# Swimming with horses...



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I was asked if I would like to take my horses swimming in a river in a few days time.
It is something I have never done and not sure what to expect {other than getting wet} or if there are things I should anticipate....
So....
What do I wear for shoes on my feet? I will_ not_ go barefoot...out of the question.
Clothes? 
I have nylon bridles?
Halters with long shanks??
Do my horses need anything special?
Do I need anything special?

Once in the water is there a special way to keep safe from flailing legs playing....why I will not go barefoot.
How do I stay with my horse without pulling their face?
Do you just hang on their tail or mane?
How do I remain in control so when I've had enough or we stray to far out we get back to shore safely?

Anything you can add I would be very grateful for.
I am looking forward to doing this... :clap:
I've been told by my horses previous owner that he loves to play and swim...
A really nice way to cool off for both of us in hot Florida summer. 
Yes, this is a "safe" river to swim in where never any snake or alligator has ever been spotted... 
My friends have been swimming here 15+ years with their horses.
_Trust me I *will* be watching!!
:runninghorse2:......
_


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## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

Looped reins can be dangerous. If you get separated from your horse and they hang down, the horse can get its feet caught and pull its own head underwater. If you have looped reins, bring a knife or box cutter.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I used to do this for fun with friends.

We used to hack to a gravel pit. I wore my boots and changed into tennis shoes when I got there. Had bathing suit on under my jeans and t-shirt. Pulled my saddle, most often left my leather bridle on the horse. A few of my horses went fine with just a halter and lead, so I'd pull the bridle off. (At the time, I was re-schooling cheap STBs from the fair circuit into low level hunters. All were green at the riding game.)

I would go off to the left side when we started swimming. Hung onto mane with my right hand that also held reins and used my left hand to keep myself a bit away from the horse. I remember using the same kick as one does in the breast stroke more than straight kicking.

I remember a couple near wrecks. One was when a girl took her horse into the water with a bareback pad on. Really bad idea! The pad soaked up water, rolled under the horse causing it to spook while swimming (interesting at best). Kids were able to under the strap, but that horse was flailing with all its' might.

Another was when someone hung onto the tail thinking he would just get pulled along. Instead caught a hoof or two.

Ours made great diving platforms, bless their patient hearts. And they seemed to enjoy splashing near the shore most of all.

Have fun!


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

I've done lots of swimming with horses. It's super fun.



Depending on the horse, I either use a halter or a nylon bridle. The water doesn't really hurt the leather that much, but I have nylon bridles, so I use them. I go bareback with a swimsuit on; you can wear it underneath your riding clothes if you have to ride to the place where you plan to swim. I wear water shoes on my feet. Sneakers are heavy and get really sandy and dirty. If you chose to go barefoot, you can pretty much expect to get a little bit stepped on. Once a man killed his horse at Doe Lake swimming in a tie down.

Once the horse starts swimming, I let my body stretch out behind the horse and keep a firm grip on the mane. You DO NOT want to get near those churning feet. They punch really hard. If you stretch out behind the horse, when the horse gets to a place he can stand up, you are right back on top of him. If you hold on off to the side, sometimes it's harder to get back on, and then you are next to those sharp fast moving feet. A lot of people do go off on one side and manage just fine, but I prefer being directly over the horse.

There are lots of fun things to do with your horse in the deep water.


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

I have done it a lot, like others have said swim suit under clothes ( I hate, hate, HATE wet jeans) and carry a pair of old sneakers or water shoes. I strip my saddle and bridle and use a nylon halter and lead rope in the water. Go for it, you will have a good time!


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

I haven't swum a horse since I was a kid, but when we did, we went out bareback in bathing suits and our old regular split-rein bridles. We probably wore sneakers, I can't remember now. We just sat on our horses when they were swimming (of course we didn't weigh much, and even less in the water). Hung onto the mane to stay aboard. 

Yeah, don't wear jeans. Ugh. Lightweight synthetic hiking shorts would work though.

Last summer I did *fall* into deepish water (my horse was up to her elbows and decided to lunge out of there). In full tack and riding clothes. I just had extra work to do drying out and re-lubricating my saddle etc. No harm done.


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## Luce73 (Dec 7, 2012)

mmshiro said:


> Looped reins can be dangerous. If you get separated from your horse and they hang down, the horse can get its feet caught and pull its own head underwater. If you have looped reins, bring a knife or box cutter.


This this this, I just saw a video of a horse drowning this way (very graphic and very very sad  ) Make sure there is nothing he can get hung up on! (I would probably bring that knife/box cutter anyway, a split rein can also loop around the leg)

Also keep in mind that when they swim their legs come up all the way to their chin, so make sure that if you ride with reins to keep them high enough up that the horse doesnt stick a foot through them


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## mckenzies (May 26, 2017)

I've personally always gone barefoot, but I'm sure water shoes or something like that would be fine. We always went bareback, with nylon halters and we'd always wear our swimsuits and bring dry clothes for when we get out, we'd hang them on a tree branch or something like that. I have one of the synthetic bridles from wintec that are waterproof and I'm sure that'd be fine. I have always used split reins when swimming.


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

Picture from an impromptu swim on a hot trail ride!


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

LOL Good shot 6Gun. You should enter that in the HF Photo of the Month contest.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

I did go swimming with our two horses once, it was a deep wide river and the one mare would walk out and just swim out and around the dock and back to shore. They didn't have to learn to swim, just did it. 
We wore bathing suits and bare feet ( some kind of shoe would be better, probably water shoes).
My mare walked out and started swimming and headed off down the river, I stretched out over her back and after a bit I turned her with the lead rope back to shore, I don't know if she would have come back herself or just kept on swimming.
It was a great experience.


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## AQHAlover (Jun 27, 2017)

DONT ride with loose reins whatever you do lol. I wouldn't ride with split reins either. I wouldn't use a leather bridle as it might damage it. I love the biothane bridles because you can continuously get them wet and they don't become damaged. If you don't want to go buy a bridle, I say use a nylon one. As for you wanting to wear shoes, I personally wouldn't wear any, but if I was going to, I would either wear tennis shoes or some sort of shoes meant for water


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Well, I don't swim, so try to avoid deep water, just in case I get separated from my horse!
My son though, removes bridle and saddle.He is wearing undershorts in this picture, although the color makes it appear otherwise!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Have tie downs and swimming been mentioned? I apologize for not reading clear thru.

*NEVER NEVER NEVER* have a tie down in a horse when putting them in deep water ---- unless you want to risk drowning the horse.

Some moron in my area did that some years back at a nearby lake-----------

*****

While it isn't common, there are horses who can't swim. 

I never pushed the issues but I'm pretty sure my horse that wore the no-fear t-shirt was a non swimmer. Since he would go anywhere I pointed him, up to running construction equipment, walk thru mud puddles, walk thru knee deep mud, but refused to go in "big water", I figured he couldn't swim and I never forced him in the water to find out.

All my other horses could swim and willingly went in the water.

And yes ---- no long reins

Attire: No saddle, shorts, tank top, barefoot. We left the tennis shoes on the bank


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## HombresArablegacy (Oct 12, 2013)

If you're riding your horse with a tie down or any tack that restricts them from raising their head, REMOVE THEM BEFORE GOING IN THE WATER. Way too many stories of horses drowning from having tie downs on. Other that that, enjoy the water. 
When I was a teen, my best friend had a TB that we used to hold onto his tail and let him pull us though the water. Lots of fun, didn't get kicked, and we were just too naive to think about gators being a problem. Just lucky.


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

Smilie said:


> Well, I don't swim, so try to avoid deep water, just in case I get separated from my horse!
> My son though, removes bridle and saddle.He is wearing undershorts in this picture, although the color makes it appear otherwise!


That has to be the bluest water I've ever seen! I'm guessing from the picture's setting it is natural. I've only seen pools and fountains that color, and that only because they pour tons of chemicals into them.


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## KLJcowgirl (Oct 13, 2015)

Aaaaahhh this is like, a bucket list thing for me. Nothing really nearby to swim in, and have never taken time to trailer to one. No advise here obviously, just have a great time!


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

walkinthewalk said:


> Have tie downs and swimming been mentioned? I apologize for not reading clear thru.
> 
> *NEVER NEVER NEVER* have a tie down in a horse when putting them in deep water ---- unless you want to risk drowning the horse.
> 
> ...


Totally agree on the tiedowns, and in fact, would never, never trail ride with tie downs or any other devise, like martingales, but esp tie downs.
I know of a horse that drowned, just riding a long a river bank, in early spring, with that bank giving way, and the idiot rider having a tie down on the horse


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

horseluvr2524 said:


> That has to be the bluest water I've ever seen! I'm guessing from the picture's setting it is natural. I've only seen pools and fountains that color, and that only because they pour tons of chemicals into them.


^^^^That caught my eyes too

That's Canada for you

We used to go fishing at Lake Nip****ing (sp?) many many many years ago. The waters are much more clear than in the states, and I always commented the Canadian chickens laid much better tasting eggs. I ate a lot of eggs up there because I never caught any fish, lollollol


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

I also can't swim.My husband wondered why, as I grew up around the Great Lakes while he grew up in Calgary
Answer was simple.While he enjoyed swimming pools during the summer holidays, I sweltered in the tobacco fields!
I do cross rivers, some very fast flowing, and have hit holes where my hrose had to swim.If I ever parted company with my horse, I would be back in Sundre, before someone got me out, at least my body would be!However, I don't make a point of going in deep water with my horse, not knowing how to swim
I also don't cross rivers in spring run off time, when they are deep, fast flowing and dirty, so you can't see bottom


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## seabiscuit91 (Mar 30, 2017)

I swim in the beach fairly regular at the moment as the weather/tides are perfect!

I just go bareback, I have a synthetic bridle, so all I have to do is hose it off with clean water after and it's fine from all the salt!
I've swam with old paddock boots before, or runners (as they dry much faster) then I just wear shorts.
Since we're swimming in the beach, I usually get off at some stage to let the boy splash and roll around (he LOVES it, will roll 20 times no joke!)
Then I jump back on the very sandy beast and just give him/myself and the bridle a good hose down and all is well!

Have fun! Such a fun thing to do!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Thank-you everyone for the tips, advice and to enjoy...

I don't ride any of my horses with tie-downs or martingales of any type...
When I trail ride I am not schooling, just riding for enjoyment ...
I will use my nylon halter I have for bathing and save my leather one...
No saddle was a given...:eek_color:
We will wade in, I will hang onto that mane for dear life and then climb/swim astride as we come back out if I need to...
_Shoes for me are a must. _
My horse is about 1300 pounds and I prefer to not be d-gloved if he should place his hoof and pivot on top of my foot at the same time. What an ouch it could be...
So bathing suit worn, and I will put the dry set of clothes in my trailer to change back into..

_*Thank-you everyone.*_
I am so looking forward to swimming the horse{s}....
:runninghorse2::runninghorse2:...


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Like walk mentioned, there's a few who don't know how to swim. I've ridden two that never picked it up and a few that it took a little for them to figure it out. So I don't get carried away with going out too deep until they get it.
I still rode one in the water that didn't swim. I wouldn't get too far out but he was fun because he'd let his butt sink then push up off the bottom with his hinds. It was like riding a deer and he thought it was fun too.

You'll have fun! I'm jealous!


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I loved swimming with the horses in the sea. We would just ride them in halters and those that swam properly we would slide off their backs amd hand onto their mane and they would tow us along.

We wore swimming costumes and mostly barefoot or trainers. 

Great fun _in the summer_ it was never so funny when it happened by default in the winter!


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Stay safe...have fun...watch out for the possibility of currents.


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## lsdrider (Jun 27, 2012)

My horse and I did a little impromptu swim this afternoon. I was fully dressed, waterproof phone, wallet in a zip-lock, Glock's laugh at water, saddle and pad will dry. I never use a tie down or the like, reigns are snapped to the bit and I have a knife.

We've had a lot of rain, but I wanted to cross there. There are no rocks at that spot and a shallower run was 100' down from us. Even deeper than expected, I said "no turning back now!" and off we went to the exit point on the other side. AFAIK he's never swam before - he just did it.

The biggest challenge is trying to dry everything before tomorrow morning!


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

I used to swim in a pretty deep pond quite a bit at one of the farms where I boarded. We would go bareback and bare feet but we always loosely tied a thick, nylon lead rope around their necks. Sometimes we would strap on old English stirrup leather instead. Those horses get incredibly slippery and the mane might not be enough to keep you with the horse!

Your body will float out flat behind you when you get into deep water so you will no longer be really riding! And most horses end up with just the head and a tiny bit of neck sticking out when they are really swimming.

One of my mares could swim like a fish and it was hard to keep up with her. The other never really learned to do it well and twice she just started spinning in circles and disappeared under the water. That's why I started wearing a life preserver vest every time. When my poor swimmer went down and started spinning, I tried to swim back away from her and she caught me in the ribs with her hoof. Made me realize that no matter how fun it was, there was some risk involved!


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

As for swimming, if you wade in, then climb on, it is much easier to get on if the horse is moving. If they are just standing in the water, it is hard to mount. Might be easier if i had a smaller horse. 

I've been swimming my horses since I was a child. As a child the only way to get my horse to the preserve to ride was to cross the canal. I loved riding there, as they had nice sandy trails, which were often under water. What fun it was to trot and canter through the water! I don't recommend that unless you check for rocks/holes beforehand! 

The nice thing about synthetic tack is you can get splashed without damage. I did eventually rust out the Blevins buckles. 

Not all horses swim well. I had a pony who would sink, and rear. Other horses will panic and run out. Even my mare was reluctant to swim at first- it was enough to get her in up to her chest. Some will want to roll in the water.

I like water shoes. They don't protect your toes, but will protect you from rocks. 

For training purposes, I carry a dressage whip with me to the water-I don't want to get stepped on! I use a regular bridle and switch reins out. If I'm riding in, I wear a helmet. Omit the helmet if I'm swimming or leading in. 

Have fun! I absolutely love swimming with the horses!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

_*Updating.....

*_I took the horses swimming today....
What fun!! 
Not quite deep enough to get them really swimming but it was more than enough to play in...

Water was cool and refreshing...
Our horses played....pawing, splashing, laying down, blowing bubbles and dunking their heads underwater_ {I was really surprised at this one}_
Horses had a blast and so did we watching, playing and splashing alongside them.

_Best is my horses are really, really squeaky clean and done all by themselves. :grin:_

*Thanks to everyone who gave me the encouragement to try this... *:clap::clap::clap:
:runninghorse2:....


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

lsdrider said:


> , Glock's laugh at water!


 cuz everything else laughs at Glocks!


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