Re: RC: Norco Riverdance 50 swimming pool

[BMcCrary27@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/5/99 2:49:04 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
sweaney@lightspeed.net writes:

<< My mare leaps to the left, goes back down, comes up, lunges, and off into 
the water I go!  She starts swimming fast and the first thing I do is grab 
her tail and a-skiing I go!  As she continued bucking and lunging and dog 
paddling all I could think was, "don't kick me and pleaseohpleaseohplease 
stop soon!   >>


Many years ago I attended a trail ride that had timed obstacles on it.  One 
of the obstacles was a deep river crossing that the horse HAD to swim.  The 
first year was a disaster: the horse came straight up in the water, 
dogpaddling, and lo and behold, swam right out of his saddle.  Wet horse + 
slippery back + loose cinch = saddle with rider still sitting in it, floating 
down the river.  It was hysterical.  The next year I was ready for this.  I 
took my feet out of the stirrups, and as soon as the horse hit the water I 
floated on the surface of the water, above the saddle, hanging on to the 
horse's mane.  Now a horse will usually lower his head against the pull on 
his mane thus keeping his body lower in the water.  He won't be as likely to 
go vertical and dog paddle.  It worked like a charm, and as horse and I 
emerged from the water on the opposite side, I put my feet back in the 
stirrups and away we went.  Oh, yes, remember to steer the horse with a 
direct rein, very lightly.  Don't neck rein as you can tip him over on his 
side in the water.  Just use a very light direct rein to keep him going the 
direction you want.

Barbara McCrary
Quoted from experience


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