Dogs on Bridlepaths

I have spent about an hour, cumulatively over the last few week just standing whilst a dog runs round my horse with a useless owner - because I stay calm and my horse doesn't flinch I think they find it amusing and not the serious problem they should.

If a dog is having a look and it's owner quickly takes control, fine. If it looks aggressive I have taken to shouting a firm 'No!' because if the owner won't act to stop one of our animals being injured then I will. I do despair when I ask very politely for them to be put on a lead, after pointing out that I don't want their dog to be kicked that theyj ust say 'Oh, I can't catch him now'. What am I meant to do? My animal is under full control, but if she kicks, she kicks, and she can only put up with you and your dog playing hide and seek around her for so long.

Also, what's with people who eventually get their dog away, don't bother putting it on a lead so it just comes storming back next time you move?

All that said, the majority of dog owners I have met in this very urban area are brilliant, have full control of their dogs and know that they've probably never seen a horse before so act accordingly.
 
amymay said:
Why shout? Why not just talk to them? You're calmer because you're not shouting - and so therefore is your horse.............
Click to expand...

They were 4 big dogs barking and running towards us. I only had time to shout once, the dogs were 10 metres away and I don't think they would have even heard me if i had spoken to them. I shouted to attract the attention of the owner as much as anything and didn't do it until I was off the horse who had already tried to bolt and had reared.

Maybe I should have waited until they were right upto me and asked them to stop. If you really think that is the best approach then I hope it never happens to you.
 
We get a lot of dog-walkers along our bridleway (think it's actually correctly an RUPP). Most if not all call their dogs to heel and put their leads on if necessary, or just get the dog to sit still tucked in as horses go by (our track is very narrow in places in the summer due to overhanging trees/overgrown hedges). Some know their dogs are OK around horses and just walk by with the dog not on a lead.

I have no objection to sharing space with dogs at all and if the dog is well behaved as far as I'm concerned they don't need to be put immediately on a lead but in the last week I've had a loose GSD (which I managed to find out was from a garden centre about half a mile away and just out and about self exercising!) running along the track in and out of the fields which caused both my horse and another one I was out with last Friday to spook and shoot forwards as it appeared out of nowhere through the hedge. 2 days ago I came across it again out by myself when it came towards me at speed but then it dived off through a hedge into the field. As it's a well used track you get to know most of the dog walkers by sight but yesterday out by myself a couple came by I'd not seen before with an old collie in front of them, it didn't stop or come any closer to me as it went past but started growling and then barking quite aggressively - now my pony didn't bat an eyelid but you can't say the same for all horses and that may have caused another horse to take off - some are more sensitive to others and that's just one of those things, no dog or horse is the same. And I guess that's where both dogwalkers and horse riders have to think about the fact that neither of us know at that moment what the other's animal is like or how it may react. Some horses are fine with certain dogs but not with others. Mine is fine with the 2 yard dogs but very unsure of a JRT and a Weimeraner that come onto the yard and run around.

I'm not up for endless restrictions on dogs as most I've found that most owners I am fortunate to come across have sense as they don't want their dog to be injured by a horse but like that GSD...I just wonder where the owners think that dog was for a couple of hours - obviously not concerned that it had gone walkabout.
 
I personally think the issue stems from non-horsey people/dogs using bridlepaths and some owners treating dogs like their kids and not animals. I'm not saying they shouldn't be allowed on bridlepaths but if you think about it many of these dogs which run up to and around horses (im talking about being curious/excitable not aggressive) have prob never seen/been around horses before. It's natural instinct of the dog to run up, bark, jump around. Attacking a horse is a different thing altogether tho. It's up to the owners to control them.

On the other side there are those owners who say 'oh he (the dog) has never done that before, he's usually so well behaved'. They claim it's recall is fab but to them the dog coming back after trying to recall it 10 times and it taking 5 minutes it good! I know people who think their dogs are so well behaved and clever but to me they are still out of control.

If my dog showed even a hint of aggression to another animal/person I would keep it on a lead and muzzled but some people seem to turn a blind eye.
 
Cuffey, thank you so much for the BHS link. Just what I wanted, and saved me looking on their website! My recent incident report sent off to them.

Last weekend a friend and I and our two horses were set upon by three screaming dogs galloping down the drive of the owner's unfenced and ungated property. No-one in sight needless to say. We were riding along a designated Restricted Byway. Both our horses spun round and bolted but we managed to stay on board and pull them up quite quickly. By this time the dogs had retreated back into their garden and we both made to get up the track as quickly as we could and away from the premises. Unfortunately the dogs then attacked again through the undergrowth forming the boundary of the property, although we did manage to get away without further incident.

We were yelling at the dogs, as much to attract the owner as anything. A previous poster has suggested we "speak" to the attacking dogs, rather than shout. With two frantic horses and three out of control farm dogs to deal with I doubt that saying "there there, coochy coo" to them would have had much effect!

This has been reported to the police and I am awaiting a visit from them to make a statement.

In a previous incident with these three dogs a friend's two horses had the same thing happen which has resulted in one horse with a damaged annular ligament, and the rider of the other horse falling. This incident is under police investigation with a possible prosecution resulting.
 
if you lived in Scotland you wouldnt have a choice, scramblers, mountain bikers, prams, dogs, people leading donkeys and horse riders all have to share paths-although some are designated footpaths only. Having been brought up in England I think its better up here-you just can't get precious about it and its up to the rider to make sure their horse and themselves is up to the job of dealing with whatever comes along.
both of mine are used to my big dog and I have no problems with them and dogs outside-I also make a point of letting people with pups introduce them to whatever I'm riding. I may live in a more rural area perhaps and the majority of dogs are ok and may just bark a bit although I have been circled by a snapping collie while its useless owner took forever to catch it! I also mainly have to ride in woodland and often have dogs crashing about in the undergrowth (sometimes mine!) and both animals have gotten used to it.
However, even mine I think would be less comfortable with several dogs around them and falling off and having a loose horse in the countryside is no joke.
 
blackcob said:
I wonder if US-style dog parks would be a solution in some areas? I'd certainly make use of a securely fenced area just for dogs, as I do with my spare horse paddock now, with the additional benefits of being able to socialise with other dogs and have poo bins available. It might encourage the lazier owners with less well-trained dogs to just bung them in the dog park rather than let them run rampant on rights of way, and leave the more responsible owners to enjoy the countryside with their well-trained dogs - on or off the lead.
Click to expand...
we have walkways round some of o0ur parks, fenced to about 5', with chicken wire. There's heavy safe gates and poo bins. It's not expensive for councils to do and I found them invaluable for teaching recall in public areas. She gets to socialise with other dogs and I have absolutely no fear of her running off.

Maybe people should suggest such things to their local council.
 
If you do have problems with dogs then simply report it to the local police and dog warden stating that you where scared of being attacked as the laws relating to dogs only relate to humans rather than animals.

If you have a problem with dogs on boundary fencing of aproperty then you can ask the local district council to take action using the Environment Act (as ammended).

I have been hacking out for 40 years including central London and it is only in the last few years that I have encountered so many aggresive dogs. My horses are good with dogs but one was attacked recently on a public road by two dogs that ran out of a farm and attacked her clinging to her neck and bringing her down on the road. She was bitten and also traumatised. However good my horse was with dogs did not help in this situation as the dogs where intent on attacking her. I fought the dogs of her by using my schooling whip and kicking them and they eventually ran off back in to the farm yard. I went to see th efarmer concerned and he could not care less and was also abusive towards me. The incident was reported to the police and the local dog warden both of which visited the farmer concerned and advised him that the dogs must not be allowed to come off his property as they where a danger to members of the public. There are sadly a minority of irresponsible dog owners out there who do not deserve to have dogs as they do not know how train or control them.
You can have the best trained horse with dogs but if the dogs are intent on attacking your horse then this is not the fault of the horse owner.
 
It is putting it lightly when I say it gets on my nerves when a person does not have control of their dog in general.
My horse is excellent with dogs, however, for example just the other day a dog came racing over, full on aggressive barking headed straight for my horse, I just stopped and stood her stock still, and thank god she was an angel. I would have not for one minute blamed her had she spooked at this large dog running at speed, barking straight at her!
As far as I am concerned the owner was a git as she never once apologised for her out of control dog on our bridle path! I would have been mortified if it were my dog and would have apologised and made sure it did not happen again.

It is not just horses, like Blackcob said, it is people and children who can be and are terrified of dogs and would hate a situation where one was running straight for them barking, it is simply not on and those owners need to take their dogs to obedience classes in my opinion and gain better control.

If the dog is under control then fine, most of them are who share our bridle path, and its great, its a minority who do not have control that need to sort it out
 
From the other side of the argument, I have little patience with riders who come galloping around a corner whilst I am walking my dog (in control and in view), I will call my dog back and get out of the way, but I need a chance to see you. If you can't see clearly ahead then you shouldn't be out of walk IMO.
I also cannot abide rude riders who fail to say thank you when I have made the effort to get out of the way but remain in view so as not to spook the horse, nor riders who think it acceptable to go on Footpaths. I

I have encountered many more rude riders in places they shouldn't be, than I have had problems with loose dogs whilst riding my horse.
 
dog owners do my head in. i run a dog grooming parlour so i love dogs and own one, so dont get me wrong. but mine is under control 100% of the time. when off lead, he is glued to my side, because that's where he chooses to be. if a horse comes, despite him being more than used to them, he goes on his lead. i think people like to think they're dogs are really well behaved and let them off regardless. i've had numerous dog incidents riding my horse. he kicked a collie last yr and made its mouth bleed, and lashed out at a jack, then bolted becoz 2 huge mutts came charging at us. i'm more than prepared to give the owners a mouthful these days. i hasten to add, none of them are my clients!! i jst shout that my horse will kick if they dont call their dog away. and on the other hand, i ALWAYS make a point of thanking those that get hold of their dogs as we pass. i dont want a dog to get injured becoz the owner is irresponsible, but sometimes that's what it takes before the dumb few realise.
 
Misinterpreted said:
I fell off this morning, due to being chased by a mental half staffy, half boxer type dog that was running loose, and who went out of control when he saw my horse. We were on a public bridle path. Nearly everyone at our yard has a story to tell about being chased by dogs on bridlepaths :( It's not good.

My horse is very used to dogs, as there are plenty of dogs on the yard, but this dog behaved in an aggressive manor (well, my horse thought so!) and it was madly chasing us and circling me and my horse. My horse went up, bucked out to kick it, then lunged up again and he twisted sideways and I came out the side door! He's 17.2hh so these are BIG movements!

The dog ran off when I fell, and my horse stood and I was able to catch him. I saw the owner and had SERIOUS words with her, about this being a public bridlepath and it's her responsiblity to keep her dog under control, or on a lead. I don't think she'll be returning!

If a dog is loose on a public footpath, fair enough. On a Bridlepath however, if it's not 100% safe and calm around horses then it should be on a lead, in the same way the dog would be on a lead if it was being walked along a road? Don't you think ??? I also hate the excuse owners use when you have just been chased by their dog 'oh we didn't see you in time to put so so on the lead'.

I'd had a lovely 2 hour, all terrain ride this morning, bit or roadwork, then into fields, through a stream and back through the woods, and then this happened in the woods. I'm a bit achey (luckily was a soft landing!), but I'm fine and my horse is fine. I climbed back onto him by using a gate, and I rode back without incident.

Where we live, there are many, many public footpath routes, but only two off road circular bridlepath routes. We riders have much less choice than the dog walkers!

I wish there was some kind of law put into place where dog owners who use bridlepaths have to have them on leads unless they are well behaved enough to stay walking to heel with their owner??
Click to expand...


havent read all posts

tricky one hear. At the end of the day glad you and horse are ok it could go so very badly wrong.
Its 2 sided though should dogs be kept on a lead on bridleways ? I think no thats a bit much to apply in all cases. No one can predict an accident etc with dog, horse, human or otherwise. We can use common sense. If the dog is not well trained then if off a lead should not be allowed out of sight and both horse riders and dog owners must show equal respect to look out for one another regardless of location be it a bridal path or not. Difficult though as it being names a bridal path makes us assume we will be safer and alone
after all we share the roads with tax paying cars (some we really rather wouldnt) awful accidents can happen even with the calest horse or pony due to driver error or horse and rider. Its 50 50 really. It comes down to forsight and respect.
I really hope you have enjoyable safe future rides with no bad, mad or rabid dogs at you heels :)
 
amymay said:
.

I come accross dogs all the time out riding.
Click to expand...

So do I.

My horse is usually fine with dogs and we have dogs ourselves but this was 4 big dogs running in a group and barking aggresively. I was calm and so was my horse (reasonably) once I dismounted and stood between him and the dogs. I wasn't yelling and screaming I just stood my ground and shouted 'get away'. I shouted to make the dogs stop - which they did - and attract the owners attention if they were around - which it did. I didn't even know if the owner was there because they were round the corner.

I'm sure the dog owner would have shouted if i'd been cantering round the same corner towards them.
 
Oh dear I don't think some of you would be very pleased to meet me on your hack! My field is halfway along a bridlepath so I take them backwards and forwards 3 or 4 at time by riding and leading bareback, with my 4 dogs loose. They trot along behind the horses and completely ignore any other dogs/people/horses we meet, and their recall, stay is 99% (the 1% is allowing for the lurchers being distracted by squirrels :rolleyes:).

We box over to richmond park fairly regularly and every time without fail we are pestered by people's dogs. As my horse is used to working on the gallops accompanied by 2 lurchers he's not bothered in the slightest when dogs give chase. Obviously these dogs shouldn't be loose until they're better trained, but I am suprised by the number of horses on this thread that are scared by dogs.
 
Haven't read all the replies but glad you and your horse are ok.

I was trying out a horse to buy, first time on a hack with the owner riding a bike with me as I didn't know the way etc. Next thing I knew I was being bolted off with full pelt on a horse I didn't know along a bridleway, being chased by 6 fully grown, black Newfoundland dogs!! :(

I am fine with dogs out and about so long as they are good with horses. I know my dog is not good with other dogs or horses, so he is on the lead unless I know I am somewhere that is 100% safe for him to be let off.
 
I think the main problem seems to be that people let their dogs out of their sight and then of course have no idea what it is doing... Seeing as the law says you're meant to have your dog under control at all time, I don't see how you can do this if you can't see it!

My dog knows he's not to go out of my sight. If he goes around a corner without me, either I call him back immediately, or he realises first (so instant) and stops and waits for me.
 
I've had several nasty instances with dogs on our local bridleway my horse is usually very good, my pony will turn and bolt if a loose dog runs agressively towards her as she's been attacked twice now both are used to dogs of various sizes.

What annoys me most is people who let their dogs get out of sight or make no attempt to call them back.

Personally, I think dogs should have to be kept on leads on bridleways and that councils should introduce dog parks.

It's a shame that the few people who make no effort to socialise or control their dogs ruin it for those who do.
 
Query for Daffodil-did the dogs actually leave their property?
I have a road where a very aggressive looking rottie barks and then runs up the field beside the road. the horses tend to freak the first time, and I did worry about it, as the field is escapeable. I just continued with my rider without upsetting the horse and the dog did not follow. Int he 5 years I have lived here, it has never come out onto the road. So I don't consider it the dogs problem, it's just making noise!
A GSD that has attacked others dogs on the way past from its unfenced garden, yes-that I consider a problem.
My own dogs will fly down our drive creating hell when anyone walks/rides past. They are all used to horses, and don't go right down onto the road (it's unfenced too-they free range). I wouldn't expect anyone to complain because their horse got spooked by it or a dog in the hedge-as that is not my problem and funny enough all our hacks have loose dogs like this-and the horses totally, and I mean totally, ignore them.
(sometimes I wish they'd give them a kick mind!)
So unless the dogs are actually attacking or round your horses heels..I can't see why anyone would be prosecuted!
 
Glad you are ok, I think there are allready laws regarding dogs out of control in public places, just like illegal parking and illegal vehicle use on them as well, getting someone to enforce them is the problem, we have more laws than you can shake a stick at, but nobody willing to enforce them :mad:
 
Dogs and horses are both unpredictable animals and however well trained they are there will always be the risk of trouble.
Horse riders should also consider if they are always in full control of their horses.
I agree dog walkers should have dogs under control at all times but it should work both ways.
As a horse and dog owner I can see it from both sides, but I have to say I have seen some riders doing very stupid things, such as cantering and galloping round blind bends, talking on mobiles and one woman riding while having a dog on a flexi lead.
Its all very well giving dog owners a hard time for dogs not being under control but are you always in control of your horse?
 
The main issue seems to be that horses are not socialised well enough with dogs. If a dog actually attacks the horse thats different but if he is just having a look, then its your fault as the rider if the horse goes mad about it. What about out of control horse bolting down a bridlepath, surely thats more of a danger than a dog being off lead. What if your horse runs into a child next time it happens?

Sorry but its not everyone else's responsibility to keep you and your horse safe.
 
blueneonrainbow said:
The main issue seems to be that horses are not socialised well enough with dogs. If a dog actually attacks the horse thats different but if he is just having a look, then its your fault as the rider if the horse goes mad about it. What about out of control horse bolting down a bridlepath, surely thats more of a danger than a dog being off lead. What if your horse runs into a child next time it happens?

Sorry but its not everyone else's responsibility to keep you and your horse safe.
Click to expand...

Well said. I totally agree.
 
blueneonrainbow said:
The main issue seems to be that horses are not socialised well enough with dogs. If a dog actually attacks the horse thats different but if he is just having a look, then its your fault as the rider if the horse goes mad about it. What about out of control horse bolting down a bridlepath, surely thats more of a danger than a dog being off lead. What if your horse runs into a child next time it happens?

Sorry but its not everyone else's responsibility to keep you and your horse safe.
Click to expand...

Agree with this, there have been several posts by people who've lost control of their horse & then moaned about dog walkers who lose control of their dogs!
There are inconserate dog walkers out there but there are just as many inconsiderate horse riders.
 
blueneonrainbow said:
The main issue seems to be that horses are not socialised well enough with dogs. If a dog actually attacks the horse thats different but if he is just having a look, then its your fault as the rider if the horse goes mad about it. What about out of control horse bolting down a bridlepath, surely thats more of a danger than a dog being off lead. What if your horse runs into a child next time it happens?

Sorry but its not everyone else's responsibility to keep you and your horse safe.
Click to expand...

I disagree, the problem is out of control and badly trained dogs. I get chased when I'm out running too by dogs that jump up on me, claw me, bar my way and threaten to bit me. I don't relish the thought of losing use of a tendon or ligament due to a dog bite. I have two experienced hunters, neither are at all nervous or troubled by dogs but we regularly get dogs following us, ignoring their owners. I do often ride back to reunite the dog with the owners, sometimes to a mouthful of abuse. I only walk near other people I see out riding, my horse is under control and weighs around 650kg - why can I control such a large animal and a dog owner not control or correctly train their dog? I don't ride my horse without tack and let it run around out of control going up to other people and annoying them; is it too much to expect dog owners to do the same?
 
The main issue seems to be that horses are not socialised well enough with dogs. If a dog actually attacks the horse thats different but if he is just having a look, then its your fault as the rider if the horse goes mad about it. What about out of control horse bolting down a bridlepath, surely thats more of a danger than a dog being off lead. What if your horse runs into a child next time it happens?
Click to expand...

Thank you - you have put my thoughts exactly down - as I failed to do previously.

Guess many of you have never been near a hunting field - which is no crime. But would be invaluable education......
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top