I have a 6 year old Clydesdale gelding who will not walk through creeks. He is green broke but very quite and did wonderfully on a large group trail ride yesterday except for the 2 creek crossings. The first one he launched himself over, landed in the middle and launched again. We parted ways after the first leap. I landed in the mud and am very sore and stiff. I got back on and rode to the next creek. I got off and tried to lead him through the creek but he jumped it as well.
How do I get him to walk through the creek? He’s way too tall (17’3") and I’m way too old (60) to be leaping creeks from a standstill. We have a small flood plain on our land and apparently he’ll wade into that but he just doesn’t get the whole idea of walking through a creek.
Any help would be appreciated. He’s a great boy otherwise and I’m having lots of fun with him but the ground is just too far away for involuntary dismounts.
Wider creeks and lots and lots of repetition. My mare came to me not “doing water” and jumping creeks so her first trail ride with me we went on the trail with 17 water crossings and a 1/4 mile stretch up a creek bottom and 6 inches of water. By the end of the 6 miles she had given up and crossed water well.
We have a local “cowboy” style trainer that does a great job starting horses under saddle and trail riding them on their property including through a river. They put fantastic basics on the horses and you can take them out trail riding and cross water without fearing for your life. Since you are older and have fallen off once already this might be the better option.
You can also look for an endurance rider because they also do lots of trail training.
I logged on just to say NEVER walk your horse through a creek. That is a Good way to die or be crushed. Please its a golden rule for riding,you are much safer on the horse or take a lunge line with you , staying on your side of the bank ,urge him across and only then do you cross.
For years I rode a wonderful Arab stallion who would not cross a creek. He was 15 when I got him and not going to change. He would rear a little and then leap (not jump)across the creek. well at first I tried to re-train him but he was a experienced trail horse,had been used for Elk hunting and lots of people knew him well.He was a perfect horse ,people told me I could trust him and so I did. I got used to it.
Hopefully you can train your horse to walk through water, sometimes working in a ring going over and over a bright blue tarp can help. Otherwise its patience, one step at a time, really he takes one step,stop and then another stop till you are across.
If you ride with other people put him in the middle of the group and ask your friends for patience as you do the one step method. If he starts to rear back him up and wait.
Good Luck and be safe
“If he starts to rear back him up and wait”
Please do not listen to this.
Back up a rearing horse? Wait for what? The creek to dry out?
Practice over and over with a mounted friend over a puddle or small stream, expect to get of and get your feet wet and lead your horse thru water first. Do not rush, expect maybe spending a lot of time on that one water task. Go back and forth before you go on another group over the water ride.
Good luck.
I understand the concern about leading him through the creek and possibly getting landed on. That being said there was no way I could have stayed on him when he jumped it yet again. We did finish the ride and he was good as gold - we just avoided the last creek crossing.
To kinscem: I tried leading him through it and he jumped it with me leading him.
I’m thinking of taking him back to the scene of the crime and lunging him over and over and round and round so that eventually he just gives up and goes through it.
have you tried backing him into the creek? not fast, just step by step.
perhaps better - if there’s room enough, quietly walk circles ever closer to the creek – think in terms of “Pressure comes, pressure goes”. Walk in a circle by the creek, and when you think you’re as close as he finds comfortable at the moment, stop and breathe and rub his neck. Then walk another circle, a bit closer this time. When he’s as close as you feel he can handle it, stop and breathe and rub. Lather, rinse, repeat. This method does take a lot of time and patience, but on the other hand, you’re not forcing anything.
Great! You are half way there! Inexperienced horses will jump unknown. Like water or ditch or tarp or so. It is their instinct and it is good! Would you rather have him step into the unknown and get killed or hurt?
The young horse is acting normally! He needs to learn to trust you that you will not take him into danger.
If you are too unexperienced or frail and trust me I am frail - have somebody else to take your horse thru these first steps. No shame!
I agree with enjoytheride. My horse really really prefers to not step in moving water if she doesn’t have to. We had to have a CTJ session about it last year. But anyway, working repetitively with wider streams that they cannot jump gets them used to the sensation of the moving water on their feet and legs. Have a person on a buddy horse that can go ahead of you/stand in the middle/come back as needed to give your boy some confidence. Maybe he will see other other horsie standing in the middle and walk to him (since you did say he attempted to jump the stream even though it was wider than he could jump).
Just make sure you reward his attempts to cross the stream even it’s just putting a toe in 
My lease mare did the same thing, jumping over the creek like that! However the next day we tried crossing I had my friend, who was riding her bombproof paint, go first and since Roo is pasture buddies with this horse she willingly followed after a small moment of hesitation. I immediately rewarded her afterwards. Ever since, Roo has been fine with it-I’m not qualified to provide much training advice but that’s just my experience. I highly agree with the others to do some desentitizing work on the ground first.
i would dismount the next time you come to a creek and ask your horse from the ground to walk across it–not lead him, but ask him to go out ahead of you through the creek from the end of a lead line.
you may have to do a lot of approach/retreat. every time he takes a step in the right direction, reward him with a rest and retreat. don’t force!
also, if it isn’t that your horse is afraid of water, but he just likes to jump, that is a different problem. in that case, don’t dismount, but work on getting your horse to walk as slowly as possible so that he can’t jump. widen your hands on the reins, drop them low, and ask for collection. squeeze each rein as the front foot on that side is about to come up in the air, putting a check on his speed.
when you can control the horse’s speed, he will walk instead of jump.
my own horse has zero fear of water. she just likes to jump over the smallest rivulet, while she will wade a wide river. i had to let her know that i don’t like to jump, and controlling her feet so she slows down was the ticket.
OP, just practice and he will be fine. Does he do tarps? You can “make” your own water crossing using a tarp and some poles. I also throw in plastic water bottles to rattle around after they are comfortable with walking through the water. Or get a wading pool and fill it with water and have him step into it. Also, if you enter the creek at an angle, pointing his head to the left or right and not straight across, he will be less likely to leap.
His pasture buddy had gone ahead of him. We walked up to the edge of the creek. He stopped backed up hesitated walked forward stopped and then launched over the creek. Apparently he landed and relaunched. I came off on the second launch (17’3" is a long way from the ground). He didn’t run away just stood and ate grass.
We have a flood plain on our land that has a stream. I’m thinking of trying to ride him into the flood plain and then perhaps riding up the stream to get him used to the feel of running water. Then walking in and out of the creek at angles?
I’ve found that entering a creek at an angle seems to help young horses. I’ve also been able to get my young horses used to crossing by following very close to another familiar horse who is crossing the creek. Following closely needs to only be done with a horse that’s familiar and won’t kick. Another thing we’ve done is stopping once we are in the creek and allowing him to sniff and play in the water and get a drink. It is important that your riding companions help you out by not riding off when you are working on creek crossings. If your companion has a horse that will stand in the water it’s much easier to get your horse to accept standing in the water too. Creek crossings will become easier as you go.
I have a horse that is really good with water. He loves it. He loves to play in it. He is perfect for horses that don’t do the whole water thing real well. I let them snuggle up behind him and let them follow. It seems to help when he starts to play and splash in it. The other horse learns that water is fun.
I would take your horse in the water at an angle and keep his buddy close to him. Let the buddy stand in the water and act as a block to keep him from leaping across.
You might want to have a really confident rider do it the first couple of times if you are now nervous.
We have one horse in the barn that a barn mate on a solid horse would pony the mare from. She didn’t want to go in the water at all. She had a rope halter on under her bridle and lead pony rider would just keep steady pressure on her with pony horse in the water. One step, lots of praise, add pressure back, one step lots of of praise repeat. The pony horse acted as a lead but prevented her from leaping the creek since he was in the way. Although that might be harder with a 17+ hand horse.
Patience and practice. Good luck. That is how I got my OTTB who I am pretty sure had never seen the ocean and was initially terrified of it, to happily go walk in up to her belly as well as trot and canter in (after first checking for obstacles). Also helps immensely to have horses who can model the appropriate behavior.
Entering the creek from an angle is an excellent idea. This tactic greatly reduces the impulse to launch across.
Best of luck.
Use a neck strap (a stirrup leather will do) so you have something to firmly grab if he chooses to launch again.
Can you have someone pony him or borrow a horse and pony him through the creek? That way he gets used to it without a rider on his back and has the support and example of the pony horse.
Do you have any wider, shallower creeks…having to clamber down a bank is going to encourage a launch. If you had a buddy who could lead him - I like that idea the best, with a pause in the middle to hang out. Seek out puddles or wet patches he could amble through. I would not be looking to sit on a launcher (again) if I was you. He is green remember. Tiny mind.
Pony him - if you lead from the ground you are almost guaranteed to get jumped on. Do it when your horse has been worked hard and is hot. He’ll enjoy hanging in the water cooling off.
