Dogs around horses?

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SarahRicoh

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Well Iv just taken on a dog that was found as a stray. She's a lovely little dog and has so far been brilliant and fitted in really well-so happy to finally have my own :)
She comes up yard with me and wanders around,plays with the other dog but so far has been brilliant about coming back when called etc. I was hoping that after a bit of training she'd be able to come out on hacks with me as my yard opens straight out to fields so no roads and any lanes are very quiet country lanes, we've just got one problem....

She chases the horses :( Not always, she chased mine in the field and she did eventually come back and i put her on lead and since then she's ignored the others in the field. Today one was cantering around and going a bit mad in a tiny paddock and she tried to chase but did come back after calling her twice but went off again. She is generally okay but when my mare kept moving about when tied up she kept trying to bite her hocks(luckily mares pretty tolerant).. I keep telling her off/sending her away and after a while she stopped.
Me and my friend then took our 2 horses for a walk inhand with dog loose. Dog was fine, wandering around, following but ignoring horses and i trotted my mare a little inhand to see dogs reaction-nothing. Later on I trotted my mare again and dog just started to go for her back legs,ignoring me shouting at her and horse did kick out a few times but luckily missed. I gave mare to my friend and put dog on lead and then after a while let her off again and she was fine... People say let her get kicked, it'll make her stop but I dont want dog to get hurt-it could kill her :(

So any ideas on how to get her used to them and used to coming out hacking safely??
 
If you have just got her (how long have you had her?) then I think you just need to give her time and let her get used to the horses running about and you need to work on telling her to leave them.

In my experience practically every dog we've had has initially wanted to chase the horses - it's only natural, they see something running and they want to chase. It's down to you to teach them that's no acceptable.

We used to take our lab x with us many years back, she was fab. Later our collie/terrier x would come out with us. Both these dogs initially did want to chase the horses in our field but soon learnt not to. I don't think you want to get down the road of letting the dog get kicked, that's just irresponsible and could end tragically.

You need to know your dog won't chase horses when out with you as well as not all horses/riders are dog confident. My sister's rottie x decided to chase some horse riders a few months back. It was not pretty as one fell off and the horse legged it. Thankfully it all ended well but could have been horrid. Her dog is a rescue too and is not aggressive but he thinks horses are play things (he chased my 3 yo horse who also thought it was a good game!!) so we have had to work on him to stop him doing this. I don't think he's 100% cured as yet though.

I personally would not 'encourage' the chase by trotting your horse, just let her get used to them as they are and being 'boring' quite frankly. If she chases them loose in the field you need to be on her swiftly and let her know that's wrong. All of ours have got over the horse-chasing phase pretty quickly.
 
Ohhhh interesting thread as I have a 17 week lab puppy that I want to take on hacks eventually... But at the moment has absolutely no fear... And will run off to a loose horse in a field at the first opportunity.

Bump!!
 
I have a rescue dog and when I first had him I used to keep him on a long line tied up well away from horses when he was on the yard with me.

Over a few weeks I would leave him loose once I had turned the horses out as they normally have a hoon round the field when first turned out and I didn't want him to be running after them.

Unfortuanately I got caught out when after a month or so I thought hed be okay and not chase as he wasn't showing much interest.

He chased my horse, got double barrelled in the head and was knocked clean out. He was very lucky.

Plus....it hasn't stopped him from wanting to chase them. So I am always careful now but it was a lesson learnt and I could have easily lost my boy.
 
Can you try using a long schooling whip (from ground if in hand or whilst mounted) to ward her off if your horse is quiet? My dog was getting very excited at the start of rides and running on ahead and ignoring call back. Annoying when you meet walkers with dogs on leads or small kids ahead and he runs up to say hello and ignores your call back if the walkers don't want him saying hello, their dog is nasty or kids obviously scared of big dogs (he is a softy but they don't know that and it's bad dog etiquette anyway).

We took a schooling whip out and every time he tried to rush past and run ahead he would get it waved in front of him and 'heel' or 'back' command to stay by horses shoulder. If he ignored he got a light tap on head and then he'd stay behind/by side. He picked up quickly to stay with us until out in deeper forest where not many people walk then he can run on.

I agree you don't want your dog kicked so this might be a good deterrent until he settles with the idea and finds it less exciting. Is it a herding type dog?
 
My first question was what breed is the dog? But like other users have said, it's instinctive for them to chase! I would take things easy and build it up gradually, maybe have someone walking with you on a hack with the dog on a lead and gradually build it up so it can run free but with someone to control her from the ground. I know a number of people who back with their dogs but took a fair bit of training! Plus you've not had the dog long so give her time to get used to the yard and build a bond with you.

Good luck!
 
After many years and many dogs around horses I have found this to be the best way to teach dogs horse manners: whenever they come around horse's legs I give them just enough of a toe in the bum to get their attention, not actually hurt them. They associate the poke with the horse, not me, and it makes them wary. Much better I clump them one than the horse. I have also put dogs on long leads (lunge line, actually) and taken them for a walk from horseback. That way I can keep control if they decide to have a go.
 
Actually with mine its been about being quick. They were taught "leave" and had that reinforced many many times. One of them (being honest) also took a wallop from a well aimed dandy brush as he went to chase my horse in the field. Rather that than a hoof but all of mine will ignore the horses. This is my 6th stafford I have trained (sisters as well as mine) over the years and it works well. I didn't take my youngest out hacking till I knew she was good about leaving the horses alone and also would really focus on me.
 
Thanks guys, really helpful advice :) I havent had her long at all so I dont expect her to be perfect and I understand she will get used to them, was just looking for some advice as to how everyone else has got their dogs used to them! No idea on breed as shes a mongrel but a lurcher type with prob a bit of collie/maybe german shepard (who knows)!!
Some good ideas thanks all :D
 
Just a thought SR, did the dog simply turn up or did she come from a rescue centre? There are so many dogs lost and not everyone takes a stray to a vet to see if it's micro chipped...if she's been a stray for quite a while, she may have come in to contact with horses in a field, and perhaps suffered a bad experience?
 
In a lot of cases you have to teach a dog to heel/follow on the ground before you do it from horseback, then you have to train it in a controlled environment, THEN you take the dog out on the hack - you don't have her five minutes and you seem to be expecting her to instinctively know what do do around horses, give her time, patience and start training her on the ground, walk before you can run. It's a lovely idea to think that all dogs can come out hacking nicely, but in reality, it's not suited to every dog.
 
The dog should be on a long (light) line. I personally would provoke her with a trotting horse and reprimand any chasing. You need someone else to handle the horse so you can concentrate on the dog. How much of a reprimand depends on her nature and how keen she is to chase. You need to interrupt the behaviour (I would say AH AH sternly and if necessary tug on the line to get her attention off the horse and on to you). Then call her to you and reel her in (ie she can't not come) then lots of praise for coming. It doesn't matter that she didn't have a choice about coming, you are conditioning the right behaviour. Don't risk her getting a chase in without you being able to get the line and keep calm.

Good luck.
 
It will come in time and with patient training but she'll never loose her instint. My collie (rescue) is great around the horses, loves coming on long hacks, very well behaved. But when I'm riding in the school (even after having her 6 years now) she will just happen to be wandering round the outside of the school at the same pace I'm riding round in it - OBVIOUSLY not chasing me as that's not allowed but just randomly looking like that's what she's doing. If I'm really concentrating I'll only spot her when Polo's ear keeps flicking in her direction and gives her away!
 
Round my way we ride mainly on small country lanes to get to the hills and forests. It drives me mad when I meet people riding with their dogs who have no control over them. I have been chased by a dog, who wanted to follow me rather than her owner, who just trotted off oblivious to what was happening. When driving I hate seeing dogs loose next to horses, as I'm always waiting for them to run into the wheels of the car.

Why do people feel the need to ride and walk their dogs at the same time. My dogs get 2 good walks every day without me risking them being injured ( or being a nuisance to other people). My friend who is a farmer had some of her sheep chased by a dog that had run off whilst being exercised by a lady on a horse. The owner just said "oh well she's never done that before" - the answer from my friend was " well if I see her doing it again she will be shot"!!.

To the OP - you don't know this dogs history - she may have been a sheep chaser (hence being dumped in a rescue centre). Please don't take her in open fields and farmland until you know what her recall is like near sheep and wild animals. My two terriers have excellent recall in a school setting, but they are deaf if they see a rabbit in the woods :(
 
Agree with Liz66 on this one - I dont believe that dogs should be out on a hack with horses. To me it is just too dangerous. I cannot imagine how I would feel if my beloved dog ran off, got injured somehow, or got kicked.

If you live on a massive country estate and have acres of park land to ride around it, without ever coming near a road, I wouldnt see it as a problem.
 
I am not expecting her to be perfect now or used to horses. Some dogs are instinctively bothered by them and want to chase and others arent. Iv realised she does seem to want to chase. She was found as a stray so I know no history but she has no microchip and noone has lost her(have looked/advertised etc)- likelihood is shes a gypsy dog! She has pretty good recall and I am working on getting it perfect-she does come back if a pheasant flies out etc. I see a lot of people who hack with dogs and if you wouldnt do it fine,your opinion, but I would like to and I am sure its possible with time
I was simply asking for answers on how to train her and how you got your dogs used to running horses.
A long line is what I am doing with her now, shes loose on the yard and is being brilliant but I am going to start walking her with my mare on the long line and when I can ride again will get a helper to walk her on it whilst I ride.
I know what she is like in open farmland as like I said there is fields all around the yard and I would never risk her off lead in a field of sheep/cows etc but around us are just fields.
As I think I stated in my OP I literally walk out of the barn and we have fields surrounding us which we are allowed to ride in-can go for up to an hour on totally fields without touching a road. The only reason I may have to go down a country lane/cross one is to get to a longer hack(obviously that is a long time in future)
 
My collie x german shepherd is very good round the horses and has learnt to herd them in when its time to bring them in my horses dont ever panic even the 8 month old foal doesnt care they let her do it and go where she wants them to they dont care about her barking at them.
 
Seriously, "leave" is the best command and you need it so your dog will leave innocent walkers and other dogs alone. I do not want my dog going up to speak to dogs that have been put on leads, its bad manners!. I bribe mine, big time. Once your dog understands leave and you will bribe and also "come", then try her again with the horses. I haven't yet met a dog whose natural instinct is not to chase a nicely cantering pony in a field but this approach (and the hitherto mentioned dandy brush!) worked. Also, you then well on the road to being able to hack out safely as well, though as said previously, you need to ensure your dog will follow the same commands on foot before trying on a hack.
 
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