Video Driving Horse attacked by dog in the US

[holeymoley]

That was horrific. I thought the owner was the guy with the spatula, i was thinking just grab your dam dog! But it doesn’t seem to have been his. So awful. I dread to think what is the future for horses and uncontrollable dogs in public places.

 

[Flame_]

Absolutely horrible.

There are too many people sharing space. This stuff is getting inevitable now because of the sheer number of people involved. How many of them/ us can be counted on to always be responsible and never misjudge what to do with our animals? It's just horrible.

What a superb horse and magnificent, calm handling of the horse by the driver in terrifying circumstances.

 

[Berpisc]

Bloody awful, but some quick & calm thinking from the drivers, and what a brave horse. Not sure what the ‘easy’ guy was trying to achieve, and the dog owner seemed pretty lax about actually trying to regain a hold on her dog!

I think he was just completely stressed out himself.
What was that dog doing loose in a park like that. Awful. poor horse and poor woman.

 

[SibeliusMB]

There are leash laws, but unfortunately people regularly ignore them. I'm a dog person, but this makes me so upset. I've had several uncomfortable encounters with other people's (insecure and untrained) loose dogs between running and riding. Many years ago a horse I was riding was attacked by an ignorant neighbor's young Rottweiler - the Rottie circled the horse, lept at his throat multiple times, bit at his legs, and only stopped when my gelding absolutely connected with a well-placed kick or two. I tried to keep him from bolting and just let him spin, rear, kick, do whatever he needed to do, because if I had jumped off he likely would have taken off, and the dog would have chased. The useless owners just stood by and called to the dog while the horse and I did our best to not get bitten. Thankfully the horse was fine, but that was probably the scariest 60 seconds I've had undersaddle. The owners had been previously asked by the farm owner to keep the dog leashed when they're out walking the property, as the dog didn't respect the property boundary and had chased horses before.

I love dogs, but moments like the one on that video and my own experiences makes me really hate dog owners.

 

[rabatsa]

I have had this happen on a local common when I had a disabled driver on the carriage. Fortunately I had four people on bicycles with along with me and they used the bikes to block the dog. The owner did not even possess a lead and the dog was without a collar. The dog was caught by one of the RDA helpers and one of our lead ropes was used to restrain it.

The dog we met was just an untrained pooch who was agressive but not determined to kill the horse.

 

[Caol Ila]

I got pinned for about 15 minutes by an out-of-control German shepherd last year. That was fun. It kept trying to bite my horse's back legs, and I kept wheeling the horse around to face the dog. It wasn't as aggressive as the one in the video -- it wouldn't lunge when the horse's front end was pointed at it -- but we couldn't go anywhere. Whenever I tried to get out of dodge, it went for her hindlegs. So I circled and circled. Owner, meanwhile, was standing about twenty feet away, screaming the dog's name. This was not working. A few bystanders were trying to grab it, but it was a quick wee bugger. Finally, the owner grabbed it, and I got out of there.

About an hour later, I encountered the owner in the carpark after she'd loaded her dogs into a van. She apologised, but was like, "Oh, she's young. You came around the corner and I didn't see you. She's never done that before." Yeah, I said, someone could have died. Keep it on a lead. It's a park heavily used by horses, with lots of trees and winding trails. "I didn't see you" is a weak-ass excuse.

 

[Equi]

What a bloody saint that horse is and that woman deserves a medal. It could have gone so so so much worse for everyone involved and highlights the fact that pits will just go and go until they die. I hope they all recover well soon, and the owner of the pit pays the vet/medical bills

 

[Rumtytum]

What a bloody saint that horse is and that woman deserves a medal. It could have gone so so so much worse for everyone involved and highlights the fact that pits will just go and go until they die. I hope they all recover well soon, and the owner of the pit pays the vet/medical bills

I was just thinking exactly the same.

 

[Birker2020]

I have found that when dogs are loose and go up to your horse barking that is generally all they do. They are actually fearful of them and if you ride at them they will scarper. Obviously there is always an exception to the rule. I used to find this with one dog in particular who was loose round the riding club grounds. I reported it but nothing was done and I encountered it a number of times whilst riding across the grounds. i used to think if it was a little kid on a spooky pony it would be off like a shot with disasterous consequences, particuarly if the dog then chased its quarry.

 

[CrunchieBoi]

Maybe it's just me but I don't think the wishy-washy nonsense that seems to pass for dog training these days helps matters. Nor does the "there are no bad dogs only bad owners" crowd. Genetics can't be discounted in breeds that have been bred over centuries for a single purpose.

That poor horse and owner were such stars throughout. If ever there was a poster incident for a dog being dangerously out of control, this is it.

 

[marmalade76]

I don't think there's any excuse for a dog to repeatedly attack a horse for 200yards or so, provoked or not. I don't feel sorry for it and I am glad it was pts - a danger to society. I don't think certain breeds should be pets, yes all dogs can be aggressive but the difference is the power and damage some breeds are able to cause whether it's by accident (slipped lead) or purposely trained to be aggressive the outcome and damage they cause are all the same.

Totally agree, I don't know why anyone would be surprised that these types of dog would do this sort of thing, it's what they were bred for and anyone who ignores that is a fool. Can't think why anyone (other than those who want to "look hard") would want to own such a dog.

What with dog attacks becoming all too common - the ponies on the beach, the poor old lady in her own home, regular sheep attacks and attacks on other dogs, before long there's going to be a massive crack down and as usual, the few irresponsible, ignorant and entitled will spoil things for everyone else.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I don't think this dogs breed has anything to do with it ultimately, any dog of any breed can be this determined to take down and kill a horse or animal, even the poodle half of all these beloved Doodles has it bred into them - I have seen many many more awful pocket sized dogs than larger dogs.

The owner is a moron and let this dog/horse/horse owner down in every sense of the word. If the breed is bred to be prey inclined then you should be on top of it, if you have no control you should leash it, if you can't guarantee the safety of a leash or the dog is stronger than you then get a face harness or keep to somewhere horses aren't. Every inherent breed trait, or dog behaviour can be remedied by owner action, and if it can't then you shouldn't have the dog.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

So sad, horrible for all involved.

Whats sad is that could all have been avoided if that pitbull was leashed. (This links with the aggressive loose dogs wwyd thread)

Even if that dog is 100% good with other people, dogs, kids - but has never seen a horse before - id be leashing it as its an ‘unknown’. With my own animals, despite being trained and good with ‘everyday life’ - anything unknown to them is a potential unknown reaction from them - i want to be able to control them by leashing should their reaction be unexpected.
Every moment is a potential training opportunity.
That dog didnt get the chance to be ok around horses because it saw it as a new big animal to attack and defend itself. If introduced via leash to a horse, with owner showing it is ok, the dog would have had the chance to learn horses are ok, instead of attacking it, because it was loose and being instinctual - which with pitbulls, causing a huge % of dog attacks, their instinct seems to be attack.

Many dog breeds cannot be viewed as just ‘pets’ - they’ll always be dogs first.

It is *always* the fault of the owner, if a dog attacks anything. This is why there is a thread running in AAD about owners who walk their 'well-behaved' dogs without even taking a lead with them.

 

[Birker2020]

Every inherent breed trait, or dog behaviour can be remedied by owner action, and if it can't then you shouldn't have the dog.

I don't think this aggression can always be remedied.

A dogs temperment is part of its make up and is determined at conception. Responsive, non-responsive, active, inactive, shy and aggressive are all inherited temperaments that have been mapped out by your dog's DNA.

From the internet:

Can Aggression Be Cured?
Pet parents of aggressive dogs often ask whether they can ever be sure that their dog is “cured.” Taking into account the behavior modification techniques that affect aggression, our current understanding is that the incidence and frequency of some types of aggression can be reduced and sometimes eliminated. However, there’s no guarantee that an aggressive dog can be completely cured. In many cases, the only solution is to manage the problem by limiting a dog’s exposure to the situations, people or things that trigger her aggression. There’s always risk when dealing with an aggressive dog. Pet parents are responsible for their dogs’ behavior and must take precautions to ensure that no one’s harmed. Even if a dog has been well behaved for years, it’s not possible to predict when all the necessary circumstances might come together to create “the perfect storm” that triggers her aggression. Dogs who have a history of resorting to aggression as a way of dealing with stressful situations can fall back on that strategy. Pet parents of aggressive dogs should be prudent and always assume that their dog is NOT cured so that they never let down their guard. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/aggression

 

[Meowy Catkin]

RE the breed. It is said in the youtube comments that the dog is a Pit bull. I don't know if this has been confirmed or if it is just a 'Pit bull type'. I don't know how much difference being a purebred or type would make.

Secondly, also in the comments, someone stated that in the US (where this happened) that Pit bulls make up 6% of the dog population but account for 70% of fatal attacks. If this is accurate it definitely indicates that breed makes a huge difference.

 

[Harry Houdini]

This happened with my horse in 1998 when he was attacked by a Staffie out riding over public open space. The dog wouldn't leave the horse alone and kept trying to latch on to his throat and finally tail. I had jumped off my horse and was holding his bridle either side of the bit rings. I did consider letting him go to see if he could outrun the dog but the waste ground was partly skirted by roads and he wouldn't have stood a chance. My horse was so good natured but finally sustained a bite to his flank, the dog dropped between his back legs and the horse finally losing his patience kicked out knocking the dog out.

Peoples gardens backed out onto the waste ground and a couple of people, one with a shovel from memory ran over to help me, I assume he was going to bash the dog over the head not the owner!

Because the dog was injured when it came round (mouth full of blood/broken teeth/jaw) the owner was yelling that he was going to sue me! I was very upset but I managed to pacify my horse who incredibly didn't appear to be traumatised. Because it was too far to lead and the horse was sound I jumped back on a rode back to the yard.

It was a horrendous thing to have had happen. I actually wrote a story about it which appeared in Gallop magazine which was a monthly horsey magazine - I'll try to dig it out at the weekend.
Luckily Biggles never sustained any serious physical or mental scars. I went to the police station and they said to ring 999 if I saw the dog loose on the waste ground again.

The bloke yelling 'easy' to the dog or horse, not sure which isn't helping the situation, he is easing nothing at all.

There's several people shouting and screaming not helping the situation at all, I'm amazed at how calm the horse is, considering. I'm glad you and your horse recovered from your experience.

 

[marmalade76]

I don't think this dogs breed has anything to do with it ultimately, any dog of any breed can be this determined to take down and kill a horse or animal, even the poodle half of all these beloved Doodles has it bred into them - I have seen many many more awful pocket sized dogs than larger dogs.

I have to disagree, I don't think there are many, if any other types of dog that if repeatedly kicked & stamped on would continue to come back for more. This dog is doing what these dogs were bred to do to bulls, just like my collie trys to herd everything because she was bred to herd.

 

[Pippity]

Pit bulls have been bred to be animal-aggressive, yes, but they've also been bred to be non-aggressive to humans. This means that they make good family dogs, as long as the owner is responsible and aware of potential risks when out and about. In this case, with the dog loose in a crowded environment, the owner was definitely not responsible.

A horse on my yard was attacked by a labrador a few months ago, and I've had everything from viszlas to jack russells to cocker spaniels lunge at my horse. (Sadly, my local hacking routes have been swarming with out-of-control dogs since lockdown first started.)

A lot of the problem with specific breeds is that they become popular as the 'well 'ard' dog for a certain kind of young man. They end up being produced in massive numbers by backyard breeders, sold on to homes where it's considered a status symbol if the dog's snarling and aggressive on the end of a thick chain, and then the breed's reputation is destroyed and it takes a long time to come back from. I've seen it with German Shepherds, Rotties, pit bulls, and I suspect huskies may be the next victim, looking at the scrote-filled town where I used to work.

Secondly, also in the comments, someone stated that in the US (where this happened) that Pit bulls make up 6% of the dog population but account for 70% of fatal attacks. If this is accurate it definitely indicates that breed makes a huge difference.

I suspect the comment was referring to a 2000 study looking at dog bite related fatalities in a 20-year period. 67% of fatalities were related to Rotties and pit bull-type dogs. However, the study didn't cover all fatalities for that period, it may have been influenced by media bias against certain breeds, and the breed of the dog wasn't always clear.

The American Veterinary Medical Association conducted their own study, albeit with a much smaller sample, and concluded that breed was poor sole predictor of dog bites.

That horse was amazing, though, and so was its owner. My horse has coped well with dogs snapping at her heels and running under her belly, but under those circumstances, she'd be gone.

 

[Birker2020]

A lot of the problem with specific breeds is that they become popular as the 'well 'ard' dog for a certain kind of young man. They end up being produced in massive numbers by backyard breeders, sold on to homes where it's considered a status symbol if the dog's snarling and aggressive on the end of a thick chain,

.

Agree with this 100%. I reckon the dog that attacked my horse was trained to jump up and catch ropes hanging from trees and other exercises this type of owner do to fine tune their dog to promote maximum aggression. I think the dog was initially taken off guard by my horse suddenly appearing and although we'd had a canter we'd come back to walk at this stage. When he initially approached the horse I assumed he was like all the other dogs that have stood up to my horse (s) in their time, a bit of a bark, maybe a growl of intimidation. Nothing more. i remained calm but when he started lunging at his windpipe and then his tail I soon realised I had one hell of a problem.

It was one of many frightening situations I have had with my horses over the years but it was the one that could probably have had the potential to cause the most damage had my horse reacted in anyway other than the calm way he was reacting bless him. Biggles was a superstar, much like this carriage horse in the video. If he had of got loose and the dog chased him I dread to think what could have happened and not just to the dog or horse. I think if the same thing happened to me now I would react in a different manner, possibly take a boot off and start clobbering the dog over the head. The trouble was I was genuinely scared and the dog owner was useless, was more worried about my horse wheeling around than what damage his dog was doing.

In respect of the video one of the websites say he probability of a bite resulting in a complex wound was 4.4 times higher for pit bulls compared with the other top-biting breeds. I can believe this.

 

[scruffyponies]

All my dogs are used to horses and carriages, but my first action if I came across someone driving would be to get them to me and on a lead... starting with the little spaniel, who is the least obedient. The size of the dog makes a difference to the injuries the horse might sustain, but not to the likelihood of spooking the horse or the danger to the public from a potentially bolting horse and carriage.

That horse was a star.

Incidentally, it's herding dogs that bother me the most. They are obsessive, and they herd by nipping heels. My poor NF was attacked by a young Mallinois a couple of years ago, and only prevented injury by spinning like a catherine wheel kicking out at the dog. Same pony encountered same dog, again off lead and running at him just the other week (TBF to the dog it is obedient, but owner is an elderly man and just too slow to command his extraordinarily sharp dog). Pony stood like an angel, so either he has forgotten, or he only reacts if the dog actually means business. In this case the dog had learned it was best to keep his distance.

 

[marmalade76]

Yep, a herding dog will sneak around the back and nip a heel (mine won't nip though, not brave enough and has a high sense of self-preservation), not hang off the windpipe.

 

[conniegirl]

I’d rather a herding type than something attempting to kill the horse.

 

[marmalade76]

The American Veterinary Medical Association conducted their own study, albeit with a much smaller sample, and concluded that breed was poor sole predictor of dog bites.

All dogs can bite, but the results of being bitten by a Yorkshire terrier will be quite different from a bite from something with a massive amount of muscle around it's jaws.

 

[scruffyponies]

I’d rather a herding type than something attempting to kill the horse.

If the horse is in a carriage the result could be fatal either way. A bolting horse with a carriage behind it could kill itself and several people quite easily.

 

[PurBee]

RE the breed. It is said in the youtube comments that the dog is a Pit bull. I don't know if this has been confirmed or if it is just a 'Pit bull type'. I don't know how much difference being a purebred or type would make.

Secondly, also in the comments, someone stated that in the US (where this happened) that Pit bulls make up 6% of the dog population but account for 70% of fatal attacks. If this is accurate it definitely indicates that breed makes a huge difference.

unfortunately, pit bulls make up the majority of uk attacks too. On the other thread ‘loose dogs wwyd’ - michen posted a wiki link to dog attacks in the uk. I couldnt believe it was mostly pit bulls - had no idea - so it seems the breed has a higher attack instinct than majority of other breeds. The scenarios were all different - many were attacks on others in the household, a lot of mauling small kids, 3 attacks were on epileptic owners while having a fit. Most attacks were to the neck, suggesting the ’attack kill’ instinct driving the behaviour.

Even if the majority are good ‘pets’, im sure there are many, when in the wrong hands with owners not taking that particular breed’s training seriously, then it seems their attack drive is unpredictable, and we have awful attacks like this video shows.

 

[scruffyponies]

unfortunately, pit bulls make up the majority of uk attacks too. On the other thread ‘loose dogs wwyd’ - michen posted a wiki link to dog attacks in the uk. I couldnt believe it was mostly pit bulls - had no idea - so it seems the breed has a higher attack instinct than majority of other breeds. The scenarios were all different - many were attacks on others in the household, a lot of mauling small kids, 3 attacks were on epileptic owners while having a fit. Most attacks were to the neck, suggesting the ’attack kill’ instinct driving the behaviour.

Even if the majority are good ‘pets’, im sure there are many, when in the wrong hands with owners not taking that particular breed’s training seriously, then it seems their attack drive is unpredictable, and we have awful attacks like this video shows.

Pretty sure this is wrong PB. The stats I have seen are very different, and as you would expect, correlate much more closely with the number of each breed actually in the country. Pit bulls aren't that common. Labradors attack far more people, just because there are loads of them around.
There are more attacks by Pit Bulls in the US because they are very very common there.

In terms of attacks on people, the biggest common factor is non-resident people (usually children) being attacked by resident dogs. Typically it is grandma's perfectly quiet little pooch which goes for the grand-kids. From the dogs point of view it is often either resentful of the intruder, or attempting to 'discipline' what it sees as an uppity puppy... and that's assuming the child didn't actually cause the attack by hurting a dog which isn't used to children.

As far as carriage driving goes, my personal experience is that it's terriers who are reactive, and will snarl/bark/lunge at a carriage horse. Fortunatley most are on a lead because they usually have poor recall too. I always complement an owner with a well behaved terrier. They are either very lucky or have put in a lot of work.

 

[Pippity]

unfortunately, pit bulls make up the majority of uk attacks too. On the other thread ‘loose dogs wwyd’ - michen posted a wiki link to dog attacks in the uk. I couldnt believe it was mostly pit bulls - had no idea - so it seems the breed has a higher attack instinct than majority of other breeds. The scenarios were all different - many were attacks on others in the household, a lot of mauling small kids, 3 attacks were on epileptic owners while having a fit. Most attacks were to the neck, suggesting the ’attack kill’ instinct driving the behaviour.

I'm very surprised by that, even more so as pit bulls are a banned breed in the UK. I haven't been able to find the link you mention - do you have it to hand? I've found an incomplete list of fatal dog attacks in the UK, which shows an interesting change in the breeds involved. In the 90s and early 2000s, the most reported are Rotties. In the late 2000s and 2010s, it's mostly bull terriers/Staffies/bulldogs/mastiffs. I have no idea whether this shows a change in the fashionable snarling-dog-on-a-chain, a change in media bias, or simply that there are more bull-types around.

All dogs can bite, but the results of being bitten by a Yorkshire terrier will be quite different from a bite from something with a massive amount of muscle around it's jaws.

I absolutely agree with you on that, although it's quite alarming that at least two of the fatalities on the list involved Jack Russells.

 

[marmalade76]

Was it just Jack Russells or Jack Russells plus other dogs? JRTs can be savage, they were bred to be in order to take on rats, but they get away with it because of their size.

Pits are banned but some slip through, I remember reading somewhere that they can be imported through Ireland usually described as an Irish Staffie or Lab/Staffie cross.

 

[Pippity]

Was it just Jack Russells or Jack Russells plus other dogs? JRTs can be savage, they were bred to be in order to take on rats, but they get away with it because of their size.

Pits are banned but some slip through, I remember reading somewhere that they can be imported through Ireland usually described as an Irish Staffie or Lab/Staffie cross.

One was a JRT on its own, but the victim in that case was a baby. The other was a JRT with, IIRC, a german shepherd.

And, yes, pits definitely slip through. Because there's no way of confirming what is a pit bull and what isn't, it comes down to 'Does it look like a pit bull?' which involves things like size, weight, length of muzzle, type of coat, etc. And the kind of person who's that determined to have a banned breed is the kind of person who really shouldn't be allowed one. (Kind of like assault rifles, really.)

 

[Mule]

Was it just Jack Russells or Jack Russells plus other dogs? JRTs can be savage, they were bred to be in order to take on rats, but they get away with it because of their size.

Pits are banned but some slip through, I remember reading somewhere that they can be imported through Ireland usually described as an Irish Staffie or Lab/Staffie cross.

As a Jack Russell owner, I've often thought that if Jack Russell's were big they'd be on the banned list.

I don't believe large, aggressive breeds should be bred at all. The consequences of an attack by an animal with such big jaws, in combination with aggression is too dangerous.