Re: Water evasion

[DVeritas@aol.com]

Way to go.  
I have read these "water evasion" posts with some interest and you finally
used the word I was waiting to see, "Forward...".
I have a canal between my barn and my arena.  Every horse must learn to cross
it when asked.  
   The truth is, they must GO FORWARD when asked.  Whether it is across water,
across railroad tracks, into a trailer,...wherever.
   Going forward when asked is my goal.
    I, too, use the "wait them out method"...face the (water, or whatever) and
quietly, but insistently, taking as long as it takes, teach the horse to go
forward (if your horse does not really trust you, THAT particular lesson must
come first.)
    Teaching a horse to truly trust you is PARAMOUNT in getting a reliable
mount.  Do that, and your horse will GO FORWARD when you ask, 'cause they
trust you and know you would never put them in a hazardous predicament.
    Anyway, that's what the horses have told me.

     Frank.   (There have been some canyon rims in the dark that when my horse
says, 
                  "No, we shouldn't go forward here", I have listened to
him....but, that's a bit
                  different.)