Dog attacks

ChrisJackson52

New User
Joined
20 January 2019
Messages
9
Visit site
Dog attacks
I have been reading about the number of dog attacks to horses and was looking for further advice myself on this.
I have had 3 incidences of dogs worrying my horse when out riding over the past year but all were quickly controlled. However, yesterday when out riding, we were attacked by an uncontrollable German Shepherd as we were on the Bridleway.
Morris,although nervous ,is very sensible and stood still giving the owner chance to catch the dog.After a few minutes of putting up with the dog trying to bite Morris's face I told the owner I was going to ride off and hopefully shake off the
dog .
I had no choice but to do this and fortunately we were on a remote lane where little traffic can reach .After a mile of rather hectic riding due to the dog following and continually jumping up against Morris we reached a point where the dog ran our of steam. The owner ,who had followed in his car ,grabbed the dog and drove off.Morris was sweating heavily and we had a long walk home to recover.
Having taken several months to gain his confidence when I first got him 2 years ago I felt really anxious for him and worried about this being repeated.
Is there anything I could carry (e.g. a spray) to deter this kind of attack?)
Any suggestions would be welcome.
Chris and Morris
 

be positive

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 July 2011
Messages
19,396
Visit site
That must have been frightening and your horse was excellent to put up with such behaviour, I cannot imagine having so little control over a dog to be unable to catch it for it's own safety as well as that of others.

I always ride out with a whip and would be more than ready to use it meaningfully if ever I was in a dangerous situation, I suspect a spray could work but I would be concerned about getting the horse instead, or myself, if trying to juggle reins, control the horse and take a careful aim when in a bit of a panic, a well aimed whip round the face would be less risk and probably effective on anything other than a really vicious dog that has already locked it's jaws onto the horse. It would possibly have a better effect on the owner and their response may be more proactive if they think their darling dog could get hurt.
 

BeckyFlowers

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 July 2017
Messages
1,665
Visit site
A massive whip cracked in the dog's face. I would also, if your horse will do it, charge at the dog and if necessary ride over it. Nobody should have to put up with out of control dogs, whether on horseback, bike or on foot and you are well within your rights to protect yourself and your family and property (horse) with reasonable measures. If the dog gets killed or injured then so what, I would do it without hesitation if I were in a situation where a dog was aggressively jumping up at my horse's face. It could also bite you. I would definitely start carrying a schooling whip or as someone mentioned on another similar thread a hunting whip. I would also try and desensitise the horse to big whips being cracked and flung about if you decide to do this. I hope you and Morris are ok, and don't forget to report any out of control and aggressive dogs to the police and dog warden. Maybe also invest in a GoPro camera to record it all.
 

planete

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 May 2010
Messages
3,223
Location
New Forest
Visit site
I am glad you and your horse are ok. Your story brought back some bad memories. I have been in the same situation and kept my horse facing the dog at all times as it was also trying to get behind us and I was worried he would then be able to bite a hind leg or jump on the horse's croup (I had previously experienced this particular delight with a horse I was exercising for somebody else). My horse's instinctive reaction was to fend off the dog by striking at it but the possibility of the dog grabbing his cannon bone made me stop him from doing this. I had a schooling whip and tried to reach the dog but he just jumped back out of reach each time and I realised it was better to concentrate on my horse. Like you the owners never got close enough to grab their dog and the attack petered out when the dog ran out of steam eventually. The owners then walked away followed at a distance by their dog. I have often wondered whether I could have done anything other than what I did. I did not dare let my horse move from the spot as I was worried he might then bolt with the dog after him. The horse was great with dogs, did not mind a whip being waved or used around him and thankfully did not panic. When a couple of lurchers ran up to us on the heath a couple of weeks later, I got off and the dogs stopped immediately when they saw me off the horse as I was obviously a human plus horse attached, not a strange horse/woman monster. Would it have worked with the first dog? I really do not know but I wish there was a way we could keep such dogs away from our ridden horses. Carrying a hunting whip at all times would work with most dogs but could also backfire as some dogs will react to pain with increased aggression. The worry is that anything scary enough to make a dog turn tail could also scare the horse. Unless we desensitise the horse to it first?

BeckyF I have charged at bumptious bullocks to get them off us but a dog? Not sure the dog would not just jump at the horse's throat if he really meant business.
 

lamlyn2012

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 November 2008
Messages
917
Visit site
Things like this make me very angry.
Yesterday a childs pony had to be pts following a dog attack. He was grazing in his field.
We should be able to ride out without fear of dogs attacking or chasing.
The dog was out of control- report to police, dog warden and British Horse Society.
 

BeckyFlowers

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 July 2017
Messages
1,665
Visit site
BeckyF I have charged at bumptious bullocks to get them off us but a dog? Not sure the dog would not just jump at the horse's throat if he really meant business.

I'm not sure either, but the couple of times I have done it to aggressive dogs (that were not jumping up at my horse) they ran away until I stopped chasing and then came back again. I only did this because the owners were there trying to catch them, unsuccessfully, and after we were there for a good two minutes spinning the horses round to keep facing them so they wouldn't get behind them (my cousin was with me on her horse as well so we had one dog each), and we only rode the horses at them for a few paces, but if the owners weren't there I would have kicked him on and got him to go full pelt at them and if they got under his feet then so what. If the dog was jumping up I would imagine it would be a last ditch attempt, and I would be careful to charge at them face on so they couldn't jump up to the side. Easy to say now, not so easy in the heat of the moment. But if it's jumping up at his face when we're standing still then charging at it could stop it, whereas standing still won't stop it. That's my way of thinking anyway.

PS: love the term bumptious bullocks. I'm going to try and add that in my vocabulary tonight at work.
 

Pearlsasinger

Up in the clouds
Joined
20 February 2009
Messages
44,732
Location
W. Yorks
Visit site
Dog attacks
I have been reading about the number of dog attacks to horses and was looking for further advice myself on this.
I have had 3 incidences of dogs worrying my horse when out riding over the past year but all were quickly controlled. However, yesterday when out riding, we were attacked by an uncontrollable German Shepherd as we were on the Bridleway.
Morris,although nervous ,is very sensible and stood still giving the owner chance to catch the dog.After a few minutes of putting up with the dog trying to bite Morris's face I told the owner I was going to ride off and hopefully shake off the
dog .
I had no choice but to do this and fortunately we were on a remote lane where little traffic can reach .After a mile of rather hectic riding due to the dog following and continually jumping up against Morris we reached a point where the dog ran our of steam. The owner ,who had followed in his car ,grabbed the dog and drove off.Morris was sweating heavily and we had a long walk home to recover.
Having taken several months to gain his confidence when I first got him 2 years ago I felt really anxious for him and worried about this being repeated.
Is there anything I could carry (e.g. a spray) to deter this kind of attack?)
Any suggestions would be welcome.
Chris and Morris


If you saw the car, I hope you got the reg number and reported the incident to police and dog warden. The only that this kind of disregard for out of control dogs jeopardising other people's safety is for owners to be prosecuted
 

paddy555

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 December 2010
Messages
12,538
Visit site
I would never turn round and ride away as there is too much danger of the dog chasing and the horse bolting however quiet it is. I ride slowly towards the dog, I have found that when the owner realises I really do mean to ride half a ton over their dog it often galvanises them to action. In OP's case I would have got off (as I can hold my horse in this situation) and I would have been in a better position to do battle especially if the dog was snapping at the horse's head.
 
Top