Azalais
Message:
30928
27 Aug 04 12:15 PM
Reply To:
30920
General Audience
Read-Only
Erin posted the following very useful reply over on the H-A list, so I hope she won't mind me cross-posting it here:
Hmm, high-water river crossings ... In a word, if it's deep enough
for the horse to swim, it's dangerous. If its deep enough to get the
rider's legs wet, it's dangerous I've been in water up to my hips
and so has my hubby - it's very scary, very risky, and I've seen pack
mules swept downstream, when they lost their footing in high water.
(Thankfully these lived - but other times they did not.)
Anywho, let's see ... If the water is deep enough for the horses to
walk - albeit with water up over the rider's feet or knees - you can
risk staying in the saddle. However, take off stuff like heavy
coats/weapons and tie it on the back of the saddle or put it on a
pack horse. It may get wet, but better than you drowning under the
sodden weight of armor, leather, wool and whatever. You do not bunch
together while crossing; safest to go single-file, else a horse
losing its footing may collide with another and even paw him under.
Also, if the first guy gets across safely, you know the rest can
cross there, too, without dropping into a deep hole. Look for a
place to cross that has ripples, as that will be shallower and
probably have a stony, firm bottom. Don't try to cross where the
water runs deep and smooth, as the current may be wickedly
treacherous.
Now, if you have no choice but to swim the crossing, if it's snowmelt
flood, say your prayers. ;-) Pick a spot without big rocks poking
up and with an easy bank to climb out the other side - bearing in
mind you may wash up two or three hundred yards downstream of your
entrance to the water. Again, remove all weapons and heavy
clothing. You ride only until the horse sinks to start swimming -
then you *must* slide off into the water and hold onto the saddle.
This enables the horse to swim freely, without your weight up there
throwing his balance off and pushing him down. If a horse starts
panicking, whatever you do, don't get in front of him, as he will
happily paw you under in his frenzy to find solid ground.
Swimming rivers, *especially* during spring thaw, scares hell out of
me, if you haven't guessed by now. *G*
Anywho, for simplicity in your story, perhaps you would consider your
characters finding a nice stony-bottomed ford, where the stream
widens out and becomes a bit shallower. There they could cross in
greater safety, and while they may end up in water up to the rider's
knees or thighs, the horses are not actually swimming and the whole
thing stays a little safer/calmer. They'll be cold and wet when they
come out, and the humans' feet will be freezing, (getting off to walk
a while is very helpful) but they should make it safely.
If I'd seen her query here, I'd have done the same. Thanks for beating me to it. Hope it is useful!
Cheers ~
Erin
