Did you know you can swim with horses in Florida? This article will outline everything you need to know before you embark on this exciting adventure. The author did this in Bradenton, Florida.
1. Horses make weird sounds as they swim
Our guide had warned us about this before we set off on our swimming excursion, but I was still surprised by all the different sounds my horse made as she adjusted to being in the water. She seemed to breathe a little deeper and almost sounded like she had bad gas. The guide explained this was normal, as the horses adjusted to the pressure and temperature changes of being in the water.
2. There will be poop in the water…
As the horses slowly adjusted to being in the water quite a few of them went ahead and pooped too! This, again, was normal. Just be prepared for this, so you’re not surprised when horse poo floats by you on your swim!
3. It’s important to listen to the instructor and not impede the horse in any way
Your guide will give you a set of instructions on how to best manage your horse while riding and swimming. It is very important that you heed their instructions. The most important thing you should listen to is to NOT impede your horse in any way while they are swimming. Let them do their thing and gently guide them… don’t be yanking hard on their reins, or doing anything else that may disrupt their swimming.
4. Your horse won’t be swimming the entire time on a tour like this
Your horse will likely only be swimming with you on its back for short spurts of a few minutes, and then they’ll rest in shallower water. At least this is how my tour worked, and it seemed to work very well for the horses… they weren’t exhausted, and actually seemed to enjoy their little jaunts out into the water.
While the horses rested, our guide would then take some time to take our photos and give us back stories about the horses we were riding. Almost all of them were rescues, and they have some heartbreaking tales of the conditions they were living in before they came to live at C Ponies.
5. Be sure you wear fast-drying clothing + water shoes
So, I did not dress appropriately for this excursion as I did not realize I would literally be swimming! I wore jean shorts, a regular bra, and my new linen shirt. Ha!
Fortunately, my shirt dried quickly and worked fine for this tour, but jean shorts and a regular bra were so not a good idea! I should have opted for a pair of running shorts, paired with a swim top or sports bra and a rashguard-type shirt would have also been perfect for this!…