Each end of year we have a Work for Rider’s end of year ride with an afternoon tea to finish. This year we had a lovely hot day, and Abi lead us up to the pond on one of our trails. We get up there and I see Abi instructing all the riders to take off their shoes and socks, saddles, and I am thinking this will be fun to watch! And it was. All the horses went into the pond and I saw Abi and Bash all but disappear into the deep water like real swimmers. Horses interestingly look almost like crocodiles when they swim with just their nostrils, eyes and ears on the surface of the water. They are strong swimmers and use their hooves to propel them through the water using a dog paddle action. As long as they dont panic horses can swim a long distance. In France in the Carmague they actually swim the horses in a herd across the waterways to get them in.
Looks like fun huh!!

Kate Tapley