Are you a dog person with horses or a horse person with dogs?

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BBP

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My post in the tack room about the horse for sale has made me realise that the major factor in me not getting another horse is not so much the money but the fact I have now got the dog. When we got him the idea was my partner would have him 90% of the time and he would be my partners dog really. But things change and life moves on, and now I look after the dog full time. Dog can’t accompany me to the yard so my time is split between dog, horses (mine plus care of three others split with my sister) and full time job. I feel bad leaving dog for more than a couple of hours at a time, which I’ve realised pretty much writes off any new horse. I don’t resent the dog at all, I adore the bones of him, and he has been the most incredible company during lockdown, but he is definitely affecting my horsey life, right after I moved to my own place with great hacking and facilities. Timing eh?!
Curious for those who have a dog that also can’t go with you to the yard, how do you fit it in, work, walking the dog, riding?
 
Always had a dog but I pretty much gave up horses when I got more into dog sport, I didn't have the time/money for both.
Don't really miss it that much and it's not like I'll forget how to do it. Also marginally less likely to get seriously injured/killed doing this, I had a couple of bad falls towards the end and the older you get, the more aware of your own mortality you become. Plus it's cheaper lol.
 
I’m a freelance groom, and I have a Jack Russell who thinks she is a princess. She comes to work with me all day, sleeps in the car if she needs to be out of the way, but mostly spends her days tottering about doing whatever it is that terriers do! Wouldn’t be without her, she’s my precious diva. Tho I guess I’m lucky that she behaves around the horses And she’s little enough to be happy to come in the car everyday ect. She likes it when I have lunch breaks and we go for nice walks! Wouldn’t have it any other way! Sooo I think I probably fall into the horse person with a dog, the thought of not having my dog feels like having my right arm chopped off!
 
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I’m not sure where I am these days. Always had dogs when living with parents, but always wanted a horse. Horse never happened until I was 30, and then work, size of house/garden meant a dog wasn’t possible. 18 years on, still have first horse, plus 2 more, and now 2 dogs. Neither dog is suitable to ride with, so if they come horses, they wait in car whilst I do jobs and then we go for walk. If I want to ride, they stay home, or OH comes with me to walk them. I do think, when my old girl (horse) goes, the 2 boys will be field ornaments. I think I’m older than you BBP, and my priorities have changed though. One of the boys is unridden anyway, and I don’t overly enjoy riding the other one. First time I’ve said that out loud ?. I love him, love spending time with him, he’s happy so will wait and see. Can’t see me not having and enjoying dogs ever again though.

Luna the husky is 100% around the horses, but prey driven, so can’t be off lead out and about. Bo, collie, absolutely fine off lead, but an ex worker, too bold around the horses and too much risk of getting a kick.
 
I still have the horse but farmed her out to my mother to look after! Combination of things really, going to university, then full time work and needy dogs, couldn't have done it solo in terms of workload or finance. I also found that dog sport was a lot cheaper and more accessible than horse sport, I rarely got to compete as a kid but the second somebody handed me a rosette for dog stuff it was a whole new world, LOL.

Weirdly I am finally in a place where I have time and money to spend on ponies again and have both suitable yard and suitable dog so I've almost come full circle, only none of my kit fits any more. ?
 
blackcob said:
I also found that dog sport was a lot cheaper and more accessible than horse sport, I rarely got to compete as a kid but the second somebody handed me a rosette for dog stuff it was a whole new world, LOL.
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I was never good enough to compete with horses and even if I had have been, I would never have had the funds or connections to go anywhere.
I like that, for example, in dogs, a postman can step out onto the world stage beside a professional trainer/handler, and have a chace of winning.
Professional leagues and prize money makes my teeth itch.
 
Think I'd classify myself as a carer. I seem to have a basic instinct to nurture both people and animals.
I've always had animals, mostly horses, dogs and cats, but also various small animals and injured birds.
Currently, the cats are pretty independent, the baby dove with a broken leg is now grown up with a mate and appears twice daily for food. The dogs are walked 2 or 3 times a day, sometimes coming out with the horse. The horse gets exercised once or twice a day depending on the weather.
My husband and I are both involved with exercising dogs and the horse which helps, but usually I can muck out, saddle up and ride in an hour if time is short.
 
misst said:
I was a horse person who had a dog but now I'm just a dog person :-)
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Same, had a horsey break at the usual time (final years of uni) and never had the time, money or inclination since. If I won the lottery and could have a swanky yard (and groom) I'd have a horse again but dogs are less hassle/mud.
 
CorvusCorax said:
I like that, for example, in dogs, a postman can step out onto the world stage beside a professional trainer/handler, and have a chace of winning.
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Absolutely, I feel like if you have a dog and a car you can have a fair crack at most of the dog stuff. I failed at the first hurdle with horses as we didn't have a box or trailer, they were just too expensive and that was that, and that's before you even think about the right horse and the right kit and the right connections. It was all pie in the sky stuff for a kid and her outgrown hairy pony.

Dogs cost less to run and are infinitely more portable. ?
 
Very much dog person, compete an awful lot in agility, had 6 dogs, now down to 3 but a pup on the way. Always wanted a horse though, usual story of parents didn't want me to ride, now moved to acreage so it became possible. Just had the horses for a year. They are supposed to be "Just for fun" though, hacking with husband, some lessons but not like I do the dogs. Luckily my husband has pretty much taken on their care whilst I do the dogs.
Must say the dogs are SO much more work than the horses though, mine are exercised at least 3×/day plus training, the horses just hang out in the paddock! Obviously the horses are way more expensive to feed, though :p
 
I think I'm a dog person with horses. I've ridden throughout my life off and on and always had a dog since my 20's. We had a pony when I was a child but I had a bad fall age 6 and got dragged and my sister was was much keener. Then my daughter turned out to be one of those little girls who is obsessed with horses, and it was a bit if you can't beat them...Between us we have 5 ponies and one on the way, downsized my house to buy the paddock I was renting and have a lovely dog. I adore small ponies, partly because I feel a bit sorry for them, most could do a lot more than is asked of them. I prefer driving, if I could only do one discipline I'd give up riding.
 
I'm both.

Horses felt like they were part of me from so far back. No one in my family was or is horsey so I was always the odd bean. Have tried not having them and ended up returning. Currently don't have a ridden horse. Titch is going to be re-backed come Spring and we'll see how he goes as I need a steady plod now. D1 may well get an ex-racer. Would be lovely to hack off the field into the forest.

Equally I can't imagine not having dogs. Would seem a bit like saying I'm going to give up breathing.
 
MrsMozartletoe said:
I'm both.

Horses felt like they were part of me from so far back. No one in my family was or is horsey so I was always the odd bean. Have tried not having them and ended up returning. Currently don't have a ridden horse. Titch is going to be re-backed come Spring and we'll see how he goes as I need a steady plod now. D1 may well get an ex-racer. Would be lovely to hack off the field into the forest.

Equally I can't imagine not having dogs. Would seem a bit like saying I'm going to give up breathing.
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I think I could have written that. You've summed it up beautifully.
 
I was interested in this thread as I have never considered as to whether I was a horse OR dog person. Both have featured in my entire life and I wouldn’t like to say which I love the most.
My family always had a dog and I had a pony of my own from age 12 although my parents knew nothing of horses.
Although trained as a school teacher, my life became horses, schooling and teaching but our horses were at home and we always had at least two dogs.
Living alone now and moving to be near my daughter , I no longer ride, deciding to stop as the horse that should have come with me had a tragic accident and died. My dogs are my companions but I am lucky to be involved on a daily basis with my daughter and son in laws horses and my two grandchildren’s ponies who are just down the road.
OP, I think the question in your post is really how to cope with both if the dog can’t go to the yard. Such a difficult decision, one I never had to make, my horses were at home but in a different situation I couldnt go to a yard where my dog couldn’t come.
 
I’m a horse person that has dogs. If I’m honest I find actual dog walking a bit boring, unless it’s with someone else. Luckily I can take mine with me so don’t have to take them on a proper
Walk all the time. When I had dogs I couldn’t,‘it was just something I did because I had to, rather than something I liked doing.
 
I can't quite imagine life without either tbh. Horses are completely integral to my daily life and have been for so long that I don't quite know who or how I would be without them!! I enjoy the work, find them totally fascinating and still feel that there is not enough time in the universe for all the things I would still like to learn and achieve (I am 50). Horses have been very great friends to me over my life and have provided the setting for adventures, personal challenges, emotional support and social fun.

However I do know that it is technically possible and financially beneficial to live without horses - there are many ways to enjoy them without the work, responsibility and heartache of owning them. Dogs however, I do not think I could enjoy life, as the person I know myself as, without. If I absolutely had to choose one or other I would choose to keep a dog. Cheap, easy to keep, portable, easy to live life around (usually!) and the most wonderful friends and companions in many many times and places. (After all you cannot share the bed or the sofa with a horse very easily...). I am not a very good dog trainer and have no 'ambitions' as such with any dog and have no particular desire to 'share' the experience of dog ownership in the way that I have with horses - there are no social imperatives for me!! I just love having a dog by my side and hope that whatever life throws at me that I can keep a dog till I drop!! At that moment I hope I will be reunited with the dogs (and horses) that have gone before; that is my idea of 'heaven' if you like. :)
 
I feel more drawn to horses and as the only horse person in my city-living family that's got to have come from some internal drive as there was no outside influence to encourage it! But I'm probably better overall at training dogs than I am horses.

I like other people's horses but am generally not so keen on other people's dogs!

So yeah. I'm going with horse person. But if you asked me to choose between giving up my own horses and giving up my own dogs (at gun point obviously), I'd keep the dogs! Just think the horses could be happy with someone else whereas the dogs are much more attached to me. I can imagine coping with moving the horses on but the dogs going elsewhere would just be awful.

Horse person but more likely to own a dog. ?
 
Horse person first, we always had dogs growing up but knew I didn't have time for horses and dogs so horses came first. Ended up with loads of cats and actually I think I'm a horse + cat person now, though still would love a dog of my own at some point!
 
Chiffy said:
I was interested in this thread as I have never considered as to whether I was a horse OR dog person. Both have featured in my entire life and I wouldn’t like to say which I love the most.
My family always had a dog and I had a pony of my own from age 12 although my parents knew nothing of horses.
Although trained as a school teacher, my life became horses, schooling and teaching but our horses were at home and we always had at least two dogs.
Living alone now and moving to be near my daughter , I no longer ride, deciding to stop as the horse that should have come with me had a tragic accident and died. My dogs are my companions but I am lucky to be involved on a daily basis with my daughter and son in laws horses and my two grandchildren’s ponies who are just down the road.
OP, I think the question in your post is really how to cope with both if the dog can’t go to the yard. Such a difficult decision, one I never had to make, my horses were at home but in a different situation I couldnt go to a yard where my dog couldn’t come.
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It’s not that he isn’t allowed to come, it’s my own yard, he just isn’t good with horses. I made a mistake somewhere and he just wants to run at them and get himself killed, so although he goes up there to train in a different field, I can’t combine the two activities.

I certainly couldn’t say which I love more, horse or dog. The dog is a very soppy cuddly adoring kind of love between us. BBP isn’t cuddly, but is so full of intelligence and energy and joy for life (he is really a border collie in a horse body) that I adore everything about him. They both make me smile every day. But I think at heart I’m a horse person. I like most horses whereas dogs other than my own I’m pretty unbothered about, so I’m not a true dog person in that regard.
 
Always had a dog, was always obsessed by horses but didn’t get into it properly until later in life. Now that Beau is quite doddery, I’m constantly debating whether I should get another when he goes. I’m not sure I want to ride, but I can’t imagine not having a horse. Given it would need to be at a livery, I’m not sure I can justify it. I just don’t know what to do, plus I’m a massive wuss with unknown horses since the accident. I’ll always have dogs.
 
Dog person that has horses....
No horse person that has dogs.

Uhm. Can I pick both?

Honestly I cant imagine my life without either really. For me they go hand in hand. We farm, so horses are at home on the far, as are dogs, so every morning I walk dogs whilst feeding horses and every evening the same. I also run the German Shepherd canicross three times a week and try to ride with my daughter three times a week. Everything seems to fit at the moment however if I worked 37.5hrs instead of part time things might be different! In that scenario I guess I'd be a dog person with a horse because it'd be the horse I'd rough off not my canine pursuits.

I think.. :D
 
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