# How to teach a horse to swim?



## CatrinaB87 (Dec 29, 2008)

Yesterday, my SO and I went for a rare mid-week ride on our horses after work, and stopped by the pond on the property. SO has gotten his horse in this pond a few times before, but it was just a quick in-and-out to make sure he will go where his nose is pointed.

Yesterday, he was being a bit of a turd, so we were determined not to leave until that horse would go in that pond without issue. He did eventually get to the point where he would go in without fuss (he discovered those pond grasses about a length out were way more tastier than the regular grass) and SO went to ride him a little bit further.

Turns out there was a bit of a deep spot in the pond, and Horse went for an unexpected swim. He came out of the water like a Russian Sub playing peek-a-boo, and was unharmed, head never went under, etc. (I really don't want this thread to turn into "OMG WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHY WOULD YOU DOOOOO THAT?!" It was a freak incident. Not the point.) 

What I am wondering is how do you introduce a horse to swimming, or is there really a way? We would love to go swimming in that pond (obviously not in that hole) or other places, but I don't want to traumatize (again) the poor critters. 

What is the best way to safely introduce horses to actually swimming? Are all horses c_apable_ of the activity? Is it something horses know how to do instinctively? Is it ok to be on them while they are learning or should it be done by ponying from a more experienced horse? Should this be done with or without a saddle on? Does it ruin your boots?!!?! 

I would love to hear your input and advice, and see your pictures and videos! Thank you so much!

(here is a picture of SO and Charlie in the pond at the end of last year, when it just started to get chilly. My horse is STILL convinced that alligators come from here, soo...)


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

It's a natural instinct that they all have. Some will get right in and swim head above water, others sink then pop back up and swim along. I used to take the track horses swimming all the time - some we're better than others but even the craziest of them would get in and do a few laps.


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## bbsmfg3 (Aug 12, 2010)

Unfortunately, some horses either can not or will not swim. I'm not quite sure which, but we've had several that simply would not swim. They would have drowned if we had not been in a small pool. They went to the bottom and walked on the bottom.

I did not know a horse could hold it's breathe. All but one, that would not swim, held their breathe until they were above the surface. I thought the one that didn't hold it's breathe was going to drown before we got her out. She came out snorting and shaking, laid down several times, and finally shook it off.

If you are swimming with your horse, be very careful to stay out of reach of their feet and legs. When they are swimming, they pay absolutely no attention to what might be in their way. If you get hit by a hoof, it could do major damage.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

> Unfortunately, some horses either can not or will not swim


I'm so glad I've never met one of these:shock: I've swam some pretty fast water with my horses, you slip off and hang on to the saddle and the horse pulls you across. I've seen some that go under, then pop up, others that swim very strongly from the start, but they all swim.

I beleive the chincotegue(cant spell, sorry) ponies have to swim a big section of open water to get to the round up.


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## bbsmfg3 (Aug 12, 2010)

"I beleive the chincotegue(cant spell, sorry) ponies have to swim a big section of open water to get to the round up.

Yep, that mare of ours(that would not swim) would be shark bait.!!!!!!


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## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

I knew a girl who forced her horse into a pond. The horse freaked out and kept going to the bottom to touch something solid and drowned. She was traumatized and crushed. He was a beautiful animal.

I have no idea on how to test whether a horse will swim or not. I have a feeling my mare would kill herself because she gets all hot and lathered when I try to take her into the river.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Island Horselover (Apr 4, 2012)

I teach all my horses to swim. I never heard of a horse that would not swim (until now), it is their natural instict. 
Usually we go in the water bareback, as I do not like my saddles to get wet and I think it is better and easier for the horse, especially when it is not used to it. 
First introduce your horse to the water from the ground, on a long lead line, maybe even with a horse that is already a good swimmer. (Love to train my horses that way - with experienced horses, makes the job so much easier).
Let it go in deeper, and out again and deeper again and out again, do not rush the horse. Eventually it will swim and see that is not a bad thing. 

Swimming with horses is so different for them and you! I love it and do it almost every day in the summer. If you swim in the lake I would not worry about my clothes to much but if you go in the ocean, go with as less tack and clothes as possible as the salt water eats everything after a while. 

My little 14.1hh pony swims, so does my 17.1hh warmblood! They love it, but I did have a little paint mare that had really small feet and she had a hard time swimming, she did it but it was a lot more work for her than for my other horses.


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## CatrinaB87 (Dec 29, 2008)

Awesome!! Thanks you guys, keep them coming, please!


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## AnnaHalford (Mar 26, 2012)

For what it´s worth (not much ) here´s my experience with my four horses, all of very different characters and ages. 

We went on a little lake visit simply to get them clean - laziness on my part... 

I took each one in to about belly height, got them all wet and soaped, then led (or tried to) them in deeper to rinse off. 

The pony (previously reticent to cross even small streams) took approx. two seconds to start swimming, and would have carried on swimming for the rest of the afternoon if we´d let her... 
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=540847419283559&l=30d6b350a6

The second horse, our lead mare, also swam very naturally as soon as the water got to her chin level, and did a few circles around me, but seemed fairly pleased to go back to being on solid ground. 

The gelding (my old boy) rolled in the water as soon as it was up to his knees, but didn´t fancy going any further than the water at his rib height. He did go, but circled back round me and went back to a more comfortable depth. 
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=540847355950232&l=1fa366b6b3

The last and youngest horse swam, but only back towards shore and her friends (and away from the waterskiers). 

I second staying well clear of the hooves


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## bbsmfg3 (Aug 12, 2010)

I always assume they will swim, but just to make sure, I try it in a small hole that is only over their head for a short distance( 10 to 15 feet max) . Just enough to make them swim. If they don't swim, they panic, and run on the bottom getting out. If your on them when they do this, get the heck out of Dodge, before you get hurt. They are getting out of there and if your in the way, they run right over the top of you, beating you with their hoofs as they go.


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## CatrinaB87 (Dec 29, 2008)

Island Horselover said:


> I teach all my horses to swim. I never heard of a horse that would not swim (until now), it is their natural instict.
> Usually we go in the water bareback, as I do not like my saddles to get wet and I think it is better and easier for the horse, especially when it is not used to it.
> First introduce your horse to the water from the ground, on a long lead line, maybe even with a horse that is already a good swimmer. (Love to train my horses that way - with experienced horses, makes the job so much easier).
> Let it go in deeper, and out again and deeper again and out again, do not rush the horse. Eventually it will swim and see that is not a bad thing.
> ...



Now that looks like FUN!!!


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## LoveHaflingers (Feb 11, 2012)

We are so lucky to live only a 15 minute ride from the river, so we go at least once or twice a week in the summer. Now, we hardly ever are actually swimming, as it's pretty shallow. But it gets up to about shoulder height on our 14hh ponies. There are places it gets deeper though. My horse personally LOVES water, and her son seems to have inherited her waterhorse trait, at least, at 3 weeks, he loves hoses and any water. Our older Haflinger tolerates it, but doesn't love it. What we ended up doing last summer was just tying her to a brick 5ft out from shore (The water was probably only 8inches or so) and just let her play with it and all while we wandered and floated with my horse. 

Both my mom's horses have loved water, as long as they can splash it at their and other horse's riders. 

We have had several times we found deep spots and actually swam, and, at least for Tiara, it was just like we were walking along, and suddenly she got very smooth and the water flowed over her back, then she found solid ground and starting walking again. She was completely calm about it.

There was one very scary time though. We were very board and hot, so we just decided to follow the creek through the woods. It's pretty small, maybe only 20 or 30 ft across, and this was during a drought. We were walking around a bend where there was a big, rooty tree on one side and a pile of sticks and rocks and debris on the other. The water had never gotten over knee height, so we just walked straight in. They were a bit apprehensive, and rightly so, because it turns out the river just drops off there. We were walking along, and suddenly, the ground seemed to have disappeared. Tiara got scared and actually part-way reared, stretching her back legs out, and they STILL didn't touch bottom! She then turned and plunged, scrambling over the pile of debris. My friend was able to turn Troya around before she fell off the edge. I was able to stay on, thank god, and we were all unhurt. But that just goes to show, be careful around water, especially creeks and rivers. They sometimes just drop off. We know a place around here where there is a small river. In on spot it's maybe 2 feet deep, and lots of families come there to let their kids run around in it. Then, 200 feet upstream, it drops off 150 ft and people practice scuba diving there.

Anyways. When we go, we usually ride down to the river in shorts, bareback. We sometimes wear boots and take them off, or just wear sandles. We take off our helmets, and either go in halters or bridles, depending on the horse. Just make sure to oil the bridle after, if it's leather.


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

When I was a kid we (my barn friends and I) would take our horses and head straight for the pond during the summer. It was a lot of fun, even though once my horse spooked, went sideways, I went of the side with one foot getting caught in the stirrup and got dragged under water until my foot came out. I dont advise playing in the water with a saddle on, because of that, but thats just my opinion.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I just went to Horse Lake, yes it's real lake with that name, took him took the boat launch spot and rode him in. I put a lead rope around his neck to turn & hang on with. Was a really cool feeling!


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

How awful for the lady whose horse drowned. 
Not all horses will swim. 
Make sure that wherever you swim there is not any quicksand around. the river around here has spots that will suck you down, and horses have died. 
I had a horse get stuck in some and finally got him free, did that ever freak me out, and I forced him to go forward, always listen your horse !


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

waresbear .. he look as though he enjoyed the swim !


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## CatrinaB87 (Dec 29, 2008)

waresbear said:


> I just went to Horse Lake, yes it's real lake with that name, took him took the boat launch spot and rode him in. I put a lead rope around his neck to turn & hang on with. Was a really cool feeling!
> Swimming with my horse - YouTube



Was that your first time?


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## LoveHaflingers (Feb 11, 2012)

Where abouts is Horse Lake?


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Horse Lake is off Horse Lake Road, lol. It's in 100 Mile House, BC Canada. Yes, Catrina, was his first time in deep water over his head, he really liked it.


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## LoveHaflingers (Feb 11, 2012)

Ah, unfortunately I highly doubt we would drive all the way up to Canada to swim, but hopefully we can find a horse-friendly lake somewhere around her and go this summer!


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