Youngster training, advice and a mini rant

B

Baldybear

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Sorry if this turns into a mini rant!!

Have a youngster, 18 months, had her 4 months, unhandled, but since she has been with us come in leaps and bounds, learnt to lead, has had farrier trim on all 4 feet, injections ok, wormed ok, lovely stable manners (muck out round her am) and brush pm in stable when she is loose, just to name a few.

My problem there is a puddle round the gate and she will not walk through it, walks round it, have tried leading her up to it walking through myself, food temptation but no stands her ground so have to open gate wide to get her through, ok usually but there is another horse in the field that rushes through. But it is my horse that is in the wrong as she should walk through the puddle. Hey I am trying but cant physically make her.

Any ideas on how I can help her overcome her fear? I have been told its because she doesnt trust me. Grr.. My old pony who I had for 17 years refused to walk through water, he was 110% brilliant in every other way just hated water. So I dont think she is unusual just stubborn/scared.

Its just frustrating where others dole out advice but they are not perfect, but when the offer is put to them if they want to try and see if they can do better, they dont take you up on it. Frustrating, its not easy but she has come on such a way and I am proud of what I have done as never had a youngster before.
 
The fear of putting their feet in to something they can't see the bottom of is rational and normal in the horse ,it makes sense to them .Do you stand in the puddle ? If you don't you must .
Is it possible to get the other horse out of the field so you can spend some time in the gateway showing her its ok .
Can you lead her though puddles on tracks after heavy rain to show her this part of life?
Don't worry it's a normal issue that can be overcome.
 
My sympathies, I have a seven year old stallion that is frequently stuck in his paddock for days because the gateway floods. Food, threats, bribes, mares - nothing works. He just stands there telling me that there are huge sharks lurking in the mud below and no way on this earth is he braving them!:mad:

I make a point of putting my foals in paddocks that do flood so they have no choice but to paddle, easy for me as I have them from day one.

You just have to go with what works for you and her, what is she like with water on her legs from a hose pipe? Ordinary puddles? Can you flood somewhere that has firm footing that she can practise going through?
 
Thanks, makes me feel normal!! And not me going mad and a bad horse owner!!

Will keep trying with the puddles in the gateway I do stand in them, walk through them in front of her, hopefully have more time at the weekend to spend some time. Havent tried the hosepipe on her yet so be interesting to see her reaction to that. Tried walking through a puddle on the yard where we fill up water buckets but that was a no no to. So lots more work I think!!
 
Used to share a mare who would jump (sideways or forwards) any puddle on a hack. Gave her reins for wide patches of mud and she'd tiptoe zigzag her way through, hated walking through muddy gateways and would often hold out for hours.

She'd happily roll in them though... go figure :rolleyes:

I perservered on gateways and she'd come in, hacks I'd always let her find her footing

Pan
 
If the hose was OK with your horse, I wonder if you could find somewhere low that the hose would reach to and gradually fill the area with a large puddle as she stood in it...........?
 
I wouldn't worry. I have a 23yr old who also hates putting her feet in water. She's the only horse I've ever seen manage to roll in a puddle, whilst keeping her legs dry from pasterns down! Fine with hoses etc. She'll go through if you ask, water jumps, streams out hunting up past her elbows (only 14.2), if the way is blocked hacking etc. But in hand, if there's a way round she'll find it. I still open the gate wide for her if its flooded or deep mud. I could get her through it if I tried. But if she hates it that much, don't see the point of forcing her when ridden she is good as gold. Not recommending it for a youngster at all, but when the whole gateways a mess, I tend to open it wide, leave her loose, & let her jump it to get in/out. But that's a privilege of age, not a suggestion!
 
I have a 3 year old I have had 3 weeks and discovered on the first week she hates water!
She would not even stand on wet concrete *rolls eyes*
So did some work with her feed - only allowing her to have her feed if she will let the hose pipe on her feet.
I also had issues with when she doesn't want to do something she will plant or walk backwards. I did some groundwork with her as I saw monty roberts doing this thing on tv where he said if you cant make a horse go backwards then it is a direction they "own" so they will use it to get out of stuff so I started making her go backwards a lot, not really expecting it to work but thought it was worth a try.
Well it did work! now she might step backwards a step or 2 but when I say in a gruff voice "NO" then she stops. And I use my cutie cutie baby voice when she is doing something good (i.e. stepping in water) so now she seems a lot more keen to do things for me.
 
I think fillies are worse than geldings for not wanting to go through puddles. I also suspect it is why the police almost always use geldings - mares think for themselves! My old girl used to love splashing in lakes, rolling in puddles and liquid mud but used to jink around or jump puddles on hacks most of the time. Be patient and understanding and you may be able to win her around. Getting a lead from older experienced horses may help too. Would you step into water if you couldn't see the bottom clearly? It isn't stupid, its self preservation :)
 
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