Horse afraid of water?

A month or two is really no time at all and if you are making progress with what you're doing, I wouldn't change a thing (and you right about being aggressive...that never works).

Thank you everyone....i don't think he really is afraid of water as much as it is the hose because he LOVES playin in the water trough

My horse is the same. Dx He swears it's some method of killing him. XD For baths I just use a wash cloth and ring it out a little then go over him that way. After he gets used to that I just keep more water on it and scrub him down.

Kawairashii-Thanx a bunch I will try that.......it might just work

No problem~! Hope it works~ >w< <3 :3

I hope so too.............:/

I think it is the noise of the water through the hose that causes anxiety therefore I start by getting them use to noise while grooming. I also have the luxury of warm water that is not as much a shock when you start wetting the legs.

Yeah I've tried that he just sees the hose or any water not in a bucket or trough as somthing that out to get him and yes sometimes that includes rain but not always

Lots of excellent advice.

I have cheap $3 brass nozzles from WalMart on the ends of my water hoses that I can quickly adjust the spray.

One of my horses likes a pretty heavy spray on his chest and that's where it ends; I have to lighten the spray for the rest of him and I sort of mist his tummy.

Another one doesn't like a heavy spray anywhere.

The other two don't care what I do for the most part unless they've got skin allergies and the heavy spray hurts.

Point-being the 3 yr old may not now or ever be comfortable with a a heavy spray hitting him. Since, as someone else mentioned, it is us humans that have decided horses need baths, we should accommodate them as much as we can while still teaching them to accept a bath in a mannerly fashion.

I do not use a water hose on anyone's face --- ever. It's a pain but the horse should not be subjected to being made to feel like he's going to drown, lose his eyesight and his hearing all at once by having a water hose flailing water around his face.

I really agree with letting the horse be loose, so he doesn't feel confined. Granted all horses should probably learn to stand in cross-ties but not for bathing when they are green.

My horses are all older, well-seasoned and will stand in cross ties but when I bath them, I bring them out in yard, drop the rope and nobody moves<-----that would be a yard full of grass and by moving I mean no one puts their head down to try and graze or walk off. They may do some weight shifting and head swinging going after a fly but they are content to stand still because that's how they have been taught.

Hope all the great posts are helpful

I can't use those brass nozzles, I don't like having to use 2 hands to adjust the spray (and I am not coordinated enough to do it with one) LOL.

This is the type of nozzle that I graduate to after they are calm with being sprayed.