Dogs, dogs, bl***y dogs

Actually,it wasn't tame
Let me redress the issue
a) it was private land
b) it was NOT the landowners dog and therefore should not have been there
c) my horse is perfectly well schooled, thank you very much and traffic proof
d) we were riding there knowing where and which the land owners dogs were and where they would be, this dog was not in the equation;
e)I actually went back to the site this afternoon and once again could find no dog or owner
f)kitsune-come and hack her out any time you like
 
Have to agree tbh. On the salt line near us there are notices stating horses must stick to walk only, dogs must be on a lead.
Everyone I know with a horse obeys, and only ever walks on the line. Dog owners however? It's very rare that you will ride past an owner who bothers to put their dog back on a lead!
A few weeks ago me & 2 other people were riding along there and a woman was stood halfway down the bank at the side of the path, with 2 lurchers milling around her - one decided to run through the barbed wire at the path side resulting in much rattling and dog yelping and squealing while the other dog came and stood on the track infront of the horses before disappearing into the undergrowth. Woman didn't do much tbh & didn't say a word while all 3 of the horses were a bit shocked and wary of the whole incident however behaved rather well, although Dan was a bit more spooked than the others - but what else would you expect of a 5yo?! A few other liveries have had issues with dogs along there, which is annoying as it's one of few off-road hacks near the yard :(
 
Sorry, I have a 16hh ISH who is built like a brick outhouse. We hack past a dog that goes bonkers and runs out at us, and from the first day to this, my horse didnt budge and had he done I wouldn't be blaming the dog, I'd be blaming myself as I should be able to control my horse.
 
I'd be ranting about your horse - not the dog, which was doing nothing but minding it's own business.

Really, some of you need to get a bloomin grip. It is only a dog!
 
Granted, a loose dog on private land shouldn't have been there.

But seriously I'd have been livid with my horse for spinning and bombing off at such an innocuous thing. Or more to the point livid with myself for letting the horse behave in such a way.
 
Any dog being walked in the countryside should be at heel/on a lead/or in sight of it's owner. All dogs want to run free and that's fine, in a field or an area where they can be seen and also called back quickly, if they can't be called to heel quickly then they should be on a lead.

Might get shot down in flames here but OH is a gamekeeper and this time of year there are birds nesting and with young - if a dog even disturbs a female then she may not return to the nest . With regards to the equestrian aspect, I once came back to my boys' field to find a lurcher coursing him round and round, and the owner laughing about the dog wanting to play with my horse (I was a bit more concerned about the possibility of a broken leg).....

And we have nine working dogs who are all exercised together and who are made to stay in sight at all times. If I am remotely concerned about any of my dogs legging it then they are placed on the lead (and they are trained to Field Trial standard)
 
JessnGeorge said:
Any dog being walked in the countryside should be at heel/on a lead/or in sight of it's owner. All dogs want to run free and that's fine, in a field or an area where they can be seen and also called back quickly, if they can't be called to heel quickly then they should be on a lead.

Might get shot down in flames here but OH is a gamekeeper and this time of year there are birds nesting and with young - if a dog even disturbs a female then she may not return to the nest . With regards to the equestrian aspect, I once came back to my boys' field to find a lurcher coursing him round and round, and the owner laughing about the dog wanting to play with my horse (I was a bit more concerned about the possibility of a broken leg).....

And we have nine working dogs who are all exercised together and who are made to stay in sight at all times. If I am remotely concerned about any of my dogs legging it then they are placed on the lead (and they are trained to Field Trial standard)
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I don't think anyone would disagree with what you've said, in principle, at all.

However, I - for one - am just so frustrated with all the posts about dogs and horses negative reactions to them (9 times out ot 10 caused by the rider I'm sure). If your horse is not safe around anything other than a menage fence, really don't ride it out. If you as a rider can't cope with anything other than empty spaces, void of any other activities - don't ride out. You are a danger to yourself and others.

Horses are unpredictable, but highly trainable. So deal with the issues or just stop riding out.
 
amymay said:
I don't think anyone would disagree with what you've said, in principle, at all.

However, I - for one - am just so frustrated with all the posts about dogs and horses negative reactions to them (9 times out ot 10 caused by the rider I'm sure). .
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Same here. I am sick of posts that seem to imply that the only people that have the right to be in the countryside are those sitting on the back of a horse, and everyone else really should just stay in the park, or somewhere else where the more important people don't have to be bothered with them. Frankly some of the attitudes make me ashamed to be a rider.

My dog is well trained and never bothers horses, as are most dogs in my experience. I don't make posts ranting about all horses because I met one that charged straight at me and my dog after throwing its rider.
 
miss_buffay said:
it annoys me when im walking my dog on the beach, i keep her on a lead and just use an extendable one so she can still run around etc,i keep her on a lead for a reason coz she will go up to other dogs and if they show agression to her she will fight back. it really really annoys me when people let there dogs run up to mine and just bloody ignore it and carry on walking, i now make a point of saying she will attack it, get it away. she wont do anything unless the other dog shows aggression but usually dogs are on a lead for a reason and they dont know that my dog wont hang off there dogs throat and they will certainly have something to winge about if she does.
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Oh I have the EXACT same problem. The worst thing is they say, ''oh my dog is fine''... Oh well that's alright then. We will just ignore the fact that my dog isn't!
OP, yes I do get paranoid about meeting some un-controlled dog's one day. That must of been worrying for you. Thankgod your all OK!
x
 
Hi I When walking your dog in the countryside, always remember:
By law you must control your dog so that it does not distrurb or scare farm animals or wildlife. You must keep your dog on a short lead on most areas of open country and common land between 1 March - 31 July, and at all times near farm animals
You do not have to put your dog on a lead on public paths as long as it is under close control. But as a general rule, keep your dog on a lead if you cannot rely on its obedience. By law, farmers are entitled to destroy a dog that injures or worries their animals
If a farm animal chases you and your dog, it is safer to let your dog off the lead - don't risk getting hurt by trying to protect it
Take particular care that your dog doesn't scare sheep and lambs or wander where it might distrurb birds that nest on the ground and other wildlife - eggs and young will soon die without protection from their parents
Everyone knows how unpleasant dog mess is and it can cause infections, so always clean up after your dog and get rid of the mess reponsibly. Also, make sure that your dog is wormed regularl.y
. Found this and copied it not trying to add sparks to the fire, just added for info.;). I always keep my CKC on a lead for his own safety as he is daft and has no road sense:eek:
 
amymay said:
I don't think anyone would disagree with what you've said, in principle, at all.

However, I - for one - am just so frustrated with all the posts about dogs and horses negative reactions to them (9 times out ot 10 caused by the rider I'm sure). If your horse is not safe around anything other than a menage fence, really don't ride it out. If you as a rider can't cope with anything other than empty spaces, void of any other activities - don't ride out. You are a danger to yourself and others.

Horses are unpredictable, but highly trainable. So deal with the issues or just stop riding out.
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Amy May, I do agree entirely, my point is really that if you are in charge of an animal be it dog, horse, whatever, it is our responsibility to make sure that it does not cause danger, distress or harm to anyone else. In the same way as if you are looking after a child really, that you ensure he/she is safe first and foremost and then not causing nuisance to anyone else. As none of them have rational thought....

We have to accept that we are responsible for our charges, whether or not they should know better. Also worth bearing in mind, horses are flight animals, dogs are fight animals and the behaviour exhibited is natural to their species.
 
Well, I opened a big can of worms there didn't I....Just to put the record straight, I actually don't have a manege, my horse and I only hack and hunt, I have been riding for longer than I care to remember, we are not a danger to other countryside users, OK I was on a loose rein and chatting to my friend and yes, it could have been a deer or anything else BUT it was a dog, no-one was with it, we were on private land, I think I already said, we have recently had SEVERAL issues with other dog walkers on Forestry Commission land which we have to pay a permit for (dogs are free) where the rules quite clearly state that dogs must be kept under control...I don't think huge great rottweilers/boxers whatever flying loose at you with the owner screaming at them are under control, and yes, on all of these incidents my horse behaved like a paragon, even when 2 of us were chased by 2 Great Danes, whose owners incidentally shrugged it off by saying he thought they were off chasing deer....maybe everyone here are responsible dog owners and if so, I am sorry if I've offended anyone, after all we were only having a quiet hack on a Saturday morning.
 
I'm with the OP and I am a dog owner. I am sick of being chased by out of control loose dogs with incompetent, ignorant owners. I had a nasty accident on a usually sensible young horse years ago, when a large dog rushed up to his heels and either touched or bit him. I was bucked off, hurt my back, had a nosebleed and was unconcious with the reins around my neck- could have been even nastier. So I don't stand for it now and have also taken to carrying a hunting whip and using it when loose dogs approach! (The dog owners love that!!) Sorry but all dogs should be either on a lead or under close control.
 
Diablosgold, what I meant was, I wasn't on the bit or working the horse up from behind, we were just in hacking mode, but still not expecting to get spooked like that. It looks like we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one, perhaps we're the only place in England to have uncontrolled dogs, and I must also say that all you guys who have such perfect horses who do not spook or look at anything at all are very lucky. Also, dog not reported missing to dog warded either, so it must have belonged to someone!
 
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