Jumping creeks

[invinoveritas]

My horse jumps creeks. He doesn’t even like to step in puddles in the pasture. I have no problem so far as (1) I do not event; and (2) there are no streams or ditches that are too wide around her for him to jump cleanly. Actually, he considers all water as “liverpool” and does not want to get 4 faults for stepping in one.

I had a great old mare who loved water and would lie down in it, fortunately not when under saddle, and submerge her head and ears in ponds. She had been a racer so she didn’t know the liverpool 4 faults rule.

[Foxtrot_s]

I actually saw a girl get knocked over doing the lead through the water -
she was lucky not to get hurt — let alone have a 17.2 hh land on you!!

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

Do you have anyone in your area that does obstacle challenges? If so, she can teach you how to lead your horse through these things without getting landed on. Then you progress to riding him through it.

Obstacle challenges are really popular now - we even have a couple of groups in my little corner of forgotten outer East Jesus. You’ll meet a good group of people in the process and have a lot of fun.:yes:

[Corbyville283]

I got in touch with a neighbour who has a wide fairly shallow creek. The plan is to just take him over and work on lunging him closer and closer to the creek. She also has a quiet horse that we can follow into the Fergus (my Clyde is a really a good horse he just needs more miles and I really don’t want to screw him up.

[Ponyclubrocks]

[QUOTE=Corbyville283;8656487]
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?[/QUOTE]

This is a method my trainer uses, instead of aiming the horse directly across the creek, he aims him so he’s asking the horse to ride up the creek, he does this where the creek is wide and the footing is good, nothing to scare the horse once he’s in the water. Then once the horse is going up the creek he turns and crosses the creek. This seems to work well for horses that are willing to cross large bodies of water, like flooded areas of the pasture, but think its silly to get their feet wet in a small puddle. You could start by having your buddy enter the creek and ride up the creek first. Best of luck to you. (By the way I have seen the backing method work well if there is a nice easy footing area into the creek, back halfway in then turn the horse, ride up the creek a bit then turn again and cross over.)

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=Corbyville283;8664509]
I got in touch with a neighbour who has a wide fairly shallow creek. The plan is to just take him over and work on lunging him closer and closer to the creek. She also has a quiet horse that we can follow into the Fergus (my Clyde is a really a good horse he just needs more miles and I really don’t want to screw him up.[/QUOTE]

Most helpful for me is having the buddy horse STAND in the creek…not cross all the way through…then enter at an angle. You may also want to follow the buddy…very very close with the plan for the buddy to stop in the water.

Good luck…most get over jumping them.

[ecileh]

I will third the “approach it at an angle” suggestions.