail of water across the road it took an hour and a half to get him to cross it. The first time he went through a ford, it took another hour and a half (including me wading back and forth in jodhpur boots). However, he went on to be confident enough to cross the ford when the water was so deep it reached the bottom of the saddle flaps.

So I second the advice about getting a lead but also be prepared to spend some time in the water/mud yourself until she understands it's OK.
 
Sparemare said:
Is it the muddy puddle she's scared of or is it actually a clicking of an electric fence that is clicking because it's wet? Only asking because one of mine suddenly became terrified to walk out of the gate, and we realised it was the electric click that was the issue.
Click to expand...

Hi thanks for replying, we dont have any electric fencing so its definately water/puddles, she takes a wide berth near the hose pipe, even though Ive never tried to actually hose her, she has to put her brave pants on to walk past this area as the ground is wet lol. It all started when she refused to go in her stable as there was a puddle outside. I'd been oblivious until then but the weather had been good since buying her up until this week.
 
Shay said:
I have a new rising 6 yr old who is the same.

Loads of patience. She doesn't know it doesn't cover a massive pony eating hole. Loads of ground work - get her used to coming toward you from a long line. Either clicker or treats as a reward. Lots of comfort scratches. Get to know her soft spot.

Then wait. She knows you need her to come to you. She knows that coming to you is the right thing. She needs time to process what you are asking her to do and to realize that it is safe. She can stand and look at it all she wants (allow hours if you have to!) but she cannot go backward or sideways. She can stand still or she can come to you. She'll come eventually - and it will be her choice, her decision. No force.

It can help to stand in it yourself, or to get another horse to show her it is safe. Or even to have her feed bucket on the far side. And don't just cross it once. Go over and over and over - although watch the time so you end on a good note. If she does it brilliantly twice and sticks on the third time you are stuck until she unsticks.

My lad has improved massively with mud and standing water but is scared of moving water so we're working on crossing the scary hosepipe whilst it is running at the moment....

Wear a hat, gloves and use a long line. Safety first!
Click to expand...

Thank you, she is definately a 'I have to stay calm' type of horse, after the puddle outside her stable episode, where Im ashamed to admit I hadnt a clue why she wouldnt go in as it really wasnt a big puddle! she learnt that going backwards gets her away from it and it took a good few days of calm, patient nicey nice to persuade her that going backwards isnt what we want. I so want to get it right with her so am happy to do whatever it takes.
 
moleskinsmum said:
I'm very lucky with mine (also from Ireland) in that in his last home, he was used to persuade young event horses into the water so it is not an issue I have had with him. However, it does show the value of having a lead as because as far as I could gather, that was his sole purpose for the six months they owned him! He was obviously successful as once they were all confident with the river, he was sold to me.

However, my old horse was scared and I am afraid the only real answer is patience. The first time he met a man cleaning his car at the side of the road with a trail of water across the road it took an hour and a half to get him to cross it. The first time he went through a ford, it took another hour and a half (including me wading back and forth in jodhpur boots). However, he went on to be confident enough to cross the ford when the water was so deep it reached the bottom of the saddle flaps.

So I second the advice about getting a lead but also be prepared to spend some time in the water/mud yourself until she understands it's OK.
Click to expand...

Thank you and I live in hope lol. Tonight wasnt a trauma at all lol, she came trotting up to come in, then the other mare took the lead and lo behold she followed without even looking at the slightly softer ground. I had a proud mummy moment ha ha.
 
sunnyone said:
Are you going in the mud? If she trusts you she may simply take her lead from you. if you don't go in why should she?

It worked when I had a newly backed 3 year old and we needed to go through a ford to go out and meet traffic. First time at the ford she flatly refused despite having a companion, second time with companion and me wading through in long boots she was a bit reluctant but followed my lead, coming home she accepted that was part of her routine. She was never a problem again with fords, streams etc.
Click to expand...

Thank you, yes I have to walk through it too, she went through it tonight following the other horse. I hate this rainy weather atm but I need all the puddles I can get so we can practice :)
 
easiest way i always found, was to turn them out in a bog field, or a field with a river for a few weeks. they tend to sort out the issues themselves then!
 
Louby said:
Oh wow, what a good baby! We wouldnt get anywhere near that puddle at the mo!! Lots of work ahead, thank you for sharing :)
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Jezebel is a poppet. She's 3/4 ID - and her grandmother was about the barmiest TB I ever knew. But note that when starting them long-lining, we have one person leading - and another behind 'driving'. It works well.
 
JanetGeorge said:
We start with long lining to get them used to going out - and traffic. Puddles come in handy too.

https://youtu.be/BnVlVw278iY
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Long lining is great Janet but in our case the horse was already traffic proof, jn hand. I just didn't fancy meeting 16 ton lorries the first time riding her out on roads so we used the woods for a while and gradually moved on to light traffic lanes and then her normal roads. The ford was the only surprise for her on that route as too far to walk to previously.
.
 
Get in the puddle.

We have a young (5 year old) pony, and he wouldn't walk through puddles, standing water or even across a damp patch on the road where someone had been cleaning their car! But he got the idea when I lead him through and walked in the water as well. It took some patience, but he definitely benefited from being shown it wasn't 60 feet deep or that there were no crocodiles in there. Physically getting down and patting the water surface seemed to show him it was safe.

We did the same with the local brook, I had to go through and show him, but now he's OK with all water. We take him to our local XC Course and he happily sploshes backwards and forwards, see below.



 
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