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What Name?
Posts: 1994
   
| I was told the easiest way to begin with my horse to get him more inclined to water, is use a tarp. Once he's more comfortable , put water on it and make him work on it, crossing it. So forth. It'll also be more good desensitizing for him.
What are some things that YOU do with your youngins with tarps ? And what are some of your methods to make their transition to water easier??.
We encountered creeks on our first trail ride, he panicked and jumped them. Pommel bruises not fun.lol
Edited by americanpride08 2015-05-11 8:02 PM
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Location: Texas | We just start with small puddles of water and work our way up. I do have them stand in the water before crossing. They get use their legs being wet and realize its just water. I've never used a tarp to keep them from freaking out over water.
For desensitizing I use empty beer cans and put in a feed sack. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
 
| As recommended on here before, I lay mine down in the alleyway, tarp them and run a herd of cattle over them. You can get a lot of problems solved in one lesson that way. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | EqualRanch - 2015-05-11 8:22 PM We just start with small puddles of water and work our way up. I do have them stand in the water before crossing. They get use their legs being wet and realize its just water. I've never used a tarp to keep them from freaking out over water.
For desensitizing I use empty beer cans and put in a feed sack.
I agree on just crossing them threw small puddles and then on to bigger things, and I know for dang sure that Jennifer {LRQHS} would totaly agree on the beer cans in a sack for desensitizing, LOL 
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | I tried small puddles. We can jump small ones though. I prefer a bigger area of water. Something that cannot be jumped. Urge them into it one foot at a time. Relax and reward with each step. Let them know they don't have to rush and the water isn't going to eat them. When I was younger, we dug holes around the water troughs, layed tarps in them and filled them with water so the horses had to step in the water to get a drink. Not sure if it worked. But I don't recall having water crossing issues. |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| ~BINGO~ - 2015-05-12 10:21 AM I tried small puddles. We can jump small ones though. I prefer a bigger area of water. Something that cannot be jumped. Urge them into it one foot at a time. Relax and reward with each step. Let them know they don't have to rush and the water isn't going to eat them. When I was younger, we dug holes around the water troughs, layed tarps in them and filled them with water so the horses had to step in the water to get a drink. Not sure if it worked. But I don't recall having water crossing issues.
I have tried smaller ones. He will jump them if I ask him to straight walk through it. While riding he skirts around their edges and stares them down as he does it. Even when I'm looking forward and asking him to do the same.
The tarp is mainly because he has a BIG problem with them. ( Someone put them on the panels in the big indoor and it had calves behind it. =equals scary-cow-shaped monsters that move really fast. ) So.. I'm helping him figure out they're not going to eat him even when waving around and making crazy sounds.
I have learned the hard way with him. The more I try to force him the more adamant he becomes about not liking it. SOOOO baby steps. Yesterday I put food in the center of the tarp, he came to terms with it on his own. Perfect windy day for the man-eating tarp ordeal. Ha ha. Afterwards. I could walk him on it and he'd stand without a problem. I'm thinking though, on a hot summer day after working and getting good and sweaty trotting him off in the pond. I'm sure he may freak out the first few times initially. But maybe he'll chill after he realizes it's cooler.
I was told that the tarps on the ground mess with their depth perception?? So putting water on it would essentially get them over puddles?? I dont know if thats true or not. I just figured if it worked, two birds one stone. lol
I'm also curious about all the other tarp exercises ppl do. |
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  Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24138
Location: Carpenter, WY | I've never done anything with tarps. It's so windy here they learn real quick not to bugger at much :) For water, try doing small circles half on dry ground and half on wet and get a little deeper with every couple of circles and then straigten him out and cross. Keep his feet moving as FC would say
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Blessed 
Location: Here | I guess I am from a different school of thought. I don't pressure young ones or ones not used to water or tarps. I just make it if they want to eat or drink they have to go through mud and water first. They quickly figure it out on their own without me. Tarps I just don't see the need in them being able to walk of them. But I do put them up near again the water and food areas. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I have never used a trap for a training tool, just work my horses threw what ever bothers/scares them, may take a little extra time. But I do use traps for a wind block if needed and have many other uses for them around here. |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | I would start in nature.
anything natural. puddles, small creeks or streams. this will come more natural for your horse to overcome it vs adding a noisy, scary, flapping tarp to something that is already scary enough! |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | I've never used a tarp. Big mud puddles or just convinced them it's much easier to go in the water than it is to refuse. Occasionally I'll let them follow another horse in a river their first time in. I'd think a tarp would be scarier. |
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | Drag it and let them follow it like they're chasing it -builds confidence. The next thing you know they're walking all over the top of it. I've also laid one down next to where I'm lunging and act like it's not even there, just focus on moving forward. Pretty soon they'll get closer and accidentally go over the edge. When I stop, I make sure it's close to the tarp. No stress, no pressure. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1898
| streakysox - 2015-05-11 10:39 PM
As recommended on here before, I lay mine down in the alleyway, tarp them and run a herd of cattle over them. You can get a lot of problems solved in one lesson that way.
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 Night Chat Leader
Posts: 13150
Location: Home....Smiling M Farms | On the issue with tarps, I have a few outside that are where the horses see them everyday. The round rolls are covered in a huge tarp, the square bales that are out are covered with a smaller tarp. So they are used to 'flappy' things. I also go to my local feed mill/boot barn every year or so and ask if they have any old banners they aren't using. I hang them in my barn, in my round pen, on gates, etc. They learn from a young age that flappy things aren't the worst out there. ;)
The easiest, more stressfree way I've taught one to cross water, is to go trail riding with someone on a calm gentle well broke horse. Your horse feeds off you, relax, talk to your friend, remember your on a young horse, but give him some positive energy in a good atmosphere to enjoy. Trail riding is relaxing, it's supposed to be fun. Help him get that in his brain. The older more confident horse walks through the water and the colt just follows along. That's the way mine have been anyway. Do that a few times and then they walk through like it's just another thing they do. |
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Night Chat Leader
Posts: 13150
Location: Home....Smiling M Farms | cyount2009 - 2015-05-12 1:54 PM
streakysox - 2015-05-11 10:39 PM
As recommended on here before, I lay mine down in the alleyway, tarp them and run a herd of cattle over them. You can get a lot of problems solved in one lesson that way.
Do you wack them with a shovel too? I always heard that was a good thing to do when they were down...gets them used to feeling the hammer when they get shoes. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Leo - 2015-05-12 2:56 PM cyount2009 - 2015-05-12 1:54 PM streakysox - 2015-05-11 10:39 PM As recommended on here before, I lay mine down in the alleyway, tarp them and run a herd of cattle over them. You can get a lot of problems solved in one lesson that way. Do you wack them with a shovel too? I always heard that was a good thing to do when they were down...gets them used to feeling the hammer when they get shoes.
And dont forget to blind fold and tie their legs together.. |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| Southtxponygirl - 2015-05-12 3:00 PM Leo - 2015-05-12 2:56 PM cyount2009 - 2015-05-12 1:54 PM streakysox - 2015-05-11 10:39 PM As recommended on here before, I lay mine down in the alleyway, tarp them and run a herd of cattle over them. You can get a lot of problems solved in one lesson that way. Do you wack them with a shovel too? I always heard that was a good thing to do when they were down...gets them used to feeling the hammer when they get shoes.
 You do know the worst form of torture to a horse is tieing a plastic bag to his tail right?! |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | am I the only one that just goes straight for the pond? That's how I made my gelding learn lol, he ended up enjoying water and crosses creeks, puddles etc. |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| hoofs_in_motion - 2015-05-12 3:30 PM am I the only one that just goes straight for the pond? That's how I made my gelding learn lol, he ended up enjoying water and crosses creeks, puddles etc.
Well I did that on the trail. And now he wants to leap over everything he thinks has water in it. and I meean serious leaps |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | Mine did fine with standing water. I took on her some trail rides and we've certainly had plenty of puddles with all the rain. However, running water, yeah then we became the flying zamboni like your boy. She would go but leap over it. |
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | I've been know to hang a tarp next to their feed. If they want their food bad enough they'll get over it. I've also hung plastic bags, etc. As far as water, I will have a friend ride their horse in front and put mine on their butt and let him follow into the water. My stud loves water and it's never been an issue. He prefers running water over a puddle/pond. I've also put on rubber boots and walked out into it with them following me. |
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I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | TwistedK - 2015-05-13 9:11 AM
I've been know to hang a tarp next to their feed. If they want their food bad enough they'll get over it. I've also hung plastic bags, etc. As far as water, I will have a friend ride their horse in front and put mine on their butt and let him follow into the water. My stud loves water and it's never been an issue. He prefers running water over a puddle/pond. I've also put on rubber boots and walked out into it with them following me.
I, like you, feel like tackling water when you are on the ground and in the water too is much better. |
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tarps -- what's your method