LEARNING TO SHOWER
Some horses love water, and others don't at all, that's a fact!
Showering is generally introduced during a young horse's training, especially in conjunction with minor injuries treated by young foals. Another key event that necessitates showering young foals is castration. However, it's not after the operation is over that you should start teaching them how to shower as well!
Choosing the right place to learn how to shower
When teaching your horse to shower, choose your location carefully. Depending on your horse's temperament and emotional state, the water may run for a while at first. The ground must be non-slip, and your horse should be able to move around freely without bumping into or injuring itself on any dangerous elements in the environment. Ideally, choose an area with a wall or hedge as a backdrop, and position yourself with your back to it.
Principles of withdrawals and approach
Here we are working in the Trust module, and you will apply the principles of withdrawal and approach with a keen understanding of your horse's body language. Use withdrawal frequently to reinforce the exact behavior you wish to achieve: staying close to you (Connection), asking questions (Connection), remaining still (Relaxation), and then finding relaxation (Relaxation).
What is not allowed
- Pass between you and the wall/hedge: It is absolutely impossible, and very dangerous, to let your horse go behind you and over the water pipe several times, especially if it is spring-loaded.
- Also, do not let your horse walk on loops of the water hose if it is lying on the ground: The equipment must absolutely be stored behind you if it is either on the floor or on a stand. Ideally, the shower should be stored on a rack.
- Do not tie up your horse for shower training: You will need to give him some distance and make sure he doesn't feel trapped if he is scared and you have timing errors in your withdrawals.
- Having unsuitable attachment points for horses: As a reminder, an equine is tethered at a point above the height of its withers (Click here to access the course on Attachment
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In all learning, remember:
You don't do things FOR YOUR HORSE, but TO HELP YOUR HORSE!
Make this moment comfortable
Use comfortable grooming brushes. Take your time and don't rush. And perhaps try to do this training when the weather starts to get warm, as cool water will be much more appreciated.
Example of a BEFORE/AFTER comparison:
What moves horses
- the sound of water starting in the pipe, especially if there was air present and there were loud, somewhat surprising hissing noises
- the movement of the pipe
- to be touched by the pipe
- the movement of the water and the fact that the water is coming towards the horse
- Water contact: be careful with water jets that can be very cold, unpleasant during temperature changes, or with jets that come out of the hose too powerfully, causing a stinging/burning sensation, even in a rain setting. Test the jet on your hand before applying it to your horse.
The stages of learning
The pipe
Invite your horse to come towards you while you hold the hose like a rope in front of your belly. Then invite your horse to smell and touch the hose.
Only after he has touched it several times and shown signs of relaxation (chewing, horizontal neck, blinking eyes, relaxed tail, etc.) should you begin moving the tube along his body as if you were swatting a fly. Be mindful of your energy and focus here so as not to send the intention of moving your horse.
Once your horse has touched the pipe, its lateral movement is generally accepted quite quickly.
Stroke your horse's neck, then shoulder, then back, then front legs with the hose. This is where it's crucial to be particularly attuned to your horse's tolerance levels. As soon as you approach to touch him with the hose, any lingering gaze or any sensation of his body beginning to move away should prompt you to back away before repeating the previous steps: drawing him towards you, letting him smell, letting him touch his nose, and only then returning to his neck to stroke him.
This step is really important, and many horses that are hosed down anyway still exhibit stress and avoidance behaviors because this type of step has been neglected. We can all make this mistake, myself included, sometimes with horses we think are trusting but who are actually holding back out of obedience, without truly accepting it. If your horse pivots when you go towards his hindquarters, or hides his flank by bending his neck, it means there are steps he isn't accepting.
Turn the water on and off
This step needs to be repeated often, and I will use positive reinforcement for horses particularly sensitive to this type of noise. Treats will reinforce the desire to develop an understanding of what we are trying to do FOR our horse, and courage can be built up.
Reward a look, a desire to lower the neck, a step forward followed by chewing, etc.
Water the flowers, the hedge or the wall
This step teaches the horse not to fear the moving jet of water or the associated noises. Water the shower wall, clean it, water your plants, and act nonchalantly. You want this situation to be commonplace and normal for your horse, so act the same way so that he mimics your energy and state of mind.
Do this with your back to your horse, the jet of water also going in the opposite direction to your horse. When you're well advanced at this stage, you can then do it with the jet of water going parallel to your horse, still heading towards a specific object, even if your horse moves away from the jet at that moment. Repeat several times!
When you can water even just the ground with a jet parallel to your horse, both to the left and to the right, about 20-30cm away from him, then you can move on to the next step.
Shower the chest and shoulder
Many people start with the limbs. This can be done with a well-trained horse that doesn't have any particular issues with being hosed down, but when training, don't begin with an upward movement. This type of movement is an attack on a frightened horse. Start with the chest and shoulder, wet, remove, wet, remove, and repeat as long as your horse moves. This is where you'll need the most skill in terms of touch with the rope and timing in reading your horse's efforts to apply the pull at the right moment. The primary goal is stillness.
Acceptance of the chest and shoulder gives you access to the neck, withers, back and croup.
We will finish with the limbs and belly, and perhaps in 3 or 4 sessions depending on the emotional state of your horse.
Shower the limbs
The limbs must be taught from top (shoulder) down, and only then will you develop the confidence part by making several passes of the water jet from the ground towards the limbs and back again to return better.
If your horse flees from the water jet coming from the ground, repeat several times a movement coming from the upper body and going down towards the limbs.
Video footage of Kiss'Swing, 2 years old, and Griotte, 5 years old, each discovering our new shower area under construction in their own way
To see Griotte's video and easy solutions to common shower problems, click here:
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