Terrified by the hose... - Grooming - Grooming - Horse Community, Horse Pictures, Horse Forum and Information

Posted : 6/28/2011 10:56:24 PM

My three year old is absolultly terrified of the water hose, and walking through water, oh my, you would think that its lava. I'm working on the walking through water and we have made good&nbsp

rogress, but he is so so dirty. When I go out to take off his fly mask i have to wash the dirt caked on my hands off when I get back in the house. I have a suspicion that he might have been beaten with a water hose when he was a baby (he was abused) and I have tried just taking him out wetting his feet (which is actually kinda funny, he looks like a cat kind of when the water first hits him he jumps and if he had more fur it would stand on end LOL) then putting him back and just doing that over and over but there is no progress there, at all. I have been doing that for two weeks and I haven't been able to get any higher than his knees before he starts freaking out and pulling back.
My main question is, is there an alternative to bathing just to get him a little cleaner? I heard of using baby wipes once, does that work?
and the obvious underlying question, any suggestions about the fear of the water hose?

thanks guys!

hunterseat

Posted : 6/28/2011 11:11:21 PM

One thing that worked for Dani is this: I would put the hose directly in her path and she would run herself into it. [ ':D'

]
I think you're on the right path, starting with the feet. Lots and lots of time.....

samsara

Posted : 6/29/2011 12:30:55 AM

Have you tried a hose of a different color? [8D] No, seriously though I worked with some horses that were abused with a black hose and they wouldn't let you get near them with one. But they were fine with green hoses.
As far a temporary cleaning options... how is he with fly spray and spray bottles? They sell waterless shampoo to use for spot cleaning or for use in winter when it's too cold to bathe with water. You just spray it on and wipe off.

tripleluckyprince

Posted : 6/29/2011 3:46:23 AM

lol i kinda wish i could just hold him down and wet him til he likes it but he kinda out weighs me by like...850 pounds i'm guessing

a hose of a different color...lol no i didn't think to try that...perhaps i will next time, i use a grey hose most of the time to bath them, but i have a red one and a green one i could use too, the grey one is just more convieniant...[ ':D'

]
He is totally fine with being sprayed from a bottle, i didn't know they make those! i'll have to go to the tack store...[>:] I love going there but I always leave broke [>:]

thanks! I'll let you know how the different colored hose thing works lol

Connie

Posted : 6/29/2011 3:47:13 PM

I have always preferred bathing a horse with bath hot water and a BIG bath sponge (I prefer natural sponges). Bathe with horse shampoo or a baby shampoo (gentle, no tears, hence, no burning eyes). Bathe, rinse, scrape with a scraper. Run your hands down the legs to remove the water. Towel him off, and try to keep him out of the dirt until he dries. The head is usually the hardest place to do, so you might want to settle for doing it with a damp towel. No soap in the eyes, and be careful of water around the ears and he should be fine. It helps if you have someone to hold him the first times.

If you don't have a mixer faucet to attach your hose to, he might just be objecting to the cold bath. Some critters just do not like a cold shower.

Hope this gives you an alternative method of cleaning him.

tripleluckyprince

Posted : 6/29/2011 3:59:53 PM

hmm...I didn't think about the cold water...ours is river water so its pretty cold right now...
Diablo doesn't like his face sprayed so i do his with a wash cloth anyway,
havent tested the hoses yet it was windy yesteday

thanks everyone!

danastark

Posted : 7/2/2011 5:11:01 PM

Used to be able to attach a hose to my laundry room sink to get warm water but not now so trying to figure that one out.....

Right now, all but the leopard spot pony begs to be hosed off in our hot weather ':)'