# Horses and water



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

So...when you let your horse go into a lake or the ocean, when they start pawing and splashing, is the next step always a drop and swim? Just curious because we were in up to our upper legs yesterday and my horse kept splashing away to the point where he felt like he was about the go swimming. I didn't have a change of clothes with me, so I kept moving him forward after about 10 splashes. Anyone here ever go unintentionally swimming with their horse?


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

In my experience, they won't swim until the water is too deep for them to walk basically. As for drop and roll -- sometimes, yes, but not in water that deep. Usually only a few inches to a foot (my 17.3h stdbd will roll in a foot of water). I think it's more the mud that appeals to them for rolling than the water. 

Just pay attention to your horses head; typically it goes down before the rest of the horse! If you're too late and she goes down -- bail!


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## Amir (Nov 18, 2009)

A couple of friends have been inintentionally swimming with their horses :lol:
One, we were crossing a pretty shallow creek and he splashed a couple times, had a drink then before she could ask him to walk, he layed down.
The other time was when we went to the beach. My friend was riding her Standardbred and he likes to go and just stand in their dam and then roll in the sand, so when he saw sand and water in the same place, he got over joyed and went straight down and started rolling. Right infront of a lovely beach front restaurant - packed out for lunch time :lol:
I've walked my gelding through water a couple times and he's allowed to have a splash, but that's it. One day he thought he'd outsmart me and just go down, but he got half way down and was yelled at so he gave up.
NorthernMama is right though. They won't actually _swim_ unless the water is too deep for them to walk.


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## Silvera (Apr 27, 2010)

I've been swimming, true swimming. We where walking down the river and all of a sudden the bottom was no longer there  at that point the horses had to swim or they would sink  I've also had my horse try and roll in the river when it came up to his knees...it was hot and he figured it would be a great way to cool off. He got all the way down to, and started the roll before I could get after him. I was able to get him back up before he went all the way over with me though.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I've never dealt with dropping in water with my horses. They just splash and splash and splash. However I've seen it happened with the some horses. Not positive it's so much fun.


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## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

Love to take the horses swimming. But splashing is a no no...horses are not allowed to get you wet unless you want them to according to my trainer


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

WickedNag said:


> Love to take the horses swimming. * But splashing is a no no*...horses are not allowed to get you wet unless you want them to according to my trainer


Just curious why? My qh goes splashing for literally half-hour non-stop, obviously having a great fun and also deeping her nose almost up to eyes in water from time to time.


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## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

kitten_Val said:


> Just curious why? My qh goes splashing for literally half-hour non-stop, obviously having a great fun and also deeping her nose almost up to eyes in water from time to time.


Hmm thought I answered that :lol: My trainer says that horses are not suppose to get you wet unless you ask them too. I guess you would have to ask him. The first time I took my paint into the lake he started splashing and he told me not to let him do that. So I made him stop. I will call Jared later and ask him or ask him when he comes to trim this week.

My daughter's old palomino mare would put her head completely underwater


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

WickedNag said:


> *Hmm thought I answered that* :lol: My trainer says that horses are not suppose to get you wet unless you ask them too. I guess you would have to ask him. The first time I took my paint into the lake he started splashing and he told me not to let him do that. So I made him stop. I will call Jared later and ask him or ask him when he comes to trim this week.
> 
> My daughter's old palomino mare would put her head completely underwater


Oh, yes, you did. :wink: I was just wondering what's is behind "not make you wet" thing. May be it's just not deep enough here, I never got wet really from her splashes (and she does it really hard). Lol!

I remember discussion on my local forum people don't let them do it because horse may lay down in water. But I'd guess it depends on horse. I've seen it only once happening. I bet rider was very "excited". :lol:


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## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

Shunke loved splashing in the water and I laughed right up until Jared got to the water and chewed me out LOL. I will ask him today though and ask him specifically why.


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## reachthestars (Jul 2, 2010)

Silvera said:


> I've been swimming, true swimming. We where walking down the river and all of a sudden the bottom was no longer there  at that point the horses had to swim or they would sink .


 
Unfortunately that was the point when my frist horse chose 'sink' :shock:. I was pretty sure we would have to find a way to drag his dead body off teh bottom of the lake, to be honest. He wasn't overly bright though.... I'd love to get a chance to take my new mare swimming... the most we've been able to do is up to her belly because we were fully tacked up.


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

Not all the time. Rook will paw at the water to wet his belly. I'm assuming to cool down on the hot days. I walked him into a deeper part of a river last month (it's been so daggone dry this year)...I had to reach with my tippy toes on him to actually touch the water myself. He still splashed , put his head under the water, and drank; but never even offered to lay down and roll.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

kitten_Val said:


> Just curious why? My qh goes splashing for literally half-hour non-stop, obviously having a great fun and also deeping her nose almost up to eyes in water from time to time.


My horses will do the same. I'll bet the "no-splashing" rule is because if the horse is playing, he's not paying attention to you. But for me, it's just way too much fun to stop though!


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

I've been swimming with horses before and it is a total blast! We have several splashers in our group now and we usually let them just have fun. They all stop when its time to ride off...with some resistance ofcourse! I always try to keep a close eye on their heads but mostly they are just digging in the water. Scooter dunks his whole head and then shakes his whole body. Hes a very playful horse though...he does this in the water trough too.


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## trailqueen (Sep 14, 2010)

I've been trail riding for 24 years and have seen many horses that splash in the water but only 1 that actually laid down and had a roll. As he went down his rider (a 74 yo gentleman who had been riding all his life) just stepped off into the water and stood there. As his horse got up he put his foot in the stirrup and went right up with him. I was very impressed! Later someone asked if anyone had an extra bottle of water. My elderly friend laughed and said wait I'll take off my boot and get you a drink. that was a fun day


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

NorthernMama said:


> My horses will do the same. I'll bet the "no-splashing" rule is because if the horse is playing, he's not paying attention to you. But for me, it's just way too much fun to stop though!


Well... She works for me carrying my (not so light) pounds + saddle up and down those hills. So I think it's fair on my side to let her have some fun too on trail.


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## Lonestar22 (May 22, 2009)

I love swimming with my horses! So much fun. I saw one of my geldings goin the pond one day and lay down in the shallow water (about 2 ft deep) he kinda rolled but it was weird cause he wanted to keep his head up lol. I WISH i had my camera then.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I have never had a horse go down with me personally, but we used to ride with a friend who had this Appy who would drop as soon as he was four feet (not depth either) into any size water puddle! His owner always had to keep him moving, and even then, he sometimes got the best of her!!! He would go into a trail ride a brilliant chestnut leopard, and come out a brown/black splashy type! Hahahaha

Other than him, I don't think I have ever had one or known one that would go down just because he wanted to play in the water. I have had several, though that LOVED to swim...so i would take them down to a local sand pit that had those awesome clear pools, and strip the saddle off, and in we would go...it was magical!!!


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## Shenandoah (Aug 9, 2010)

As a kid I used to ride with someone who's mare went down in water. It didn't matter if it was ankle-deep or above her belly - she would go down as soon as she stepped in it. We used to go galloping through the streams, because often that was the only way to keep her upright - although in the deeper stuff even that didn't work, because as soon as it was deep enough she just lifted her feet and sank on down.
It made for some quite interesting rides.

I've never had a horse go down with me in water, although I have had some splash. I've also been swimming a few times - wish I knew somewhere to do that now.


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## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

kitten_Val said:


> Oh, yes, you did. :wink: I was just wondering what's is behind "not make you wet" thing. May be it's just not deep enough here, I never got wet really from her splashes (and she does it really hard). Lol!
> 
> I remember discussion on my local forum people don't let them do it because horse may lay down in water. But I'd guess it depends on horse. I've seen it only once happening. I bet rider was very "excited". :lol:


K so Jared was here today to do the horses feet and I asked him why the horses are not allowed to splash in the water. His reply... They get you wet! LOL so from now on if Shunke wants to splash I will let him. It is not like we aren't in the lake for a reason :lol::lol::lol:


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## mliponoga (Jul 24, 2010)

^^^ Exactly, why have horses if you can't have fun with them??


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

WickedNag said:


> K so Jared was here today to do the horses feet and I asked him why the horses are not allowed to splash in the water. His reply... They get you wet! LOL so from now on if Shunke wants to splash I will let him. It is not like we aren't in the lake for a reason :lol::lol::lol:


Ha-ha-ha! Actually I'd agree with him in winter - nothing worse than bucket of cold water on your pants (had this experience with the trail horse and had to change my pants  ).


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

Shenandoah said:


> I've never had a horse go down with me in water, although I have had some splash. I've also been swimming a few times - wish I knew somewhere to do that now.


You could try Lake Anna. I've taken Rookie and Rosie into the lake.


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## Shenandoah (Aug 9, 2010)

charlicata said:


> You could try Lake Anna. I've taken Rookie and Rosie into the lake.


Thanks! I'll have to mention that to some of my pasture-mates. They might be up for a group trip down there!


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