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Member
Posts: 7

| I have a OTTB been off track for 3 years. This horse loves water and plays in water tubs all the time. I have not been able to get her across a creek. She will go up to it but as soon as she gets close, she will freeze and kick out after she gets frustrated. Mud does not help the situation. She will get super anxious with sliding and mud. I was able to get her over a dry creek bed and through mud but can't get her to go across moving water. It seems like she is trying but she just freezes and panics. | |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
 
| Turn her into a pasture where her source of water is a creek. | |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
              Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Do you have other friends that are riding with you on their horses, if so get them to go first so she will follow, and really once you do get her into the water get her to stand there and let the water run inbetween her legs. Or lead her into the creek and get her to stand there and splash water on her let her see its not going to eat her. 
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2019-05-29 4:45 PM
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
    
| See if she’ll follow another horse across. or do what I do - put your much more ranchy husband on them and let him do it. I’m a chicken sh*t anymore. | |
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 Veteran
Posts: 124

| I agree with what's been said: If you can, stick her somewhere where her water source is a creek, and also follow another, calmer horse across. I have done competitive trail rides before, so I've learned a few tricks. After you get her following another horse through without trying to jump it or rush through it, take her back through in front the next time around. For really fearful ones, sometimes you have to start with running a garden hose and walking them through that stream. You can also put her to work lunging or riding in circles next to the water in there's room. If she doesn't want to go through, make not going through harder work. That works well with one I have who's not so much scared as just being a baby or stubborn. | |
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Member
Posts: 7

| She is in a field with a creek and she will not go near it. She will go over any puddles. I tried having her follow another horse, she won't go over still. As soon as I get her where I can just by myself she will stop and panic. And tried to lead her and will go up to it but won't step into it. | |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 460
     
| Back her up in to the creek. Once shes all the way in, turn her around and walk forward the rest of the way through. Then walk through it forward a couple more times. She will be looking to you for confidence, so when you are approaching, try not to think about how she will react, be confident. If you are scared of her fits, they will only get worse. You may need to get after her a little bit, carry an over under and tap her a few times on either side. Or get someone with a good horse to pony her through it the first few times =] Good luck! | |
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Member
Posts: 7

| Katielovestbs - 2019-05-30 10:06 AM
Back her up in to the creek. Once shes all the way in, turn her around and walk forward the rest of the way through. Then walk through it forward a couple more times. She will be looking to you for confidence, so when you are approaching, try not to think about how she will react, be confident. If you are scared of her fits, they will only get worse. You may need to get after her a little bit, carry an over under and tap her a few times on either side. Or get someone with a good horse to pony her through it the first few times =] Good luck!
When I back her into it and spin her, she will pin out of it for she does not have to go in. She can't be ponied, she will not go that way either. I tried to just forcing and that just ended bad. | |
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Member
Posts: 7

| I've had similar issues, with mine, I assumed he had a bad experience that gave him some anxiety, because mine loved water too. I didn't have anyone available to help, but the best advice I received was making him move his feet away from the water, letting him rest near the water. I took me a couple days to get him to actually step in the water. When I realized he wouldn't cross it, I didn't force it. I did try leading him in, with no luck. The next day knowing it would be an issue, I did lots of circles, small figure eights, anything with a change of direction to get him thinking. Then I literally loped to the edge of the river, let him rest for 30 seconds, and back to moving his feet. On that day I didn't even try making him cross, I did this over and over, maybe 20 times. The next day I started with the circles and figure eights, really hustling him, then I asked him to get a little closer to the water. Repeat circles. When I asked him to cross and if he threw an ounce of a fit, I made him hustle his feet away from the river. If he gave me an ounce of effort, like stretching forward to smell it, I would praise him, but as soon as he would step away I'd go back to moving his feet. I did this over and over and I was finally successful. He walked right in with his head down, licked his lips when I let him rest in there. Never have had any issues since. I use this technique for any obstacle that is giving me troubles and it has always worked for me- if you have the patience and keep cool like it's a fun little game and not a battle then you'll be successful. Good Luck! | |
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 Veteran
Posts: 124

| mistynanne - 2019-05-30 4:21 PM
I've had similar issues, with mine, I assumed he had a bad experience that gave him some anxiety, because mine loved water too. I didn't have anyone available to help, but the best advice I received was making him move his feet away from the water, letting him rest near the water. I took me a couple days to get him to actually step in the water. When I realized he wouldn't cross it, I didn't force it. I did try leading him in, with no luck. The next day knowing it would be an issue, I did lots of circles, small figure eights, anything with a change of direction to get him thinking. Then I literally loped to the edge of the river, let him rest for 30 seconds, and back to moving his feet. On that day I didn't even try making him cross, I did this over and over, maybe 20 times. The next day I started with the circles and figure eights, really hustling him, then I asked him to get a little closer to the water. Repeat circles. When I asked him to cross and if he threw an ounce of a fit, I made him hustle his feet away from the river. If he gave me an ounce of effort, like stretching forward to smell it, I would praise him, but as soon as he would step away I'd go back to moving his feet. I did this over and over and I was finally successful. He walked right in with his head down, licked his lips when I let him rest in there. Never have had any issues since. I use this technique for any obstacle that is giving me troubles and it has always worked for me- if you have the patience and keep cool like it's a fun little game and not a battle then you'll be successful. Good Luck!
THIS all the way | |
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Defense Attorney for The Horse
   Location: Claremore, OK | allideem - 2019-05-29 3:01 PM
I have a OTTB been off track for 3 years. This horse loves water and plays in water tubs all the time. I have not been able to get her across a creek. She will go up to it but as soon as she gets close, she will freeze and kick out after she gets frustrated. Mud does not help the situation. She will get super anxious with sliding and mud. I was able to get her over a dry creek bed and through mud but can't get her to go across moving water. It seems like she is trying but she just freezes and panics.
Get her good at ground work where you can direct and drive her over logs, etc. take her on foot to the creek and drive her thru it back and forth until she’s comfortable with crossing. You’ll get tired before she does, probably. Once she crosses it easily when you’re on the ground she’ll be a lot easier to get thru it riding her. | |
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