Dog scared ponies

[YorksG]

We hacked past three little pigs in a neighbours field on Saturday, the little pigs came running towards the horses, grunting and snorting and making a real fuss. Their owner was standing on the lane outside his house. The horses both grew a couple of hands each and my mare pranced about like a loonie, for a couple of minutes. The neighbour didn't come and make his pigs be quiet, or stop them running up the wall side, strangely enough I didn't expect him to, I expected our horses to do as they were told and get on with their job and ignore what was on the other side of the wall.

 

[Goldenstar]

No one is harmed by a dog running about on its owner property barking when you are on the street.
People should train there horses because clearly if you can't you are a danger to yourself and others .
What next ban the wind because it spooks some horses or buses or traffic lights or pheasants .

 

[tessybear]

We hacked past three little pigs in a neighbours field on Saturday, the little pigs came running towards the horses, grunting and snorting and making a real fuss. Their owner was standing on the lane outside his house. The horses both grew a couple of hands each and my mare pranced about like a loonie, for a couple of minutes. The neighbour didn't come and make his pigs be quiet, or stop them running up the wall side, strangely enough I didn't expect him to, I expected our horses to do as they were told and get on with their job and ignore what was on the other side of the wall.

Pigs are known horse killers agree with this, we have been charged at by ponies on the otherside of fences wouldn't hop off and shout at owner because my pony decideds to be a prat.

 

[Littlelegs]

I think you went about it the wrong way yorksg. If you had immediately tensed up, & started screaming, preferably in a high pitched shriek, for the man to get his pigs, I'm sure the horses would have followed your reassuring attitude & calmed so much quicker. Your neighbour is clearly very selfish, does he not realise the world stops when people hack?

 

[Goldenstar]

Someone near here got lamas that caused alarm the first time they where spotted in fact my TB got such a fright he fell down did I blame the lama owner no I did not. we laughed sorted our selves out and rode on next time the horses ignored them because we did.
I don't think it's unreasonable for people to train horses to ignore barking dogs .

 

[YorksG]

I think you went about it the wrong way yorksg. If you had immediately tensed up, & started screaming, preferably in a high pitched shriek, for the man to get his pigs, I'm sure the horses would have followed your reassuring attitude & calmed so much quicker. Your neighbour is clearly very selfish, does he not realise the world stops when people hack?

He is littlelegs, so much so that he continues chopping his firewood and throwing it over the wall from his garden to his field People insist on walking their dogs while we are riding out, and the local tractor driver has been known to move his ring feeder while we are riding past. I just don't understand why the rest of the world does not stop to let me ride out

 

[Littlelegs]

Pmsl! I was actually going to start a thread about my unreasonable yo, who thinks just cos its a farm its ok to have scary farm animals & tractors around. And on Sunday we could hear one of his grandkids banging a football on the garden fence when we were grooming. Some people!

 

[JFTDWS]

I'm just amused by the idea of a springer spaniel as a guard dog Round here the guard dogs are rotties and Dobermans - some of whom do throw themselves against their boundary fences like all hell's broken loose. Can't say I fancy going in there to complain about them though


eta - can i complain about my horsey neighbours? They hold a lot of PC stuff there and when they have camps in the summer they hold mounted games comps in the field backing onto mine. It makes schooling very difficult when my pony tries to explode

(mostly because I'd rather be other the other side of the fence joining in too! )

 

[YorksG]

Dreadful Littlelegs, how very dare he

 

[PandorasJar]

My horse managed to walk out with me on the weekend with a Springer stalking her and launching out of bushes, bird feeders which were mean and clunked against bridle when investigating them for food and a pheasent which flew up and almost clipped her. The herd was tearing down the fenceline screaming while we did this, road on the other side about 4ft away with no barrier. She did this the weekend before in wind and hail.

The biggest reactions I got were a freeze on the spot when knocking the bird feeders and then looking sheepish and a giraffe neck when pheasent launched at her face.

I laughed at her and carried on. Had I yelled and panicked I'm sure she would have reacted badly and I frankly wouldn't have her near a road if that were the case.

I don't yet trust littlun not to decide on a dramatic melt down when things aren't going her way, so at the moment walks happen on site while she learns to get over herself. I wouldn't blame a dog running round on its own property for my horse being out of control on a road though.

 

[RainbowDash]

Thanks GS, LL, FW, & YG you have all put forward my thoughts better than I could have. But haven't you also forgotten pony-eating cows? How dare a farmer keep them next to the road where I hack? Surely he should put them in a barn just in case they scare a pony? And don't get me started on pony eating sheep or haylege bales ... We do have to share our space with others - if I have an issue with dogs/sheep/cows etc whilst hacking I get off - say a polite 'good day' and get back on once its safe .....

 

[Foxhunter49]

A dog might well be on its own property but it is lack of training that allows it to bark at anything passing - off its property.

On kore than one occasion I have known dogs just bark at anyone or thing passing by their boundary, next this, dog gets bolder and jumps the fence to 'protect' closer.
One instance the dog grew big enough to jump onto the wall and bit a 10 year old girl in the face as she innocently passed.

This dog might well have been on its own land but it does present a hazard and is certainly not trained.

 

[Honey08]

Well thats nothing, I have a neighbour who doesn't remove the taupaulin from her garden furniture when we ride past!! We also have a farm that does donkey trekking and llama walking, who freak a lot of horses out.

Heck, I'm a tyrant myself, as I don't bring my horses in when my nervous neighbour rides past. She makes such a fuss letting her horse stop and start that my horses run over to the fence and create more issues. If I'm about to turn out and I see her I wait til she passes, but if they're out she has to deal with them!

(sorry OP - a bit of late night silliness!)

 

[PandorasJar]

Yorksg, your pigs comment reminds me of an incident a while back. I used to work on a travelling petting farm. We once had to pack all animals back in a trailer for horse to go past. They had come out of yard down the road rearing and spinning, girl already in a state crying wanting to go back and rest of ride pushing her on, by the time the horse got close it was a situation where we wanted our animals out the way for their safety (we were in a fenced off garden but a trailer was deemed safer than a fence we expected horse to come crashing through).

It was on a country lane and with a kids birthday we were at and I just had images of the horse either trampling the kids or going through a windscreen or taking out a bike.

Yes there was a small kids party (nothing major), yes there were animals... But the horse and rider were completely out of control and should have turned round when she lost the plot. No way the pair should have been on the road. The fact that the whole group in front had ne problems in spite of the horse behaving like a nutter behind showed far more that her horse was out of control than they were all in more control than should be expected.

 

[JFTDWS]

oooh we have alpaca in the opposite field... and the farmer lets his dogs run loose on the byway I swear one almost savaged Fergs the other day - he came flying out barking and snarling...

he's a JRT

and he wanted to play with my collie - who was also loose (but my lad is trained and doesn't bark unless he's told to... or you pull up a bath mat. Apparently bath mats are baaaad).

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Well thats nothing, I have a neighbour who doesn't remove the taupaulin from her garden furniture when we ride past!! We also have a farm that does donkey trekking and llama walking, who freak a lot of horses out.

Heck, I'm a tyrant myself, as I don't bring my horses in when my nervous neighbour rides past. She makes such a fuss letting her horse stop and start that my horses run over to the fence and create more issues. If I'm about to turn out and I see her I wait til she passes, but if they're out she has to deal with them!

(sorry OP - a bit of late night silliness!)

Personally, Honey, I'd expect more trouble if your neighbour started shaking and rattling her tarpaulin as you rode past, so I think she's doing you a favour leaving it where it is!
I can tell you that blue sheep (Herdwicks) eat horses too, even those who live with nice fluffy white sheep at home.

 

[indie999]

If they are on her land then she doesnt have to do much but if they come out of her land or garden she should be able to recall and keep her dog under control. Remind her its the countryside and in the countryside she should be able to keep her dog under control. Perhaps your horse may kick or trample it another time.I do feel for you with your horse being young. I asked many times for an owner to keep their dog in as it use to fly out to see us. My horse made the most of this opportunity to be silly. Also what if its a kid walking along is her dog then out of control if it grabs or jumps up.
Both of you need to be in control and its manners if she could just keep an eye on her dog whilst people or horses come pass. Perhaps it will be a cat her dog chases out one day into the road etc etc.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Incidentally none of my 6 Border Collies would be allowed to bark at any thing or anyone however I realise I am a trainer extraordinaire and mere mortals cannot be expected to train their animals to my exacting standards. Hence my horse has to put up with other folks dogs and bad manners.

The other day we were out hacking in a pair and asked if we could pass two other riders who were trotting but a lot slower than us. We asked twice to be sure it was ok and they said yes pass us. We proceeded to trot past and the rear horse barged out and attempted to kick my horse who was also in the rear after my friend had passed. The riders shouted "oh could you just walk please young horse". My friend apologised (I did not ) and everyone slowed to a walk and we got passed. My young horse who is rather crabby, did not attempt to kick back or react at all. I did not feel the need to inform them that my horse was also young. I do wonder how they thought we could pass them in walk while they continued to trot hmmmm

 

[FfionWinnie]

Personally, Honey, I'd expect more trouble if your neighbour started shaking and rattling her tarpaulin as you rode past, so I think she's doing you a favour leaving it where it is!
I can tell you that blue sheep (Herdwicks) eat horses too, even those who live with nice fluffy white sheep at home.

I'd go in and ask her to start shaking it to desensitise my horse . Never like to miss an opportunity

 

[_GG_]

Wow...so many posts and words and so many good and bad points, but they are all irrelevant.

Every single person on this planet needs to understand the one simple rule...that we can only control our own actions, not those of others.

Dog scares horses, dog scares children, whatever...we can't control the way the dog acts or the way the owner acts. We can only control the way we, as individuals act.

In this situation, with children on top of ponies that are spooking, shouting anything, polite or not is not going to help the situation. It will only make the horses believe that there really is something to worry about so I am sorry to say OP, that I think you handled the situation poorly from what you have described.

I can't and won't comment on the dog owner as she is unable to speak for herself here and again...irrelevant as you couldn't have controlled her actions anyway.

If the dog we on a public Highway different story, but as it is, all you can do is ensure you take control and you handle yourself and your dependants in the best and safest possible way. That is, be calm and organised, don't panic and don't shout.

 

[risky business]

Many years ago now, I was on a yard where you had to walk up a lane to get to the hacking, this lane went past a field of lamas.. He was a lovely man the land owner!

Horses used to spook at them so my YO took it upon himself to ask the owner of the lamas if he could stop them looking at the horses and following them up the fence....

Lama owner told him that if he had a problem he should report the offending lamas to the police for stalking the horses

How ridiculous! I'm a none fuss owner.. Ameys always spooked at sheep even though she's lived with them most of her life it's tough luck with me she's going past! Lol she shys but realises just hurrying past is quicker than the spooking lark!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Many years ago now, I was on a yard where you had to walk up a lane to get to the hacking, this lane went past a field of lamas.. He was a lovely man the land owner!

Horses used to spook at them so my YO took it upon himself to ask the owner of the lamas if he could stop them looking at the horses and following them up the fence....

Lama owner told him that if he had a problem he should report the offending lamas to the police for stalking the horses

How ridiculous! I'm a none fuss owner.. Ameys always spooked at sheep even though she's lived with them most of her life it's tough luck with me she's going past! Lol she shys but realises just hurrying past is quicker than the spooking lark!

Sorry for going off topic, but with such great stories to tell, I wished you posted more often on HHO.

( At least there wasn't any bananas riding the llamas.)

 

[PeterNatt]

I was riding on a road (public highway) past a farm when two dogs came running out of the farmyard and attacked my mare biting at her legs and then, bringing her dow. They continued their attack by biting at her neck and face while she was on the road. My horse was not scared of dogs at all. My mare was seriously injured and required many months of veterinary treatment. She was never the same with dogs again. I later discovered that other horse owners in that immediate areas had had problems with the dogs but had not done anything about it. The result my mare was attacked. These were not large dogs.
This demonstrated to me that the better a horse is with dogs the more likely it is to get injured if attacked and also how important it is to take action against a dog owner who's dog attacks your horse because that dog will do it again. Dogs are potentially killing machines and can inflict some very serious injuries. I have absolutely no sympathy for dog owners who can not control their dogs.

 

[julie111]

As I have previously said my ponies are not scared of dogs! The dog I am talking about leapt from no where barking and growling onto a small bank, it was over our side and no longer in her garden.
If some of you think that is ok then so be it.
My ponies don't have a problem with dogs in normal circumstances.
Thank you to those that have shown some understanding and to those that have just been down right sarcastic I won't comment!

 

[Tobiano]

Just wanted to offer sympathy to you Julie111 - its awful if you have your child with you and you are worried for their safety. Very upsetting! IMHO the woman sounded as if she was being very defensive and possibly realises she does not have full control of the dog.

Though as GG says we can never rely on being able to change others.

Perhaps this calls for a Saturday spent with the ponies and a kind friend with a dog, doing some more desensitisation. Or maybe a tape of dogs barking - sometimes its the noises rather than the sight that upsets them most.

Whatever, I do hope you dont have the same issue in the future and that your child's confidence bounces fully back.

 

[Luci07]

As I have previously said my ponies are not scared of dogs! The dog I am talking about leapt from no where barking and growling onto a small bank, it was over our side and no longer in her garden.
If some of you think that is ok then so be it.
My ponies don't have a problem with dogs in normal circumstances.
Thank you to those that have shown some understanding and to those that have just been down right sarcastic I won't comment!

I think it was because it was not clear from your post as to where the dogs were. A dog barking in its own garden is par for the course but a dog escaping and going after the horses is a different matter and dangerous for both horse AND dog. My horse is now dog proof and vice versa but they can still catch you out.

You have however made me think carefully. I have trained my dog to leave and carry on. My horse is dog proof but I will need to rethink as to how I would manage with an aggressive dog chasing us as would have my own dog as well as the horse to manage.

 

[FfionWinnie]

It's very easy to manipulate a child's confidence by being completely confident yourself. Just like the child who falls over, mother one says oh you are fine up you get, let's go on the swings - child doesn't cry. Mother two rushes over shrieking are you ok, cuddles child, agrees it must be sore blah blah, child cries inconsolably. If that had been me and my child I would have laughed for her benefit and made as small a deal as possible of it.

 

[PeterNatt]

Julie 111. The dog owner has commited an offence as the dog was no longer in the garden and on the public highway. (The verge of a road is included within the definition of the public highway). For the sake of others report this incident to both the police and dog warden. This is unacceptable. The owner needs to get an official warning. Next time it could be a small child walking past. However small the dog they can do a lot of damage.

 

[Dry Rot]

Surely, it is (like most things) a question of degree.

Both parties, OP and dog owner, have rights. It is a question whether the rights of either side have been exceeded so they interfere with the rights of the other. I would venture to suggest that those rights are what a normal sensible average person would perceive them to be. But travelling from one place to another is what roads are for!

From the OP it seems to me that the dog was excessively aggressive, even though no one was bitten and it was aggressive on private land. The horse riders were not trespassing or threatening the dog owner or the dog. If a dog alarms a member of the law abiding public, it is a form of harassment and we are back to deciding what degree of harassment is actionable in law.

Of course, a llama, pig, sheep, whatever, has to be tolerated so long as it is behaving normally, but an excessively aggressive dog could be an entirely different matter.

Once again, I think this is one for the community police officer to sort out. The dog owner may well be within her rights at the moment, but will she be next week when the dog begins to enjoy frightening road users and it's "attacks" escalate? The police also have a crime prevention role. so tell them. That's what they are for! If the OP is being unreasonable, I'm sure they will say so.

 

[DipseyDeb]

I've heard it all now, dogs on their own property shouldn't make a noise incase it scares a mum & kids? Get a grip. If normal public situations scare yourself, your horse, your kids, then either get over it or stay on your own private property.
I'm beginning to think some people learnt a very strange version of the solar system, one with an image of themselves at the centre with all the other planets revolving around them.

This!!! Although the idea that people do believe that the world and its wife (and dog) should grind to a halt when they appear, does make me chuckle!!

OP, if your horse was nervous of traffic, lawn mowers, milk floats (you get the idea) would they be expected to stop what they were doing as well? We have to accept that, if we choose to ride on public highway, then we are going to meet these hazzards. The dog, as I read it, was on his own property.