Re: RC: Water crossing

["C.M.Newell" <reshan@deyr.ultranet.com>]

My stallion's first water crossing was on a pleasure ride hosted by the
local Arab club.
We came to the water--a wide shallow stream with a good gravel base for the
most part, but to our left, an expanse of marsh grass that looked like a lawn.
I asked Brigade to walk in, and he kept sidling over to the left, obviously
thinking we could go around the water. He made a break for the "grass",
sank to his knees, panicked, and jumped sideways over to the better
footing,  lost his balance, and somehow, we both ended up in the water. We
got up separately, wet but unharmed. I got back on and we proceeded forward.
On the return loop, we had to cross the same stream in a different place.
B. stopped, and I put my leg on him to send him forward. He turned his head
and fixed me with a look that clearly said, "If I don't walk through this,
you're going to throw me in again, aren't you?". I said "Yes", and he let
out a deep sigh, and calmly walked through the water crossing.
When we got back to base, everyone wanted to know why we were all wet and
muddy. I explained that, having forgotten to bring a sponge, I was obliged
to toss the horse in on a string.

He's never been a problem crossing water since--including a river fording
necessary in part of the local hunt territory which is sometimes nearly
swimming depth.
				--CMNewell


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