Horses have been swimming since the beginning of their existence. Some go in the water merely to cool down, others because it feels good on achy joints and yet others just because it’s fun.

Aquatic therapy has been used on race and show horses for decades as their trainers know that having them swim will enhance their performance as well as aid in the healing of injuries. There are several types of pools that can be used: A straight pool with ramps on both ends, a curved pool which would have more swimming distance with ramps on each end or a treadmill enclosed in a waterproof container.

The Treadmill

This is the best situation if you need to target a specific problem as the water can be raised to specific levels. The higher the water level the more range of motion for the joints beneath the surface. Therefore, if a horse had hock issues you’d want to raise the water to the tops of his legs or at least the belly. If your swimming equine had only fetlock problems then the water level need only be up to his knees. The more buoyant the horse’s limb the more it will flex and move the leg, exercising the limbs to aid in conditioning and healing.

This type of aquatic therapy is especially helpful to heal a fractured limb because when the horse’s limb is removed from the cast, gentle, non-impact exercise will return the limb to full function.

The Swimming Pool

This is a great means of conditioning a horse for any performance sport. It will take some time to acclimate the horse to the pool as it’s not the same as leading a horse into a box and then filling it with water. You actually have to condition the horse to believe the pool isn’t a scary thing. Have you ever had to work with teaching a horse to walk over a stream? This can be far more challenging! It can easily be done with lots of patience and positive reinforcement training, though. The more positive the approach the more fun your horse will have and the more he will look forward to doing it again.

A Lake

Taking your horse into a lake is lots of fun, especially if you’re on your horse! Usually a pebbly lake bed is safest as you know it’s not just thick silt, risking getting stuck.

It’s best to remain in a fairly shallow area, no deeper than your horse’s tummy. Walking around will offer your horse great exercise and/or joint relief as well as a refreshing ride for you. Should you become very daring, and want your horse to actually swim, make certain that he won’t become frightened of losing his footing, which can cause many horses to panic. Do it in very small increments and allow your horse to leave the water, should he feel the need to do so.