Attacked by a border collie on a hack!

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Ranyhyn

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It was utterly terrifying.

Oh no hang on it wasn't! ;)

While out riding Ed during the week, we hacked past the local farm house, complete with wired collie running up and down the wall. As we sidled past the collie jumped down off the wall and took a distinct favour to Ed's fluffy feathers.

I stopped Ed (moving target and a collie isn't really a good idea) and levelled my schooling whip in said dogs face and shouted (in true welsh style)

"Get and cwtch in yer bed yer bad dog!". With a hop skip and a jump border collie ran back off to his wall to consider life, and the world in general while giving me a very sheepish look :)

The motto of this story:

A dog WILL chase a moving horse. So stop. Most dogs will listen to a human being. So talk to it. And screaming/shouting/getting panicky never helps any situation so try and keep calm.

Had I trotted off screaming I could be telling you a different story, but using a little common sense, mixed in with a little dog sense - goes a long way.

*disclaimer - I know this isn't true for every situation but I think it can help in a lot of situations!
 
My Welsh is obviously not up to scratch!! I had a collie launch onto the haunches of a 2yr old TB whilst we were out walking and trotting. Had no chance of getting the horse to stop as the dog had sunk it's teeth in. A HUGE amount of Aussie/UK swearing and trying to belt it with my whip and the horse bucking and cavorting around it let go. I was most pissed off as the owner was stood in his garden and didn't think to call the dog back. Anyway their garden was left with huge holes in it for about 24 months - I smiled everytime I rode passed. Also the dog in question barks madly when ever a horse passes. I smile again at 5.45am!!!!!
 
In my situation if I stop which I have many a times in the past, it stays at your feet, right infront of horses feet constantly barking. It doesnt stop and wont move. The owners rarely come out. If I talk to it, no good it carries on, its ridiculous.
 
Love it! I tend to keep moving (at a walk) on the basis that most dogs will get bored and baulk when they come up close enough to realise how big the horse is, and that the horse is less likely to kick the dog if walking. However, I can completely see your rationale too - and it probably makes more sense than mine :D :o
 
Well no welsh wont work on a non-native welsh speaking dog lol! :D

I drove down a similar lane where a collie jumped out at the car, barking and creating.

"get and CWTCH!!"

off he went :D

Does the situation worry you ALMRC?
 
almrc said:
In my situation if I stop which I have many a times in the past, it stays at your feet, right infront of horses feet constantly barking. It doesnt stop and wont move. The owners rarely come out. If I talk to it, no good it carries on, its ridiculous.
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Have you tried keeping the horse walking on at it?

I have turned and chased a dog off, it soon shifted when it realised how big I and the pony I was riding really were.
 
My horse is fairly good with it, but lets be honest both animals are unpredictable. ANY thing could happen so it is a potential dangerous situation, if not for me then someone else!
 
almrc said:
Yes I have tried this too it just stays right under your feet barking
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Oh dear...

Squirt it with a water gun? Jif squeezy lemons are good for this, they are little enough not to be in the way and they have quite a good range! I guess you'd have to be really careful not to squirt your horse as well though - you might need to practice a bit first!
 
I'm afraid when I have a potential dangerous dog at the feet of my horse the last thing I am going to do is get off. But thank you for your suggestions.
 
Oh well that separates us, I am more happy to have a potential dangerous dog deal with ME than my horse, but then my horse is pretty important to me and I'm not even slightly afraid of dogs!
 
My horse is very important to me thank you. As I said thank you for your suggestions, I will be contacting the dog warden.
 
Just as a sideline, just as its important for the dog to be under control it is also important for riders to be able to control their horses.

I am lucky enough to have a very well behaved, good horse but if i didn't, I'd spend time socialising him and getting him used to these sorts of situations.

I think responsibility swings both ways, which a lot of riders tend to forget.
 
Kitsune said:
Just as a sideline, just as its important for the dog to be under control it is also important for riders to be able to control their horses.

I am lucky enough to have a very well behaved, good horse but if i didn't, I'd spend time socialising him and getting him used to these sorts of situations.

I think responsibility swings both ways, which a lot of riders tend to forget.
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I have to say I disagree with you here! I think that a dog should be either in a garden, kennel or house. Obviously when they are being walked they should be under control or on a lead. If it's prepared to chase or launch onto a horse as in my situation what would this dog do to a young child? It's entirely the dog owners responsibilty. My dogs are kept behind a fence and certainly not allowed to chase horses, sheep or people passing by (be them grown ups or children.) It the responsibility of being a dog owner in my book. Your horse may be well behaved but I would be surprised that he'd stand there with a collie sinking it's teeth into his haunches. I'd hardly put this down to me being an irresponsible horse owner!
 
A dog landing on your horses back is a situation like described in the disclaimer in my first post.

However I live in rural wales, the farmers cottage is across the road from his farm and land, I find it quite acceptable that his dog is loose - so long as it behaves when told. He's the very farmer that lets us ride round the edges of his land - lets us hunt his fields...I find live and let live both ways works better than hard and fast rules. In my case, anyway.
 
I agree with your situation where the dog is always free and listens to you when you tell it to go away! I just thought that saying horse owners need to have their horses under control as much as dog owners with their dogs was a little steep. I too live in a very rural area but do think that a lot of dog owners do need to be a bit more responsible and we can't always be held accountable for being on a horse! I had a rotty chasing me down the road a couple of months ago - that was hairy and it went straight under a car. Thankfully it came out the otherside untouched - miracle to say the least!
 
I don't know, I've seen some people whinge and cry over a dog barking at its gate. The dog is contained, protecting its property. SOME not ALL people can't ride one side of their horses and unforseen things happen, so I do think riders have a responsibility to be able to control their horse if its scared, as we've all seen horses play hell over nothing at times!
 
I do agree with that comment completely. Then the horse owner/rider should be kept behind the fence and not allowed out on the roads! Danger to themselves and all around them. I suppose as I don't have people around me who are like that I tend to forget that not everyone can ride one side of their beastie! I am either lucky or live in a bubble :)
 
Sadly I used to be on a yard that was close to aforementioned barky dog, in his garden, belligerant soul that he was.

One woman would shout and swear at him and refuse to go out cause her horse put such a commotion in. Times when I am smug, above horsey-us-maximus who just stands there watching the savage old cod! (the dog I mean ;) )
 
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