For those that have right of ways on their land.

[BBH]

On friday evening I found a lady on my land down by the river with a small terrier dog off the lead and running loose. My young horse has not seen lots of dogs and it was running between his legs and when I caught up with the woman I said that the horse may kick and she just didn't seem to register that her dog could get injured if she let him off around horses. As we were talking the dog jumped up and rested his two front legs on the horses tail and just stood there, she didn't call the dog to heal or put him back on the lead.

So, she had deviated off the correct right of way path and her dog was not leashed so if a horse had kicked out where would I stand legally.

Any thoughts please folks.

 

[gumpatrump]

We have a similar problem to you on a regular basis, I think if the dog is of the lead or they are not on the designated path and the dog got hurt then its their fault. If on a lead and the dog gets kicked then you are liable I think! A walkers dog got injured of the lead in our field a while back and he phoned demanding we paid his vet bill but I said it was his own fault cos the dog wasnt on a lead. He complained to the council and they had a moan but that was the end of it! Hope that helps!

 

[f_s_]

If there is a designated right of way and the person/animal strays from this, then it is their responsibility. Especially if there is a notice telling them to keep animal on a lead.

I have had to speak to our neighbour about letting his dog off the lead and it straying into the horse paddocks. I just explained that I would hate to see his lovely dog get hurt, and therefore it would be better if he stuck to the public footpath! I also told him that one of the horses doesn't like dogs and therefore would definitely charge at it...not true really, but, if it does the job!!!

 

[Lollii]

Our neighbours cows (with calfs) killed a dog the other day, the man was off the footpath (National Trust Land) but the dog was on his lead, the cows attacked the man as well - put him in hospital but I think he is ok now.

The man is going to claim on insurance, so I don't know how it is going to tun out yet - nasty I expect!

 

[OWLIE185]

The law states that dogs should be under control at all time. That is the owners responsibility.

However you have a responsibility for anyone on your land even if they are trespasing on your land.

The only solution in some cases is to fence the public right of way but this must be done with safe fencing so post and rail and equi-fencing. Barbed wire or electric fencing should not be used.

Where the public right of way goes for instance diagonally accross your land you could apply to the definitive map officer of your County Council to have the route diverted around the edge of your fields so that it is easier to fence.

 

[revilo]

There is a footpath running down the side of the sand school at the stables where i ride. One day a lady from the village was walking her dogs and one of them happened to do a poo which she completely dismissed and carried on walking. So my friend and I called out to her and asked whether or not she was going to pick it up, she quickly turned around and said well your horses poo all along the road are you going to pick that up

. We tried to explain that dog poo is slightly different to horse poo and that it is illegal not to clear up after your dog and also as this is a riding school there are lots of young children around it was her duty to clean it up.

Anyway a little while later the lady was returning back from her walk with her dogs. One of the dogs decided it was going to come bounding into the school around the horses as she walked past a comment was made that she wants to be careful as the horses/ponies may kick out at the dog and injure it, not only that but if anything happened to the young children riding should the ponies take a dislike to the dog then that would be her responsibility, all she could do was smirk and try to stare us out after which she went over to her dog poo and kicked it around

She has been up on occasions since and just stares at us as she walks past almost daring us to say something, we just completely ignore her and will not give her the time of day.

 

[BBH]

Some people are such idiots aren't they. They put themselves and their dogs in harms way and others have to bear the brunt of any comebacks.

I am lucky in that the footpath is at the edge of the field but it is an area of outstanding natural beauty and i'm not sure the council will allow fencing. Post n rail is pretty but it still wouldn't stop dogs off leads sneaking under and getting to the horses. The only way would be to then add stock fencing and I don't see why I should bear the expense for some stupid dog owners.