Help needed getting my horse through XC water

Alexa&Tess

Alexa&Tess

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Sep 2, 2008
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I took Tess XC training today with Clava and Baker_823, I had real trouble getting her in to the water.

I took her earlier in the week and we walked through it after a bit of looking at it but she did it once and then wouldnt go in again. So today I thought I would wear my spurs and try and get her going in to the water really positivly. It didnt work, I tried using my leg and spurs, using my jumping crop, talking to her, following the others in but I just couldnt get her to go in the water. She was just planting and not budging from the spot.

I told Clava and Baker_823 to go on with out me, hoping thta if she saw the others ride away she might be more willing to go through. No luck. I got off and tried to lead her through, no luck there either. So I spent 45 mins while the others rode round the rest of the course, stood in the water (wearing joddy boots and chaps :eek:) getting wet feet, trying to persuade her in. I tried to be positive and lead her through, i tried my 'Kelly Marks' style of walk on using my body language to draw her in, I ended up being really angry and shouting at her (I admit I lost my temper and tried to force her in with my crop even though I felt aweful about it after).

I dont know how else to persuade her to walk through. We have been through puddles and rivers before, she will walk over tarpourline on the floor so I cant understand why she has a problem with this. The only thing I can think is that as she barefoot she is concerned about stones that she cant see. Its so unlike her to be so stubborn, I dont know what to do. All I wanted today was to be able to trot through the water but I couldnt even get her in it!
 
No help I'm afraid.

But, Forest did have a big problem with water for a year after I got him, he would rear if asked to walk in water.
Now, he just walks straight in.

How is she to hose? :)
 
She's fine being hosed, she sometimes tries to drink from it lol.

I forgot to say I tried backing her in to the water and zig zagging her forward, neither of those two things worked either :(
 
How about if you are on the ground and lead her through it?

I know with my girlie, if something is REALLY scary or not happening, being on foot with her at first really helps build her confidence with it and then after a few times she realises its not going to 'eat her' she will do it ridden.

Gx
 
I will PM you a video of my friend on her big mahoosive TB, who is a big baby about water. Basically, what you want to do, is keep the horse moving, no matter what. Don't head straight for the water. Instead keep walking around the water element, constantly changing direction. Make all your turns towards the water. So you walk past, turn towards, walk past, turn towards ... you're gradually edging closer, but in a low stress kind of way. This is NOT a situation that I would get into a battle with the horse over, and it's not one that I would rush, either. It doesn't matter if she goes in today - or in a month from now - what matters is that it's a good safe experience for her. DOn't make a deal out of it.
 
No advice but watching with interest cost my loan horse is the same, she won't even jump OVER water. KW sounds like really good advice! Looking forward to trying it once weather gets nice and wet.
 
georgie1 said:
How about if you are on the ground and lead her through it?

I know with my girlie, if something is REALLY scary or not happening, being on foot with her at first really helps build her confidence with it and then after a few times she realises its not going to 'eat her' she will do it ridden.

Gx
Click to expand...

A&T did try to walk her in, she was standing in the water for ages getting very wet. We also tried all trotting in line through to encourage her, but Tess had a look of "absolutely no way under any circumstances amd I getting in there" - she was fine with all the puddles on the way there and back which Belle made a fuss of:rolleyes:
 
I'm watching this thread as I have my 1st XC event in two weeks and we have to walk through water. I have only had my new horse approx 8 weeks and I have no idea how she will react but on gut instinct I think we will have fun and games. I have been told to look up, not down at the water and stay postive.
 
Was there a step in, or was the entry on the level? Steps down seem to make it much harder for the horse to commit if they're unsure.

Were the other horses directly with you when you were taking a lead? I've occasionally given other horses leads into our local streams and it always seems to work better if the lead horse stands and waits, or comes back out and then repeats the going in.
 
Yann said:
Was there a step in, or was the entry on the level? Steps down seem to make it much harder for the horse to commit if they're unsure.

Were the other horses directly with you when you were taking a lead? I've occasionally given other horses leads into our local streams and it always seems to work better if the lead horse stands and waits, or comes back out and then repeats the going in.
Click to expand...

We went in front, stood in there and tried trotting round in a line, tried walking in right next to her step by step too...:eek:
 
Sounds like you did everything right then :) It's funny that she'll do other water but wasn't willing to even try that one, even with a lead. If she was at all footy and the entry was uncomfortable for her then I wouldn't discount it as a factor.
 
thankfully I have no problems with water... Was it sunny when you were doing the training? watching XC at water jumps i find that on sunnier days a LOT more horses stop than on cloudy days.. I think it gives off some sort of reflection making it "scary" I dont really have any advice on how to get her into the water other than keep trying, even if it means going away amd doing a jump in between and coming back to the water to make her think that its ok, it wont swallow her up lol if not try leading her in at entry level. Hope this helps :)
 
Yann said:
Sounds like you did everything right then :)
Click to expand...

Thank you, its horrible when you think you are doing something wrong but cant figure out any other way of asking the question.

It wasnt a sunny day, and the water was in a wooded area so not a reflection. maybe because it was murky.

We had a bit of success with a black weed liner today, she would ride over it but I cirlced it a few times but she still wouldnt do it. So instead of getting in to an argument I left it alone for a while. she gave me some really nice walk work afterwards.

I got off after about 15 mins because she was being so good, and led her across the liner. She went like a lamb :rolleyes: We did some backing up over the liner and stopping on it. She had a good sniff but wasnt worried.

Will try a bit more tomorrow and report back :D
 
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