# Big rocks?



## EmberScarlet (Oct 28, 2016)

I want to do a trail ride with my trainer, but she says there's a river with big rocks in it, and I'm scared to ride it. Is it likely for the horse to trip or slide on them and fall?


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## InexcessiveThings (Oct 22, 2016)

As long as you take your time, you should be fine. I've done plenty of river crossings ranging from tiny creeks a few inches deep to fast-flowing, belly deep water on my TB and haven't ever had a problem as long as we take it slow. There will always be a possibility of slipping on a rock, as wet river rock is slick, but I have never had my horse fall nor seen any other horse fall on a river crossing. So, the likelihood of a horse falling at a river crossing is minimal as long as you encourage the horse to go slowly and pick their way carefully so as to minimize chances of slipping/tripping.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

When you are crossing keep your eyes on the other side to where you'll come out, do not look down at the water (I can't stress this enough) and trust your horse to pick his way over the rocks.

The only wreck I've ever seen was when a lady that was riding with was looking down and trying to pick her horse's path. Looking at running water will make you dizzy and disoriented which is exactly what happened to her. She fell pulling her horse down with her. Luckily, neither one of them were hurt but she was so confused for a while that she was rolling and flapping in the water while the current carried her downstream. Finally she heard the guys, that were chasing after her, telling her to stand up. The water was only 1 - 2 feet deep.


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## equinesmitten (Sep 5, 2010)

Is your horse shod? Big flat rocks ARE slippery for a shod horse. I agree with the advice of letting your horse pick it's own way through. (Unless avoiding big flat rocks while shod!) When my horse is in questionable footing, I always remain as quiet with my body as I can, giving him his head and neck to balance. Fox hunting taught me just how amazing the horse's ability to put it's feet right is! Good luck!


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## EmberScarlet (Oct 28, 2016)

She is not shod, no.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

If you trust the trainer, and she trusts the horse, then you should trust the horse.


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

as long as your trainer is one that will go slow with you, go for it. lots of great trails are on the other side of water


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Good advise given already.
I cross a lot of rivers with big boulders and fast flowing water
Horses can't really rush through fast flowing water, and I found it was more important to make sure they keep going, with your own eyes fixed on the opposite bank, then worrying about them rushing
You get in fast water, and even if your eyes are on that opposite bank, let your horse stall out, and soon you no longer know if the water is rushing by you, or if your horse is still moving, It can become very sur real
Only had ahorse of ours trip once, in thirty years of crossing rivers, and that was hubby's, and near the opposite bank, so not in the deep part, and only damage was to my camera, that got a dunking!
On this particular crossing, there is a gravel bar half way across. I stood on it,with Smilie, and asked hubby to take our picture, giving him my camera.
I was going to wait for him to reach me, and put my camera back into my pommel bags, but then thought, he could just as easily carry it to the opposite bank, as the river was not that high,being in the non run off period of year
Well, his horse tripped, near the opposite bank, and my camera got dunked, not to mention hubby, but hubby could still function, after drying out, but not my camera!
For your first crossing, keep your horse moving close behind a seasoned horse, don't worry about his feet,he will find his footing, while you focus on that opposite bank.You will be fine. I have taken many colts out, for their first crossings, and never had one go down
This was Charlie's first river crossing. There is an advantage to a 16,2 hh horse, as when I ride Carmen, my main trail horse, who is only 14.2hh, I often wind up with wet feet!
You can see how rocky our river beds are




My dog has to swim,LOl, and often comes out downstream from us



If you get a wide stretch of river to cross, when that water is moving along pretty good, that is when i make sure the horse keeps forward



Just before my camera got drown!




Rivers re not up in these pictures, as in spring run off/mounatin melts, and I don't cross if that water is dirty and fast, as crossings change, and I have had a horse get in a deep part, needing to swim. Since i can't swim, I try to avoid those crossings where a horse has to swim


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

You should be OK especially if you are going with your trainer. Have to trust your horse, they will know what to do! Just make sure you 'blob' it. Aka, just relax, don't tense up.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Sorry, I don't know much about riding on rocks. 









But I do occasionally take my shod horses across slick rock. The type of rock does make a big difference. I don't like steel shod horses on hard rock like Granite. Aluminum shoes work better on those harder types of rock. But on Sandstone steel shoes work very well

But I do have friends who ride barefoot and do just fine









On some rides, It's just all in part of the day to cross rocks



























Go and and listen to your instructor and learn and have fun. Give you horse time to look what he is walking on and he will figure it out.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

I agree that if you are walking on solid slabs of granite, plain steel shoes can lack traction-same as on pavement, but that is not the same as crossing a river with lots of granite boulders, and either plain shoes or barefoot work fine there, and have ridden both ways, but only for a day on a barefoot horse, and one with very good feet,LOL!
If we go up an area called \junction creek, , which has a trail climbing continually, with the second half, pure granite and slate slabs, where a hrose has to step up to the next ledge, going in, or drop down with front feet, going out, my horse is sharp shod!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

EmberScarlet said:


> She is not shod, no.


Then, as others have stated, keep your eyes between your horse's ears and focus on the spot where you will get out of the water.

It will keep you calm and in turn keep your horse calm.

I have done a lot of river crossings that involved big rocks and sometimes swimming the horse. If I looked into water while my horse was moving, I was as dizzy the last ride as I was on the first ride.

The only way you might have an issue, is if you have vertigo but even that should be low risk as long as you look forward between the ears


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