Posted 2007-04-26 9:52 AM (#59996) Subject: Getting through the water
Member
Posts: 6
Location: Louisville, KY
Any one have tips on getting a horse to walk through a stream? Heck even a puddle? My mare absolutely won't go. I've tried letting the other horses leave her. Tried waiting her out, coaxing, tapping with a stick. Nothing has worked, she just won't go.
Posted 2007-04-26 12:31 PM (#60013 - in reply to #59996) Subject: RE: Getting through the water
Location: Tehachapi, CA
Clinton Anderson addressed this recently on one of his RFD-TV shows that was on encountering obtacles on the trail (either the first or second show, can't recall which). What he did was when the horse stopped before the puddle, he backed it up. They went forward and before the horse stopped, he stopped it and backed it up. He did this three or four times and by the 5th time, the horse went right through. He also demo'd another way. To work the horse away from the water (bending it back and forth) and gradually getting closer to the water until eventually it went in. He stressed not to make a big deal out of the water and just put the horse to work by it and eventually it would go in. He also stressed that it could take 5 minutes or it could take 25 minutes or any amount of time. Just be patient and don't force your horse. I tried these methods recently in an arena that was new to my horse and me. One side had a puddle of water and my horse decided it would swallow her up. So we did the backing up exercise and within three times, she was more than ready to go forward. Went back a couple more times both ways, had to do the same thing a few more times, but after that, she didn't hesitate at all. I think Clinton's method would be covered in this dvd: http://downunderhorsemanship.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=234 although the dvds mentioned on the show were the trail riding series one.
Posted 2007-04-26 6:28 PM (#60031 - in reply to #59996) Subject: RE: Getting through the water
Veteran
Posts: 294 Location: Fort Worth, Tx
You said you had the other horses leave, her, does that mean you had them lead the way through? Giving a scared horse a lead with a brave one is a good way to get them in the water. Another thing is to work at home leading over other "scary" stuff ie a tarp. Reward her well for every step she takes that you ask for.Then when she is going over anything willingly in a safe surrounding you can take her back out on the trail.
Posted 2007-04-27 12:00 AM (#60045 - in reply to #60043) Subject: RE: Getting through the water
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: washington
One easy way to introduce them to water and mud is (if you have an outdoor pasture or paddock) to saturate the ground around the drinking area with water... let it run over by gallons and gallons, and make a big puddle they have to walk through to get to the water. Can you confine you horse to a smaller paddock that you can create a little pond area in that he/she will have to wade through to get to the water trough? My dad did this to our horses when I was young and they all eventually got over their fear of water, puddles, etc. A ranchhorse trainer told me most horses have a harder time going through puddles than through streams. He thought it was because puddles are usually murky or very reflective and they can't figure out the depth of a puddle... streams are often moving or clear enough to see the bottom in.
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Posted 2007-04-27 3:47 AM (#60050 - in reply to #60031) Subject: RE: Getting through the water
Regular
Posts: 67 Location: Alberta
Originally written by notfromtexas on 2007-04-26 5:28 PM
Giving a scared horse a lead with a brave one is a good way to get them in the water. Another thing is to work at home leading over other "scary" stuff ie a tarp. Reward her well for every step she takes that you ask for.Then when she is going over anything willingly in a safe surrounding you can take her back out on the trail.
Having a couple of quality lead horses and the fear of being left behind always seems to work for me...water becomes less scary when they become the #1 target for a grizzly! I have also found that it is easier to get this accomplished when the water is "bigger" we routinely cross large rivers (especially in the spring) and the fight seems less with those.
Posted 2007-04-28 6:13 PM (#60113 - in reply to #59996) Subject: RE: Getting through the water
Veteran
Posts: 179 Location: Illinois
I just had this leason with my 4yr. old today. What finally worked for me was my husband held the lead rope on the other side of the little little stream and I broke off a little branch and touched his back legs to get him to go forward. As soon as he moved I quit. He was over that stream in seconds. He jumped but that was ok, then we took him back and forth a few times without doing anything to him. He finally starated going over easy not the big hop. I got on him and took him back and forth a few times he was great. Then we came up to another little stream he wanted to back away but I encouraged him to go forward and he did just fine. Can't wait until tomorrow to see how he does. This was his 3rd. ride out from the house. Really proud of how well he's doing. Each day we learn somthing new. LOVE IT
Happy Safe Trials
Shari
Posted 2007-04-28 9:43 PM (#60117 - in reply to #59996) Subject: RE: Getting through the water
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376 Location: Missouri
Two things. If the horses sense your nervous about crossing, they will sense this and be reluctant. Approach the water just like it is not there and keep going.
If that and the other suggestions don't work, and we have had some they didn't work with. This works for all. Get your self a strong, good pony horse. Pony that rascal thru the water. Best to do it without a rider on the scaredy cat the first few times.
Posted 2007-04-29 5:16 PM (#60147 - in reply to #59996) Subject: RE: Getting through the water
Veteran
Posts: 179 Location: Illinois
UPDATE!!!! Took my boy back out this morning and he was GREAT. Remembered everything he learned yesterday. IT was funny when we got to the trail where he learned to go through the stream he DIDN'T want to go there at all. But we did and he hesitated at first than went right over, we did that about 10 times. Then we went to the creek, wasn't to sure about it but went down the hill and in the water. I'm so proud of him.
Shari
Posted 2007-04-30 11:33 PM (#60223 - in reply to #60147) Subject: RE: Getting through the water
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: washington
Congratulations on the success with your horse... nothing feels better than seeing improvement and confidence being instilled. My horse will still go around a puddle if I let him, but will go through it if I want him to which is what counts.
Getting through the water
