I have a horse that is scared of water...?

Question

I have a new horse, she is a bay, and she is scared of walking through water, for example a pond, and I would really love if someone could give me a method or advice on how to help her to where she ain't scared or how she can get over it. Thanks.

Answer 1

Horses have no depth vision, so when you ask her to walk through water she feels like you are asking her to walk into an ocean with an immediate drop off. First of all, I really really recommend Parelli's Seven Games to build a better overall relationship. (http://www.parelli.com)

1 - Do not ever get frustrated. -Monty Roberts quote - act like you have 15 minutes, it'll take all day. act like you have all day, it'll take 15 minutes.

2 - first of all, try taking some one else along with an older horse that she knows. (preferably a horse up in the pecking order - if not possible, that's ok too) If she sees a different horse she knows/trusts doing it she may immediately get a lot better.

3 - walk in ahead of her or have a person walk ahead of you so she is assured she will not be instantly in water over her head.

4 - it may take lots of coaxing. the minute she comes in stop, and praise her. if she came in fairly willingly, go a little farther. if not, be done for a day.

5 - try taking her in when she's really hot and using a sponge to cool her down. then she'll learn it's fun and helps her cool down to go in. try feeding her a treat or too sometimes, but you want her to learn based on a bond with you, not just food. always praise her and do this lots.



hopefully she'll get over it!

Answer 2

Use the approach and retreat method. Find a small body of water, and just ride her near it. Do some circles and serpentines, get her mind off the water. Gradually start moving closer and closer, while still working her. Do that for a few days. Then start walking her straight towards the water. Get just far enough where she is not completely comfortable and let her stand and relax there. Once she has relaxed and stood for a couple seconds, back her off and do some more work away from the water. Repeat several times, inching her a little further every few times. Do this for a few more days and eventually she will start becoming more confident and start sniffing and lowering her head towards the water. That is a good sign, let her have her head freely while she is investigating. Rather quickly your horse will be walking through that water with confidence. Also if you do not feel safe riding her while near water, don't be ashamed to do all of this from the ground. Just remember reward the slightest try (lowering of the head, licking and chewing, relaxing) with a retreat.

Answer 3

Have another horse that is not afraid of water cross in front of her. She will then see that it's not going to "eat" her friend so it should be okay for her. After you get her to cross several times behind the other horse, try to have her cross without the other horse. Also, I noticed a few people said walk her through a small puddle, be careful when you do this-the horse may try to leap over the water and may land on you. I know this b/c there is a certain puddle on one of my trails that a lot of our horses jump over. Also It is a good idea to lead her through the water, only I would start with a creek, not small enough for her to leap (or try to leap) but not huge (like a pond).

Answer 4

Horses are usually afraid of their reflection in the water. Maybe try doing some work in an arena with mirrors. Also build a trusting bond with her so that she trusts you and then take her to a pond (shallow) in hand and let her back away as far as she wants to. Encourage her to move forward by putting light forward pressure on the lead and every time she even shifts her weight forward reward her by releasing the pressure. Do this every day till she walks right up to the water and then try it while in the saddle. NEVER be forceful or impatient.

Answer 5

She's not scared of the water. She is scared of her reflection! She looks down to where she will put her feet, and can "see" another horse! She gets a bit surprised, and panics.



Your best bet is to take her to the water on foot. Get her (Gently!) to look at the still water. Then swish your hand in it and walk into the water in front of her, while keeping hold of her halter. Take her with you, if you are comfortable with the level of training she already has.



By the way, it does not matter if she is a bay or not. What you need to get her to see is that water is not another horse. (They have no clue about mirrors!) If you know horses, then you know she won't step on another horse if she can help it. You need to show her that the other "horse" is "her".



That's why, if you you get her to look, and walk in yourself, she will be more comfortable with that act. It works very well if she "looks" at "your" reflection in the water when you speak. (That's why you walk in front!) She knows you won't hurt her, and knows that you won't hurt your own kind. (Hope it's not part cavalry horse!)



You can't lie to an animal as smart as a horse, but you can teach it. It just takes time and patience. Good luck to you. I love horses. Ciao!

Answer 6

Don't force it on her. When you get on, make sure you're completely relaxed. Breathe, do stretches, w/e. Take her to where she can see the water, a pond prefferably. Stop her, have her stand, and make her relaxed and comfortable. Pet her, soothe her, talk to her. Make sure you are relaxed also! When there is not a tight muscle in her body make a large circle and ask her to come a couple feet closer. Once again, stop and make her relaxed.



Repeat this until you can get her closer to the water w/o her freaking out than you usually can, not necessarily in. You don't have to do this all in one day, pick up where you left off the next day if you want to. Remember: the key is to have her more comfortable at the end of the session than in the beginning. Eventually you will have her loving the water!

Answer 7

Most people are giving very good advice. The only thing I would change is it is usually much easier to get a horse into slightly deeper water 6-12 inches than "a little puddle" which will be extremely reflective. The only time I had problems with deeper water was waves and they got over that quickly. Mine are more willing to cross a river than touch a puddle. Good luck

Answer 8

Are you an eventer?

Any way, try to walk her through the watter when your off of her. Start with puddles if possible. Then, try to walk her around the water untill her hoovs are almost grazing it but dont poiont her directly at it. Then, eventually, encourage her to go in( be sure to praise the smallest acheivment!) Even if she onl puts one foot in before running backwards, praise her! Watever you do, dont pull back during her forward motion towrad the water. Then, if you are really having trouble, have another horse give you a lead. (you follow the other horse very closly strait through the water) this will give her more confidence. Always remember to praise and keep loking forward on the taks you set out to do.

Answer 9

I'm not sure you can do this but it's how my horse got over being afraid of water, at my old stable there was a creek and to get to the "good" grass they had to cross the creek. My horse got over water (get it) very soon.



If there is a puddle or stream walk into (leading your horse) it carrying a bucket of grain or some treats. Let her come into the puddle herself to get the food. After she is comfortable going into small body's of water increase the size continuing to lead her in. After she is completely comfortable coming into the water ride her into it. If there is another horse that is broke to go into water have her follow the horse in. That will show her that there is nothing to be afraid of. Make sure she connects water with positive things like pets and treats. Never push her or she will become more afraid of water.

Answer 10

I had the same problem with my horse. I had a friend wait with her horse in the middle and help me coerce him into the water, once there; I had him stand in it for a while. He still tries to avoid puddles, but I can get him through ponds and even in the lake to swim.

Answer 11

ok. start off of her back. lead her to a small puddle and stand in the middle of it, make sure she sees you splashing around and stuff. then get a little in your hands, let her smell it and rub her with it. then ask her forward to just smell the puddle. after that often horses will paw at it for their footing (or just to make a splash). if she does, let her do it and then reward her by taking her away from the puddle. if not, then keep asking gently that she move towards the puddle and put a foot in it. once she puts her foot in take her away from the puddle (thus rewarding her) repeat this. it may take a bit but chances are you'll never have water problems again. slowly build her tolerance to larger and deeper bodies of water before trying this in the saddle. good luck!

Answer 12

The best way to get a horse over its fear of water is to start on foot. Walk with her through the water. Take your time. Start with taking her to the water, give her a treat like a carrot or sugar cube. Then back away from her into the water about three feet, offering her a treat. When she comes into the water, give her a treat. Then back into the water about three more feet. When she comes to you give her the treat. Once she is in the water walk her around until she feels comfortable. Do this on a daily basis until she is ready to do this with a rider on her back.

Answer 13

you could try putting a bucket for water. something frightening would have befell to him. My mare substitute into tied to a bucket as quickly as with the aid of her previous proprietor and she or he spooked and broke the baling twine protecting the bucket to the wall and took off for the period of the sector with the bucket banging between her legs. To this present day (7 years later) if she feels or hears metallic of her halter or lead rope buckle hit the bucket, she would be in a position to not drink. She by no ability beverages water at exhibits and concerns me while it somewhat is over ninety and we are at an journey prepare with instructions interior the middle of the day. examine your horses neck - pinch it, if the exterior is going down interior of three seconds, your horse is effective. it variety of feels I examine my mare each minute as quickly as we are at a prepare - she in all probability thinks i'm loopy. The longer the exterior keeps to be up, the greater dehydrated the pony is. If he's the only horse interior the sector, you'll be waiting to tell if he's eating with the aid of the point of the water. If he's not, he could get thirsty adequate to drink, quite seeing different horse drink out of the trough. If yet another horse is battling him from eating, it somewhat is somewhat helpful to purpose putting him in a field with the aid of himself, or with in basic terms another horse for a mutually as. We did have a horse that choose to exert his dominance with the aid of not letting particularly some the greater youthful horses drink - my first horse used to 'stand look after' on the trough till the greater youthful toddlers have been given a drink - so the different horse could not chase him away.

Answer 14

Ride toward the water get so you can be right to the edge of the water then flex her head around side to side until she is comfortable doing this. After that, ask her to move her front feet in doing this you will turn right parallel to the water then left parallel to the water. Make sure that she is moving her front end not her back end , you will know this by if her butt is swinging around her front end you don't want this. It is like you are doing rollbacks on the fence make sure that her front feet are moving with her back feet are stationary her motion is propelled forward and around but you don't have to do this fast do this at a walk its like starting your colt to roll back. pretty soon she will touch the water if you make sure she is moving her feet forward and around. and after she touches the water and realizes that it is not going to kill her, its all over but the criyin. let her stand in the water with one foot in let her get comfortable with this praise her and then you can move on. do this over and over until it is old hat. What she is afraid of is getting wet. as soon as she feels the water on her feet she will realize that this is not a bad thing and we all are not going to die. do not get excited relax and let her know that every thing is ok.. let her play in it too. after the lesion she will problay love the water if you do this. hope this helps

Answer 15

She should get over it. Just let her see it and sniff it, then she'll learn it won't hurt her. That's what I have to do with my horse. Also try using a hose on her legs so she gets used to the feel of water...but make sure to have someone else hold her in case it flips her out.

Answer 16

a good thing to do would be to start off small. find a puddle or small stream and get off or dismount. walk away from the water turn around and talk to her soothingly and just keep walking her through it. if she doesn't go through it at first then try it a couple more times!i have a mare that used to do the same thing but now we can go through anything! soon you should be able to ride her through it!!!(don't plan on riding her that day because it takes a long time and Patience to take her through it!)

Answer 17

Check out the following link:

http://www.naturalhorsetraining.com/TrainingTips83.html

Answer 18

you can go to a vet and ask the vet for some advice.

my method, would be to get the horse to love water. you can have water all around it. also, you should try to get it to play in water.

Answer 19

Do not go to a vet. Go to a horse trainer.

Answer 20

i sent this ? to a friend of mine by the name of Western Girl she will be more helpful than any one in here.

Answer 21

some horses are that way and very hard to"help" get over this fear. i would advise you to give up the effort.

Answer 22

try getting her feet wet, like a child/ toddler plastic pools