Can horses swim?
In many books you can read how horses cross rivers, bathe in lakes or even swim in the sea. In fact, horses are not born swimmers, but they can move around in water.
Swim like horses
Like almost all mammals, they too can Horses to stay afloat by nature. Horses move under water by, similar to dogsrow your legs. Often the front and rear legs do not move synchronously. When swimming, the entire body is under water, the hind legs are usually lower than the front legs. Of course, it is also uncomfortable for horses if they get water in their noses or ears. Therefore, they protect them by pulling up their upper lip - the animals look as if they are grinning. So no water gets into the nostrils, although only the head is above water.
Swimming as training and therapy
Running and swimming underwater is a great way for horse owners to help the horse strengthen its muscles without the burden of its weight. In equine clinics, for example, treadmills or swimming pools that are under water are used. This enables horses that have been standing in hanging harness for a long time after a leg injury or have been resting in the box, for example, to build up muscles again to support the body, which weighs around 600 kilograms.
A swimming pool is also used for race horses. This must be deep enough - around 3 meters - and equipped with a non-slip entrance and exit. Even in ancient times, horses were sent to swim training. The ancient Romans trained their horses for war missions in so-called horse pools.
This is how you can swim with your horse
To go swimming with your horse you should know it very well. Of course, you should be a confident swimmer yourself. Take it easy. First of all, you can ride along the banks of a lake. There are also horses that are afraid of water. These cannot and should not force you to go into the water, as panic can be fatal for you and the animal.
However, you can try to get the animals used to the water with regular showers. Use only a bridle or halter, not a saddle, for swimming. Firstly, it is unnecessary weight and, secondly, the material would suffer a lot. You can use a neck strap to hold onto in the water.
A horse that does not obey its rider can quickly endanger him and himself ...
If you now go into the water, as soon as the horse loses the ground under its feet, it is advisable to get off and swim over it. Hold on to the neck and be careful not to get hit by the horse's legs. Although in some pictures the riders remain seated on the horse, you should get off the horse at the beginning, otherwise you could push the horse under water with your weight. With practice, you too can carefully try to stay on horseback. It is beneficial if you go into the water in a group that also includes experienced "seahorses". Swimming together strengthens the trust between horse and rider and is a nice cool down, especially in summer.
