Horse swimming: yea or neigh? Here's what to know before you ride your horse in water.

Everyone knows dogs can swim and cats hate water, but what about horses? One of the most famous horse swims (and auctions) in the U.S. is the pony swim from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island off the coast of Virginia, on the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July. Also known as a "pony penning," the 100th swim is already scheduled for July 30 and 31, 2025.

But these are wild ponies, so can horses swim, too?

Can horses swim?

“Yes, they can swim. They are not like fish, swimming is not something they do every day,” said Liz Newman, equine professional and CEO of Horse Homes by Bloodstock Ltd. “The main problem you have with introducing a horse to swimming is he doesn't know he can swim.”

However, horses quickly learn how to swim once they are in the water and can prevent themselves from drowning, similar to dogs, Newman said. 

When in the water, horses perform a paddle-type swim, similar to how horses trot on land, according to Volunteer Encounter. 

Horses can’t swim underwater, however, so they need to keep their heads above the water and be moving at all times. Their large lungs do help them stay afloat though, Horse Rookie reports. 

What are the benefits of horse swimming?

When athletes injure themselves, they typically do certain exercises or workouts to ease their muscles back into competitive shape. The same goes for horses, and swimming is one of the preventative measures that can be taken to get them into shape, Newman said. 

“When you swim you're not putting any weight on your joints — [horses] would need an enormous amount of galloping to achieve the same results as [they] can from swimming, and an enormous amount of galloping is going to create joint problems,” Newman said. 

Newman recommends introducing horses, healthy or injured, to a swimming regime in order to work the muscles and heart without the pressure that land work can cause on joints and tendons. 

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