Dogs following horses whilst out hacking

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 February 2009
Messages
11,499
Location
Slopping along on a loose rein somewhere in Devon
Visit site
Just wondering what people's opinion is of this........... i.e. "acceptable" or "not-acceptable"

Over the weekend I was out riding with a friend; both horses are kept together and are fieldmates.

As we were going along the lane we saw a girl on a cob ahead of us, going very slowly, she was accompanied by two dogs.

As our horses were both fresh and needed to be allowed to trot on, we asked if we could pass. She said yes that's fine, and then said something about "the dogs" but we didn't quite hear exactly what as there was a strong wind at the time.

Both of her dogs were following behind her horse, loose.

We passed OK, and asked her if her horse would be OK with us being ahead and trotting on away from her to get out the way quickly. She said no problem with this.

So there we were going on ahead of her, but the horses suddenly started forward - and we realised that one of her dogs was following us, VERY very up-close, literally on the horses' heels, which explained why they jumped forward so quickly. The dog wouldn't go back to her even though she was calling it repeatedly, it just kept jumping up at the horses' legs all the time.

The girl kept shouting and hollering at the dog to come back, and we'd gone quite a long way ahead, before she was successful at getting it back to her.

Both of the horses we were riding are my horses: they are both VERY sensible cobby types and weren't unduly phased as we've got a yappy terrier of our own - we don't take the dogs out riding with us tho' coz I know I'd have no control over them.

But I dread to think what the result would have been had this happened with some of the horses around this area, or even kids out riding for that matter. On this particular lane, there is a main trunk road within less than a mile's distance if anything had decided to leg it :(

But this girl obviously had no control whatsoever over her dog chasing after strange horses!! :(

I don't know who she is, never seen her before, is obviously a new kid on the block. She looked the sort that just plods around in a dream-world TBH.

FFS if people can't control their blessed dogs then leave the flippin things at home???

So........ my question is: if I see her around again, say when I'm in the car or out walking etc - would it be unreasonable to mention the incident. point out the potential danger, and ask her to keep proper control of her dogs in future???

WWYD?
 
Last edited:
Not sure really, but I will re-iterate my thoughts - it's just downright dangerous to take a dog out with a horse, especially if on public land. Only way I would ever contemplate doing it, was if I owned a farm, and could go on my own land.
 
If she is new then hopefully she was just trying this out and will have realised she does not have good enough control over the dogs for it to be a good idea. If you do see her out again then I would stop and mention something. Be polite and factual, rather then confrontational. Unfortunately some people will not listen but hopefully she will not be one of those and then you will have done all that you can reasonably do.
 
wench said:
Not sure really, but I will re-iterate my thoughts - it's just downright dangerous to take a dog out with a horse, especially if on public land. Only way I would ever contemplate doing it, was if I owned a farm, and could go on my own land.
Click to expand...

There is a circular route from my yard that I can go on without taking a road, I have taken my dog frequently on that hack because I can trust her to stay at the heels of my horse and not budge. Many many times we've met other dog walkers/ horse riders and she hasn't deviated at all. I always take a rope clipped on to a D ring in case we meet any obstacles but haven't yet. And I can always jump off in the case of an emergency.

In the situation described by the OP yes that is 100% downright dangerous, she didn't have control of her dogs. If you see her again yes I would have a friendly word but she's probably realised herself that it wasn't a great idea! (Provided she isn't a complete imbecile..)
 
I used to take my dogs out with the horses with out a problem. They are horse, child and dog friendly so not a problem.

I wonder if you could have waited until she had got out of the way, or if you needed to pass, if you'd passed slowly. I suspect the fact that your horses were fresh and needed to trot made the dogs sense the excitement. It could just as easily have upset her horse when you passed with horses that 'needed' to trot on.

Hacking with a fresh horse is always a judgement call about making decisions that keep you safe. The world doesn't stop when you or I go out for a ride. Kids don't stop playing on bicycles and bin men and farm machinery still creates potential hazards.

Give other riders distance and if you pass, do so slowly and don't move off at increasing speed if the other rider is struggling.
 
MerrySherryRider said:
I used to take my dogs out with the horses with out a problem. They are horse, child and dog friendly so not a problem.

I wonder if you could have waited until she had got out of the way, or if you needed to pass, if you'd passed slowly. I suspect the fact that your horses were fresh and needed to trot made the dogs sense the excitement. It could just as easily have upset her horse when you passed with horses that 'needed' to trot on.

Hacking with a fresh horse is always a judgement call about making decisions that keep you safe. The world doesn't stop when you or I go out for a ride. Kids don't stop playing on bicycles and bin men and farm machinery still creates potential hazards.

Give other riders distance and if you pass, do so slowly and don't move off at increasing speed if the other rider is struggling.
Click to expand...

the dog should have been on a lead or under close control though by the sound of it this dog was neither and had there been an accident the owner would have been at fault
 
Don't agree with it - no matter how well behaved the dog, there is no way someone could jump off their horse and grab the dog quick enough if needed, IMO.

We have someone near us that likes to hack out around 7.30 in the morning with a loose dog, along a winding country B road. Utter madness if you ask me!
 
don't mind anyone with a loose dog as long as they can control it (which 99% of the time it seems they can't!) unfortunately my horse is very aggressive to dogs for some reason... tries actively to bite them and stamp on them! :s
I have yet to come across a dog owner who can stop their dog running up to my horse, without grabbing it. Same with when I walk my dog (who I never let off lead because I would have no chance in hell of stopping him chasing if he wanted to!).
I'm sure there must be some people out there who can control there dog's off lead, but it's not me and I don't think it's most people!
 
You say you were on a lane.....I am assuming a quiet country road with public right of way? If so, and assuming it wasn't a private lane traversing her own land, then the girl was breaking the law by not having her dog on a leash whilst on a public highway.
 
Sounds like you did everything right, Mijods. You checked with her that it was ok to pass, and it wasn't your fault that the dog followed.

As to WWYD, I'd leave it this time and hope that she has learnt her lesson. If, however, she does it again and still has no control of the dogs then definitely have a word.

There are some idiots round here who ride out on our narrow roads with dogs meandering about vaguely following them, but maybe 100 yards adrift. Not something I'd ever do, but if you must, the dog needs a rock solid response to recall and 'heel'.
 
I take my gun dogs hacking to get them fit, they are under compete control at heel and if I do let them hunt 20yards ahead of us (on the yards land) they can be stopped to a whistle instantly. They take not a blind bit of notice of other people or dogs, they're fixated on me. Not everyone who hacks with dogs irresponsible.
 
I ride out with are dogs, but not like the girl you have , mentioned does, i often us to ride my old cob with the other half on foot and had the dogs on those leads that go longer or shorter all on the click button! i would have NEVER! taken the dogs along with me if i didn't have him on foot, we also would only let them of in the plantation for a swim in the pond, they knew all to well when they names where called they MUST! come back, and if they didn't come back that was it straight back on to leads!! they where never aloud to be with in 6 foot of my cob, just for the horses safety,mine and the dogs them selves!

but i wouldn't take them out now with my TB he is not use to dogs yet and we own a large German Shepard who possibly looks like a Shetland with the size of him (he weighs 50KG!) we are working on introducing my Tb to them slowly, but i will not be taking them out with him until the time is right and that to me will be a couple of years away (tb is only 4!)

i think its very daft to take dogs out loose wile you are riding all it takes is for a rabbit, a bird or even a mouse to catch there eye and they are off, and what can you do as a rider, sit and shout? and that it really unless you want to tie your horse to a tree and chase your dog!!

y other half is looking at getting a bike to come on hacks with me on (he did want a quad but i don't know if 1 we can afford that and 2 if the Tb will take to kindly to a quad following him!!

truth me told i am not overly keen on those who ride and lead, always thought it was safer to have a leader on foot and follow another horse and rider that way!

but what do i know!!
 
I admit I have hacked out with my dogs, but only with my mum walking as well- the dogs always go back to her, they ignore me as soon as I get on the horse, it's like the can't see me any more!
 
Definitely not acceptable, I would only see it as fine if the dogs were safe and under control. I only hack out with my dog when my Dad tags along and keeps her on the lead beside us. At previous yard there was a woman who walked her dog (wasnt horsey) and on numerous occasions she would be back at her house and the dog would still be out...about a mile from her house. It was a very viscious dog and would chase you, try and bite and be such a nuissance. In the end I left but I had plans of tellingnlocal council, although she has been told numerous times to have control.
Maybe tell the woman nicely, if that fails then report to council.
 
my horse would have dealt with the situation if a dog had been jumping up her back legs, she is not too bad with them on the yard these days but I would never trust her as she used to be pretty aggressive with them due to being chased repeatedly by dogs in the past.

if I owned the land then yes I would take a dog hacking as long as I did not have to leave the land at any point. for those of you that say your dogs are under complete control what happens if your horse bolts/gets attacked by a dog or your dog gets attacked or has an accident?
 
twiggy2 said:
my horse would have dealt with the situation if a dog had been jumping up her back legs, she is not too bad with them on the yard these days but I would never trust her as she used to be pretty aggressive with them due to being chased repeatedly by dogs in the past.

if I owned the land then yes I would take a dog hacking as long as I did not have to leave the land at any point. for those of you that say your dogs are under complete control what happens if your horse bolts/gets attacked by a dog or your dog gets attacked or has an accident?
Click to expand...

Awful lot of what if's on this thread ....nothing actually happened apart from a dog followed the wrong horse, maybe he was confused ! For me it's a non event.
 
bonny said:
Awful lot of what if's on this thread ....nothing actually happened apart from a dog followed the wrong horse, maybe he was confused ! For me it's a non event.
Click to expand...

the dog was not under control and for me that is the event, I have had dogs appear from nowhere at speed stop dead in the road in front of me (the dog was freaked by the horse that he did not expect to see) the dog then proceeded to stand in front of the horse backing and growling whilst approaching-the lane was narrow and if I had turned the horse round to go the other way then my mare would most likely have kicked it so we just had to wait with a car behind and a car in front till the dog made up his mind he could creep past us to go on his way-loose dogs around horses is an increased risk if an owner of the horse and dog wants to take that risk that is up to them but they should not expose others to it.
 
I take my dog out with me all the time, she always stays right by my side unless we canter where I wait at the end for her to catch up - however this is only around the farm where my horse is kept, although I trust her 100% to stay with me and she is very obedient in that respect, I wouldn't DREAM of going out on the road with her!!
 
twiggy2 said:
the dog was not under control and for me that is the event, I have had dogs appear from nowhere at speed stop dead in the road in front of me (the dog was freaked by the horse that he did not expect to see) the dog then proceeded to stand in front of the horse backing and growling whilst approaching-the lane was narrow and if I had turned the horse round to go the other way then my mare would most likely have kicked it so we just had to wait with a car behind and a car in front till the dog made up his mind he could creep past us to go on his way-loose dogs around horses is an increased risk if an owner of the horse and dog wants to take that risk that is up to them but they should not expose others to it.
Click to expand...

In this case the dog didn't do anything apart from follow the wrong horse !
 
Dog followed the wrong horse, and any horse should be trained to accept a non-threatening dog nearby as a matter of rider safety, so the even itself isn't something I'd worry about. However, if the dog had no recall, as it seems, it shouldn't have been off lead.

I have 3 dogs. Would hack only with the setter, who I can turn, stop, recall and sit at distance. She knows what 'path' means (stay on the pavement) and also 'leave it' if she takes an interest in something she shouldn't. The mastiff has basic commands, and 100% recall, but isn't sharp enough to respond 100% from horseback, so for her sake I won't risk the accusation of her being 'out of control'. The toy spaniel is an idiot, and goes on a lead unless we're in a safe area.
 
bonny said:
In this case the dog didn't do anything apart from follow the wrong horse !
Click to expand...

Good job it wasn't my horse or it would probably be a dead doggy :p.

I don think the issue is that the dog is disobedient, meet them all the time out hacking & it's a pain.
 
wills_91 said:
Good job it wasn't my horse or it would probably be a dead doggy :p.

I don think the issue is that the dog is disobedient, meet them all the time out hacking & it's a pain.
Click to expand...

Why do so many people on here like to boast about their horse's dog killing capabilities ? Any horse can kick and a lot will obviously if attacked by a dog but thinking that your horse would kill a dog for simply being there is wrong. Now I'm thinking of what if's.....maybe replace the dog with a child, would you be so boastful of your horse's prowess in that situation ?
 
pennyturner said:
Dog followed the wrong horse, and any horse should be trained to accept a non-threatening dog nearby as a matter of rider safety, so the even itself isn't something I'd worry about.
Click to expand...

the OP states that the dog repeatedly jumped up the horses legs! that is not just following the wrong horse, and is not non threatening behaviour
 
twiggy2 said:
for those of you that say your dogs are under complete control what happens if your horse bolts/gets attacked by a dog or your dog gets attacked or has an accident?
Click to expand...

If my horse bolted the dog would follow until I regained control, not near any roads so no danger. If he got attacked by a dog he gets attacked by a dog, having my dog at foot doesn't change that situation. And if my dog got attacked I can be off my horse in seconds and I would try rescue her but in the case of a serious attack there's not a lot I can do without piling in and getting bitten myself.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Just wondering what people's opinion is of this........... i.e. "acceptable" or "not-acceptable"

Over the weekend I was out riding with a friend; both horses are kept together and are fieldmates.

As we were going along the lane we saw a girl on a cob ahead of us, going very slowly, she was accompanied by two dogs.

As our horses were both fresh and needed to be allowed to trot on, we asked if we could pass. She said yes that's fine, and then said something about "the dogs" but we didn't quite hear exactly what as there was a strong wind at the time.

Both of her dogs were following behind her horse, loose.

We passed OK, and asked her if her horse would be OK with us being ahead and trotting on away from her to get out the way quickly. She said no problem with this.

So there we were going on ahead of her, but the horses suddenly started forward - and we realised that one of her dogs was following us, VERY very up-close, literally on the horses' heels, which explained why they jumped forward so quickly. The dog wouldn't go back to her even though she was calling it repeatedly, it just kept jumping up at the horses' legs all the time.

The girl kept shouting and hollering at the dog to come back, and we'd gone quite a long way ahead, before she was successful at getting it back to her.

Both of the horses we were riding are my horses: they are both VERY sensible cobby types and weren't unduly phased as we've got a yappy terrier of our own - we don't take the dogs out riding with us tho' coz I know I'd have no control over them.

But I dread to think what the result would have been had this happened with some of the horses around this area, or even kids out riding for that matter. On this particular lane, there is a main trunk road within less than a mile's distance if anything had decided to leg it :(

But this girl obviously had no control whatsoever over her dog chasing after strange horses!! :(

I don't know who she is, never seen her before, is obviously a new kid on the block. She looked the sort that just plods around in a dream-world TBH.

FFS if people can't control their blessed dogs then leave the flippin things at home???

So........ my question is: if I see her around again, say when I'm in the car or out walking etc - would it be unreasonable to mention the incident. point out the potential danger, and ask her to keep proper control of her dogs in future???

WWYD?
Click to expand...

Unacceptable imo. If you're dogs recall is dodgy, with or without distraction it should be kept on lead on a Highway. There are by-laws regarding dogs on leads on public highways. May be worth speaking to your local Highways department.
 
I hack out with my dog, he is under control. I wouldn't want to try with two though. I cannot see why being on a horse is an issue, there are plenty of poorly trained dogs out there with walkers, cyclists etc.
 
Well, imo, if a dog is actually out of control/being menacing/getting underfoot then frankly tough luck if it is kicked. It will either die or learn from the experience. Any responsible dog owner would understand that, in fact they would be utterly mortified at their dog having caused an issue. The irresponsible ones will most likely threaten/attempt to sue you, and may even attempt to do you or your horse harm. Please do report irresponsible owners to your local dog warden; chances are you won't be the only one that they are causing problems for. If enough people complain, then the dog warden might even bother looking into the matter, but don't be too upset if they do nothing at all.

In my experience, responsible dog owners tend to only allow their dog off lead if they actually have full control over it. And yes, some of us do have full control. This doesn't mean that free roaming toddlers/small children are appreciated. No, we don't wish to let them pet our dogs. We are not baby sitters or mobile petting zoos. Do some parenting, why don't you? Or keep your offspring on those rein things. Nor do we enjoy having other, out of control dogs "playing" with ours. Our dogs are not chew toys. Train your dog. Or keep it on a lead. There is a massive difference between "dogs being dogs" and "dogs being out of control and unpleasant/unsafe to be around". And maybe keep your in season bitch where you can see her, eh?

Anyhow, regarding the OP, I think they should have clarified what the other rider was saying about the dogs before they decided whether or not to overtake. Chances are it was something about the dogs being likely to follow them. I also think that the dogs in question should have been on lead - they didn't obey their handler, therefore no running loose. I would definitely speak to the person involved about it, but do be prepared to receive an earful back; some people can be very defensive! Hopefully they have already realised their mistake and will not let their dogs run loose again until they have full control over them :)
 
Used to be a lady here who hacked out a large horse with a collie dog on a long lead. Plain stupid really, danger of lead getting caught round horses legs causing injury, not to mention dog getting stood on.
Don't know why people do it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top