Are you planning to get a good swim with your American horse? Whether for fun, exercise, or hydrotherapy, swimming with your horse is always an exciting experience for both of you. However, it can be quite challenging for beginners, so it’s important to research how to swim safely without risking injury to your horse or getting stuck in deep water.
Swimming with your horse can be an exhilarating experience that deepens your bond with your equine companion while enjoying the water together. When I first tried it with my horse, I was amazed by how natural and graceful he was in the water. Before getting in, finding a suitable location is crucial—a quiet pond or a designated swimming area with gradual entry points. Swimming with your horse can strengthen trust and build a unique connection as you both navigate the water together.
So, we’ve put together some tips to help you safely prepare for a swim with your horse. As a beginner, it’s always helpful to have a guide on how to swim with your horses, so in this article, we will discuss all things “swimming with horses” and lay out some things to consider before diving into this activity (no pun intended). Swimming with your horse can be a wonderful experience, offering fun and therapeutic benefits. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), swimming is often used for horse rehabilitation and fitness. However, before diving in, it’s essential to consider safety guidelines to ensure a positive experience for both you and your equine companion. So let us first consider a horse’s swimming technique:
How Do Horses Swim?
Horses propel through the water by trotting their legs, similar to how they trot on the ground. However, they can’t breathe underwater, so they need to keep their heads and nostrils above the surface. Water should also not get into their ears as it can cause infection if it gets blocked in the ear canal.
Things To Consider Before Swimming With Your Horse
1. Horses naturally know how to swim, but the bigger question lies with you. Can you swim? If you can’t, learning and being confident in the water before taking your horse for a swim is best. Once you are confident in the water, we recommend staying in the shallow water to start off and avoid any accidents until you and your horse are more comfortable swimming together.
2. You also need to know from the previous owners if your horse has been swimming before, has behavioral problems, or has bad experiences in the water that can cause trauma. Don’t forget to consider if your horse likes or dislikes waves, motorboats, or other distractions.
3. Do your homework beforehand to know if the water is safe from toxic organisms like blue-green algae, leeches or jellyfish in the ocean and snapping turtles in Lakes. A wet horse is irresistible to some insects, so you should bring insect repellant.
4. Remember that big waves are dangerous for horses; if they wash over your horse’s head, it might distress the horse and, in more serious cases, may lead to drowning. We recommend swimming with your horse when the weather is calm, and the waves are 0-2ft. Sea safety is essential for the well-being of you and your horse; make sure to research your swimming spot and be aware of any currents or strong riptides in the shoreline. Swimming in these spots quickly drains your horse’s energy, and you risk getting pulled out to deeper waters.
5. Horses are not welcome everywhere, so check the rules of the beach or area before the swim, and if there are other swimmers or bathers on the beach, ensure you won’t disturb them.
6. Don’t forget to check the depth of the water and what lies on the seabed because rocks and corals can hurt your horse’s hooves, and your horse may find it hard to find its footing if there are sudden drops in the depth of the water.
How To Swim With Your Horse
Good preparation beforehand is necessary to ensure you have a safe and fun swimming activity with your horse, so here’s a quick guide on getting everything ready to swim with your horse safely.
Preparing Your Horse For The Swim
Before bringing your horse into the water, you’ll need to do some ground training first:
- Moving away from pressure: If you swim alongside your equine, stay far from your horse to avoid getting kicked. If it comes close to you, you may use your hand to push the horse away by its shoulder.
- Responding to reins and leg pressure: If you ride on your horse as it swims, it must react quickly to neck reining and your leg cues.
- Understanding and responding to your verbal cues: When your horse reaches solid ground, it may bolt forward. It could mean trouble if you are not prepared.
Getting The Swimming Area Ready
Before swimming, you must find a good spot and check for no obstacles in or under the water, like trees, boulders, pilings, branches or garbage, and deep mud. The best conditions for swimming are sandy or gravel-type bottoms; there must be firm ground and a shoreline that gradually extends into the deep water.
Before taking your horse into it, you must also check if the area has enough space for swimming and depth. It would help to find a dry spot to leave your saddle and tack.
Introducing The Horse To The Water
Take your horse to the water slowly, letting it walk to the edge and sniff around. Then, encourage it to take a couple of steps toward the water, and if the horse bolts, let the horse relax and start over, taking a couple more steps forward.
If it’s the horse’s first time to reach the water deep enough to swim, it might panic or feel uneasy. But it can help if you can have an experienced horse lead the beginner horse or bring a friend with some experience swimming with horses. However, you must keep a reasonable distance from each other to avoid a collision or getting each other kicked.
Swimming With Your Horse
You have to choose how to spend time in the water with your four-legged companion: riding on their back or swimming alongside them.
Riding on a horse’s back as it makes its way in the water is hassle-free for you but difficult for the horse. You must have good balance to prevent falling off next to the horse and getting hit by its legs. Using a saddle may be easier, but remember that water can damage the leather.
While you may enjoy riding your horse through a deep body of water, this will be a hard and tiring task for your horse. Therefore, you’ll eventually need to get off your equine to reduce its workload and ensure that it can keep its head, nose, and ears above water to minimize the risk of drowning. It may sound like additional work for you, but it can also be a fun exercise; besides, it’s called swimming with your horse for a reason, not “riding your horse through a deep body of water.”
On the other hand, swimming beside your horse while it pulls you along is easier for your equine but riskier for you. You may need to grip its mane by the withers and kick your feet to keep up with your horse. To steer your horse, just push his nose in the desired direction. Be ready when the horse reaches a depth they can touch because it might speed up and lurch out of the water.
Additional Tips For A Safe Swim
Plan Your Gear
Most people often swim with their horse bareback, but you can also use an inexpensive bareback pad to ensure you have enough grip whilst in the water. Never go for a swim with a tie-down, martingale, grazing reins, or side reins that restrict the horse from moving its head freely. These are significant drowning hazards that you should avoid. A halter, nylon, or bitless bridle are preferable options, but a well-oiled leather can also do the job. The only necessary gear for you is a safety helmet. It can help avoid getting hit by a churning hoof.
Never Swim Alone With Your Horse
Take a friend who has experience swimming with horses or hold a swim party with other riders. They can help you when you need some backup, but ensure you can swim in open waters and control your horse well.
Pay Attention To Your Equine
Give your horse time to adjust to buoyancy by slowly entering the water. Grab the mane or neck rope if you need something to hold on to. You may also need to keep a distance from others in the party to avoid collisions. This is why having a snaffle or hackamore with a milder direct-rein effect is necessary to steer your horse.
Don’t Overdo It
Swimming is physically exhausting for the horse and the rider, so you shouldn’t overdo it. Don’t let your horse get too tired in the middle of the deep water. It would be best if you ended the swim while it still has the energy to return to the bay – taking a break after 5 to 7 minutes of the swim is also a wise way to help it cool down and relax.
