Conference noted::equitation

    It's called persistence and patience...You should take the horse
    yourself with a halter, longe line, assistant and whip. Make sure
    the assistant is someone who is experienced and not afraid of the
    horse since this will transmit itself to the horse.
    
    Put the chain of the longe line over the horse's nose and lead him
    to the water.  If he starts to balk before you approach it,
    let him stand still and calm down, encourage him to walk forward
    and if you need help, have the assistant gently tap the hindquarters or
    hocks until he moves on.  At the water, insist that he walk through
    calmly.  If he tries to leap, give a sharp tug on the longe line
    and tell him no.  After he goes through the water, praise him,
    give him a carrot, then walk back and do it again.  Keep doing this
    until he is so bored that he finally goes through calmly, then quit.
    Try this with him a couple of days in a row until you feel ready
    to ride him over it.
    (I realize things are never this simple, but for the sake of the
    discussion, this is what you want to aim for)
    
    You must insist that he listen to you and not leap across.  Eventually
    you want to have him on a loose lead and following you across. 
    You should also be the one to ride him through the water, back and
    forth until he is calm, before you attempt to have your husband
    try it.  By having your husband on him, makes the horse think there
    is something he should be afraid of.

    You mentioned in your note that the stream had mud on either side
    of it.  This might be why your horse is leaping.....to avoid stepping
    in the mud (and the water too if it has a murky look to it).
    In my experience, it's harder to get a horse confident about stepping
    into muddy or sloppy footing than crossing just water with a nice
    clear sandy bottom.  Maybe you could find a narrow stream that is
    nice and clear with a sandy bottom (and no mud on either side)...this
    may encourage him to put his foot down in it rather than leap over
    it.         
    
    Good luck.....
    
    Jeannie

    
    	Hi...
    
    	I agree with the last note... maybe it may be the mud.  When
    	I was first traning Cody, he did the same - 40 foot jumps..
    	
    	I took him to a CLEAR stream (and no mud) and we stood there
    	until he started playing in the wat and drank.  I then 
    	encoraged him to move in he did.... but with only two feet -
    	but that was a start.  Within two weeks he would go in - but
    	you must take your time and I let him think that itwas his
    	idea -not mine that made him go in.
    
    	Everytime the horse goes to jump over the stream - jus approach
    	it slowe
    	This may not work with yours but take your time.... if you do,
    	you may very well win!
    	I ca't use whips with Cody - he is very trusting and if I start
    	to use force - he will jus block out everything and get scared
    	and that gets us both nowhere.
    
    	Susan 

    It is important in training a horse that balks at water to use every
    opportunity to overcome his fear. Ride through every puddle, stream mud
    patch or pond you can find and reward your horse for the slightest bit
    of progress he makes. Start with water that is less threatening
    than the creek on your property; something that has very good footing
    around and under it. Introduce him to mud separately. The more and
    different experiences with water you get your horse through ( and
    reward him each time) the less trouble you will have in future. 

    Thanks for all the great suggestions!  We'll start practicing as
    soon as I get home tonight!  The only problem with living in SC
    is that there is no such thing as a "clear stream"!  Red clay abounds
    down here for soil, so I guess we'll have to learn to tromp thru
    the mud. :v)
    
    Thanks again,
    Jeanne

In the Linda Tellington-Jones videotape "Starting a Young Horse"
(which I rented from the Dover Saddlery in Wellesley), she pays close
attention to teaching a horse to keep its distance from its handler
when being led, especially useful for situations where the horse is
nervous. 

She had an interesting, very sensible theory about why a horse tends
to jump ON the person who is leading it across water:  the horse can
see that the ground is safe where YOU're standing, so that's where it
wants to stand too.  Stepping on you or knocking you down is, of
course, incidental. 

Michelle
Medway, Mass.

    Better late than never.  Just though I would add my two
    cents.  I have always found that almost any horse can be backed
    into water.  I have tried this on many occasions and it has never
    failed.
    
    Once your horse has established the I won't go attitude turn
    him around and slowly back toward the water.  Once his back legs
    touch stop and praise him.  If he is backed in far enough turn
    him around slowly.  Presto all four legs are wet and the great
    water monster has not killed him yet.  
    
    I do agree that muddy vs. clear water seems to make most horses
    more fearful, but I strongly believe that the more frequent your
    trips through any water the more placid the animal will become
    with each encounter.
    
    Karen