Dog walkers (Advice needed)

[tabithakat64]

Why are most dog walkers in my area so ignorant? They let their dogs run up to horses, jump up and even chase them, without caring that it might get kicked or cause an accident and ignoring that it's making horses and riders clearly nervous in some cases.
One dog owner let his dog chase my pony who spooked and galloped off with the dog in hot pursuit and they didnt even call the dog back, when I asked them to call there dog they told me that my horse was dangerous and if it wasnt able to be around dogs I shouldn't take it on the bridleway!!!!

I expect any dog owner to either have their dog on the lead when they walk past or keep it in sight and have enough control over it so it doesn't run up to or past or even sniff my pony or any other horses.
What can I do to improve this situation? My pony is getting increasingly nervous around dogs after being chased and worried a number of times, I am always polite and ask the owner to call the dog if I think there will be a problem and can see the owner, I explain that my pony is nervous due to being chased and say thank you to those who are in control of their animals. I will also dismount and walk my pony if there is time. My pony is fine around calm dogs and those on the lead, is there any way I can curb her flight instinct? It doesn't matter if another horse goes first if I am out in company and there isn't always time to dismount and I'm not sure if dismounting and coaxing her past is actually helping...

 

[pagancluf]

I know what you mean - three of us got chased by a rottie down by the river the other day - the owner did come in pursuit but was that large and unfit it had already tried to bite my horses' rear legs twice before she got there! I am a dog owner and always put mine on the lead when horses pass (even thou he's good) just to be polite. There must be a law somwwhere inthe highway code thingy?

 

[Theresa_F]

Dog owners must have control of their dogs at all times - that is the law plain and simple.

If they chase your horse, they are out of control and liable to prosecution.

Personally I find a polite request to get hold of your dog, my horse is liable to kick if it goes by her legs works a treat.

Miss Delia would and did give a swift cow kick to any dog that nipped her heels or attempted to chase her.

If told my horse is dangerous, I reply I have control of my horse in that it will not come near you or kick you, but if you do not have control of your dog and it does come near or chases, then my horse will protect herself and your dog may be badly injured.

 

[vic07]

I got chased once and then got shouted and sworn at by its owner, apparently it was my fault it chased me as I was cantering, and I should of stopped so it could bite my horse's legs. Like I could have stopped even if I wanted too!

 

[TGM]

Ditto to Theresa_F, and remember you can report their dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act:

"Under S.3 of the 1991 Act, if a dog is dangerously out of control in a public place, or in a private place in which it is not permitted to be, so that there are grounds for reasonable apprehension that it will injure any person, and whether or not it actually does so, then the owner, or person for the time being in charge of the dog, is guilty of a summary offence. That offence becomes an aggravated offence, and triable either way, if the dog does injure any person while out of control. Prosecutions for the aggravated offence should be reserved for instances where serious injury has been caused."