# Swimming on horseback



## Siggav (Nov 21, 2008)

Has anyone here had their horse swim with them over a river or into a lake?

It's something that used to be done a lot in the past back home (Iceland) since in the time before proper roads, bridges and cars the horses were the only way to get around. There are a bunch of rivers that are too deep for the horses to just walk over so they had to swim over with people on their backs.

It's not really done seriously anymore, but some people do it for fun. You need a strong steady horse and to teach them not to panic in the water and to keep going. A horse with a good water sense used to be really highly prized back then since you were trusting the horse with your life and it's dangerous going over water like that.

I've never done it, most of the deep rivers have heavy currants and it's dangerous to cross, in addition to being glacial rivers and very cold *brrr* I went riding with a bunch of tourists and a guide several years ago though and as we went past a lake the guide went into the lake to show the tourists how it was done.

He invited me to try it too but the lake was very cold so I wasn't going to. 

I took a pic though:









So yeah, has anyone here done this sort of thing?


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## Curly_Horse_CMT (Jun 8, 2008)

Its sooo much fun to go riding on the horses in the water! We go in our swimsuits and take the horses down in their rope halters and grab towels and go when its really hot in the summer. We swim them out and then we jump off and swim next to them. Its sooo much fun! Then they just stand there enjoying a cool off while we swim all over them and jump off of them like diving boards. My one curly gelding loves to dunk his face in the water haha. Its a good way to get them clean too  nice and squeaky clean


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## Siggav (Nov 21, 2008)

Aren't you worried about being accidentally kicked by a swimming horse if you're swimming next to them?

That sounds like fun though. Bit of a difference when the water is 40°F Heh..


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## g8ted4me (Sep 3, 2008)

We swam with the horses when we went camping in Missouri. It was so fun! At first we didn't realize how deep the water crossing was, but when we did- it was fun! :shock:
After the initial shock wore off we went back to the river with our suits on and swam with the horses- we didn't get off as we didn't want the horses legs to be anywhere near us so they wouldn't pull us down. It really was fun and an experience all of us won't forget.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

We swim our horses all the time in summer... We have a big dam with a bank accross the middle, soyou can walk out and stand in the middle, or take them off the bank and swim. It's loads of fun :] We normally do it after a long ride when they're all sweaty, they love it. We get off and let them have a roll as well. Only beause all our horses atm have hoged manes we have tio put neckstraps on so we don't slide off the back when they swim!


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## megalsbegals (Sep 6, 2008)

That sounds like so much fun!! I wish I could do that! You lucky peoples, lol.


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## Bitless (Jan 11, 2008)

I have been swimming with my horses while on there back, but not in the water next to them. Done it many times bare back in summer. Togs/ swim ware on and go for a swim in this little lagoon thingy, only just deep enough for them to swim in.....in one section. Altho me and my cousin once tried to cross it when it was flooded, water came right up to our chests and only the horses heads were showing. My cousins horse had a little trouble so we had to turn around.....she was only a wee thing  

Another fun thing is to run through water......now that rules  and jumping into it.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I love swimming with my horses. It has the potential to be very dangerous though. One thing to think about when you are swimming is it makes it that much harder on the horse to keep his head above water if you are sitting upright on his back. It has to do with the boyancy and his strength. I try to kinda hang off of the side when my horse is swimming ( hang onto the mane with only 1 leg over his back and my body in the water). That makes it easier for the horse to keep his head above water. If I want to swim beside my horse, I always make sure that they are standing on solid ground under the water with enough room to relax before I get off of them. That way I don't have to worry about getting kicked or pawed by a swimming horse.Make sure that you have the proper equipment also (or don't have improper equipment). I know a guy named Darryl and when he was a kid, he and a friend had an idea to swim their horses across a pond. Both horses were fully tacked with bridles, saddles, etc. His friend had a tie down on his horse and when the water got deep, the horse was unable to get his head above water and panicked. The boy in turn got scared and jumped off into the water. His horse turned to him for support and ended up pawing him in the head and killing him. The horse drowned as well. A terrible story but a reminder to always be careful. Anyway, on a lighter note, this is me and Dobe swimming in the lake.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Ah, I've always wanted to do that- never did...yet!


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## Painted Ride (Jun 30, 2008)

omg!!!! what an increadible feeling! i loved going swimming on my gelding!!! who knows if my mare is a swimmer. i guess we will find out dum dum dum...


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## Curly_Horse_CMT (Jun 8, 2008)

Siggav said:


> Aren't you worried about being accidentally kicked by a swimming horse if you're swimming next to them?
> 
> That sounds like fun though. Bit of a difference when the water is 40°F Heh..


Nope, because we just grab onto their manes and they "tow" us in  We never get in the way of their legs.


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## 3neighs (Jul 15, 2008)

When I was a kid my 4-H club would take our horses camping at a recreation park and there was a water crossing on one of the trails. We would all wade our horses around in it going as deep as we could while our horses could still touch bottom, but there was one kid, with a big black horse named Skedaddle, who would go way out and swim with her. He'd get off and just hang an arm over her back while she pulled him along. I was always so fascinated by that, but too chicken to do it myself. :lol:


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## hrsjmpr32 (Nov 4, 2008)

I have taken my horsesswimming in our pond it is so awesome and they love it. In fact they love it so much (the pond is in the pasture)they usually come up to the gate soaking wettt! Of their own accord


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## Flexion (Nov 28, 2008)

I've never been swimming on horseback but it looks so much fun!

Just remember to check the water depth, just in case.


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## Angel_Leaguer (Jun 13, 2008)

How do you get the horses to actually go in the water? April hates mud and puddles, I just have a hard time imagining that she would go into a lake....lol


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## RusticWildFire (Jul 6, 2008)

I've never done it but I want to! It looks really fun.


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## hrsjmpr32 (Nov 4, 2008)

with mine it took alittle bit of patients of course but I walked them down to the edgeand just gave them time and then one step at a time . However one of them I actually had to get off and walk him in a couple times then he just loved it and went in all the time on his own


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## Reese2007 (Nov 23, 2008)

I've never actually gone with my horses, but when I was in Jamaica I went horseback riding and they took us in the water. The horses were swimming and everything, it was soooo much fun!!
I want to get my baby to do it too, but it will probably be a while before I try. I have to get a bit more trust from him for that =]]


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## arastangrider (Jan 5, 2008)

We have a huge pond in the blm land next to where I board my horses and there are little islands that you can ride out to its a blast ill have to get pics next summer


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## Dumas'_Grrrl (Apr 2, 2008)

As was already stated. I just want to caution everyone about swimming with proper tack on and take all the safty precautions. Keep the reins up and out of the way and never never swim with a tie-down on. 

I have personally never done it. I do have some friends that do it all the time in the summer and it looks like a great time!!!!


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## BarneyBabby (Nov 18, 2008)

Barney, didnt like it at first. He kept backing up when I kicked. He blew out a breath of air as if to say "Fine! Im going!" and slowly walked in after that he was swimming around with me on his back. He loved it. But when he gets four feet on the ground he loves to gallop out of there, but of course he gets back in.:lol:


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

I go swimming on horseback all the time in the summer and spring! Though... I hate getting my saddle wet, so I usually take the saddle off before I ride and go bareback.. It's really fun to do cannonballs off my girls butt (she just stands there and is like.. ''whatever''... Lol)... and it's even more fun to get my girl going in pretty deep water and slide off her butt, hang onto her tail and be pulled through/across the lake!


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

We only ever swim with a bridle or halter on, no saddles :] Sometimes a neckstrap to hold on to, my horses have no mane! 

Angel leaguer I foudn that it's quite different... My pony hates mud and puddles, yet he is happy to go into the dam and swim, sometimes of his own accord.


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## babyruth1984 (Dec 15, 2008)

I don't think I could do it with my mare, she's stubborn. But I have always wanted to try it!


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## zanytactics (Sep 8, 2007)

It's Amazing!!! So much fun, and if you have a ton of space you can swim next to them and get back on with no effort...It's a good time. I don't know that I would do it when its cold out though.


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## horsegirl123 (Jan 7, 2009)

OMG! That sounds soooo fun! There is a summer camp near me that does that. I want to go there and try!


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

I haven't actually swam, but I have crossed rivers on horseback.


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## koomy56 (Jan 19, 2008)

Fir all of you who haven't swam, you need to.  It's a thrill. 
We went for a weekend camping trip and my trainer's horse just jumped in all by himself. It was pretty neat.


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