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Discussion on Why do horses paw in water
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Member:
Gingin
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Posted on Sunday, Mar 20, 2005 - 2:11 pm:
Hi there,
yesterday during a lovely long trail ride, my mare, ONCE AGAIN, when we rode through a stream, started violently pawing at the water and would not stop or move forward. She also likes to stick her muzzle, almost all the way up to her eyes  into the water. She does this pawing thing every time we actually ride in rivers or streams but not when crossing smaller creeks and it does not matter how deep the water is. She has not really tried to lay down in the water. Can anyone tell me why horses do this?
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Member:
Vickiann
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Posted on Sunday, Mar 20, 2005 - 5:26 pm:
Sometimes they just seem to be having fun and the pawing often kicks water up under their belly, which probably feels good. If she is sticking her muzzle in the water up to her eyes she is apparently not afraid -- more curious. All of my horses have done this pawing at one time or another and sometimes my paint horse will even do it on the wash rack for the same reason I think they do it in a body or water. It is playful and enjoyable behavior and helps them to cool off.}
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Sunday, Mar 20, 2005 - 6:40 pm:
Christine, my horses are ''duck'' influenced.. they all love water.. we have a ravine that runs thru the pastures, they all like to stand, belly deep in it looking for green shoots of grass in the bottom.. yup,head to the bottom only the ears are out of water... ALSO, my gelding and his full sister love to lay in the water.. they will lay down covered by the water rushing over 'em with their heads up...i have had to resort to roping off the ravine in the winter, to keep them out of it... oh.. this year my yearling was introduced to it by her babysitter( the one that likes to lay in it).. at first the yearling was afraid of the moving water till she saw the babysitter lay down in it.. that is all it took, she NOW loves water and will lay in it...
its really fun to watch...
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with SPOTS..
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Member:
Alden
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Posted on Sunday, Mar 20, 2005 - 9:12 pm:
Yup, my mare likes to make water fly! If I don't want to get soaked I have to keep her moving. I let her drink, but we move on once she starts pawing.
I wouldn't worry about the pawing, but not moving forward when asked is a problem. I'd work on that and let her paw on her time.
Good day,
Alden
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Mar 20, 2005 - 11:54 pm:
Just watch out. I've been fooled by horses having a great time pawing, and all of a sudden I've felt my knees getting wet as she starts rolling and starts doing the breast stroke...or dog paddle (horse paddle?)
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Member:
Dyduroc
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Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 7:42 am:
Christine, I second Sara's caution. The woman I ride with has a mare that paws at water which means she's getting ready for a swim! The mare doesn't go down as long as she's moving forward, so I'd work on this as Alden suggests.
D.
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Member:
Imogen
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Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 7:44 am:
Currently I've three mares with me and all three go down and stand in the stream every day and paw - and it's cold and rainy so it certainly ain't cooling off. It is definitely a mare thing, and once they learn to do it it can be hard to break them of the habit.
Once on a charity ride going along a riverbed in January my mare started this, so I borrowed a stick from the person next to me and whacked her to get her going forward. She shot out of the river up the bank but not quite... I fell off, surfaced from the river to see my mare's a*** descending on my head.
This it the only time I have ever thought horses might be the death of me... but we survived fine, I got up and completed the ride and was offered a free day's hunting with the hunt organising the ride as a result!
So basically, don't let them get the habit...
Imogen
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Member:
Gingin
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Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 8:33 am:
Thanks very much to all of you!!!
Now I know that a) my mare is normal  , b) if I keep letting her do that,eventually I WILL get soaked and c) that the moving forward thing is really something I need to work on (last time I kept wacking her with my reins ("cowboy-style" side to side over her neck)...and she moved maybe an inch at a time and then pawed again...
I will do some practicing next weekend!
Thanks again to everyone for the great responses!
Christine
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Member:
Jojo15
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Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 10:27 am:
my mare always paws before she rolls. But, she was trained well and while she also paws the water she has never gone down on me. Under saddle she wouldn't dare go down. I just don't know how they teach it. But it can be done.
As an aside though, when we are riding and its hot, i have pulled the saddle off her, jumped back on and gone for a swim. what a hoot. and they love it... just watch out for gators.... ;)
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Member:
Annes
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Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 12:15 pm:
Two of my geldings and mare all paw in the pond several times each day in warm weather. They lay down totally submerged except eyes and ears and even swim in the deepest part. My youngest gelding is still in the "watch and see" stage and stands within splashing range. I do have a cute story to share. This same mare had a foal 12 years ago and the first day the mare & foal were let out of the barn the first thing the mare did was go straight for the pond. The 3-day old foal went right in the water before her mother and laid down. Then she got up and started splashing. This foal had never seen a horse do this before but must have learned it from her mother doing this while carrying her. I will always remember how cute this was. I am careful when riding them through water because I do believe they would lay down with me and the saddle.
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Member:
Vickiann
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Posted on Monday, Mar 21, 2005 - 10:06 pm:
It's not just a mare thing because all my geldings have done it. Go with the flow and have fun but DO BE READY -- if you feel your horse bending to go downward, pull him/her back up (I've never had any problem doing this and I'm no expert rider) and you shouldn't get anything more than your feet wet!
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