Hacking out with dogs

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Baileyboo

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don't know if there has been much on this before or not but I'm just interested on peoples thoughts really. I have never done this and have never really thought about it. I know where I used to live a lady used to hack out with her two labs but you could get straight onto forestry commission tracks without any road work. The other day I was driving down the road and passed a rider with collie and I thought what a lovely thing to be able to do. I'm just not so sure on the safety implications or that I would ever do it. Thoughts please?
 
How can you be in full control of 2 unpredictable animals when riding one of them?

Expect to be sued in to next year and find the insurance won't pay out if anything goes wrong.
 
Mmm, there are strong views on this one on both sides of the fence. I have been on the bad side myself and by that I mean my horse got frightened by 2 dogs who were out with their owners but off the leads and free to run, hence they jumped out of the hedge behind my horse and caused him to bolt down the road. He went far enough for me to think, shall I bail, pull him over or crash into the van that's coming towards me!!!!! Fortunately, he decided to let me pull him up. There were many times when I had asked the 2 women to keep their dogs on the leads (they are both on horses) and many times we have come across them and they've always been off the lead, so the last time I met them I told them I was ringing the police, which I did and they advised me that a dog should be kept under control on the public highway, that isn't to say it should be on a lead but it certainly shouldn't be jumping in and out of hedges and running amok. And yes, I could have had them both prosecuted for not having their dogs under control but didn't. Why? Because all I wanted was for them to stop being so ignorant and blatantly ignoring my frequent requests to stop their dogs scaring our horses. It happened to my mum too, and her horse was used to hounds but if they aren't expecting it, you know what it's like, they just want to flee.
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I love dogs, I do think that you cannot possibly be in full control if you are riding and the dog is roaming free, UNLESS it is exceptionally well behaved and stays by your side at all times. I do know of someone who's dog does just that. However, if you are lucky enough to have lots of bridlepaths/off road riding then it's perhaps not as dangerous. IMHO
 
I take my dog out with me nearly every day unless I am going on the main road in which case she stays at home. I am lucky enough that we live in a 2,000 acre estate so there is hardly any road work. Where I used to live we were able to take the dogs on the country roads too due to minimal traffic and them being very good.
 
I've often thought about hacking out with my dogs and then thought better of it as I do have a half mile stretch of albeit quiet road to get to before I'm in the forest. My boisterous lab loves to play with anything it meets and I'd probably find it a might difficult to stop him approaching a less friendly dog from atop my 17.2. If it was my own private land no problem but you've always got to consider what you'll meet once out there and I'd hate to put anyone in a difficult or dangerous position.
 
I take my dog out occasionally, but we only have to cross one road before we're onto private land. That said, the other day she caught scent of something and nearly got totalled by a Jeep - she's normally exceptionally obedient, but that incident showed me just how unpredictable any animal can be, and I havent taken her with me since...

Have seen several people with dogs - normally Labs or Spaniels - trotting alongside their horse along busyish roads, and it gives me heart failure! round the fields is one thing, but not roadwork!!!!
 
I saw a lady the other week hacking by our yard. Is was only just light (am), she was hacking on a bendy, busy road with a dog trotting along beside her. I was totally gobsmacked. I hate this road at the best of times, it has blind bends and is very busy.

I think its a silly thing to do. However I see nothing wrong with it if you do not have to go on the roads and your dog and horse are both sensible.
 
If we go for bike rides he runs next to me between the bike and the side of the road off the lead but thats going alot faster than I would on a horse and as he is running he hasn't got time to think "UUmm I wonder whats over that hedge!!" not that I would take him if I was on the roads. He is a working cocker
 
My mate takes her dog out on a lead rein, BUT - he's very good with horses and her horse is bomb-proof and very good with dogs. Otherwise, I don't thinks she'd dream of it.
 
I take my mums dog, Buffy, with me - she loves it!
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i'm sure if a huntsman can control a whole pack of hounds I can control one dog!!

It is a bit scary sometimes if Badger is in a lively mood and Buffy darts about a bit, I worry he might stand on her.... so I normally take her with Caff now who's a bit steadier. I don't see how any harm could come to anyone else though?
 
I went out with my friend once and she brought her dog. Well it came up behind jed and got a boot in the (i think) head. He yelped and ran home lucky he knew where he was going and he was ok. I hadnt realised jed didnt like dogs until this happened.

I will not be riding out with dogs again. Although he loves hunting and is fine with the hounds!
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I took my border terrier out a few times, all fine, then changed horse, then one day - I stood on his foot, poor guy, then he seemed okay, so we cantered straight across stubble field and squashed a hare that was hiding, (not sure if we killed it but it was screaming a lot! then disappeared) then eventually went home, then later that day I admit to having a few Pimms and crashed a friend's new petrol go kart, into a tree - which gave me whiplash. Not a good day.

Anyhow, I took two border terriers out a few months after that, and lost the youngster because she ran up a tractor track instead of keeping on the footpath in tall crop, and thank goodness somebody brought her back to me as she had a phone number on her collar, but she had got onto a fast road, Phew!

So I gave up on that as a bad job.
 
i would love to be able to do that but my dog is far to thick and stubborn!
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i can gaurantee he would never chase or do anything to intentionally scare a horse but i cant guarantee he would come straight back to me the moment i called him. he stays at the home while im out hacking but goes for lots of walkies when im not on a horse
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I'm really lucky in that i can hack for hours and just cross maybe one country lane. I have access to great hacking and when my horse is back to normal work then i will start taking my English Springer Spaniel out again. If i do go on any road, which for me would just be a country lane i get off and lead the dog and horse, he even has his own viz jacket if required. The dog absolutely loves coming out hacking and starts squealing with excitement as soon as he sees me putting the bridle on cos he knows that he is coming out with me. He is pretty good to control and will walk to heel perectly at my horse's heels, luckily my horse is really good with dogs. My dog will avoid any contact with other dogs and is happy in his own world when he is out and about.

It is a great feeling cantering your horse and having your best doggie friend running along side you.
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If I can't take him with me he sits in the house and barks and howls until i get back.

However i would agree that if the dog cannot be controlled or if there is any roadwork involved it is really not worth the risk to your own dog's safety and that of other roadusers.
 
My instructers dog comes with us regularly, he always stays behind my horse as he doesn't trust my instructers! He follows us while we're on the road and then goes and does his own thing when we get into fields. He isn't a particularly sociable dog so doesn't pay any attention to dogs we meet. He is a lovely addition and is a gorge dog!
 
No I wouldn't hack on the road with them, When I was hacking with one tiny, I used to hold him infront of me on the saddle, then lower him down and drop, as we got to the track.
 
I used to take my lab hacking with me round the farm and he loved it. The horse was fine with him even when the stupid dog insisted on trotting right behind him...
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I think it depends on the horse though - I would never take him with me now as I took him once on my new mare and he got left behind, I called to him to catch up and of course he galloped up behind, spooked the mare who promptly shot off, slipped over on the lane (private thank god) and had to have a month of work with an injured hock.
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I take my GSD with me all the time. He is so good that I forget he is with me. If a car comes I say "Back" and he goes on the nearside of my horse. Saying that, the roads are country lanes and it is rare we meet a car. Both of us wear a reflective tabbard. I have to say that he is very well trained. You cannot forsee every possible scenario with dog or horse, all you can do is be as well prepared as possible.
 
Used to take my old Lab cross out (until she decided she was too old and stayed on her bed instead!) She was brilliant and was soo well behaved she'd 'heel' beside the horse, sit and wait at roads ad, if i was out on my own with her i think my pony loved the company, if the dogs started running eh'd want to canter and he loved to race her. If I did ever need to put her on the lead she would put her front paws on the saddle flap so i could attach the lead - bless her soul

Wouldn't take the two i have now, we havd taken our collie cross cos he does love it but only when we've crossed the main roads where my dad would meet us and drop the dog off. However, he quite often had a tendency to find his own way back and isn't the best at recall (only when it suits him!).

This has reminded me though was fuming the other afternoon (4pm so getting dusky) when driving back along narrow country lanes having been walking my dogs I come up against a rider all i can say is 'ambling' in the middle of the road. She was out with her greyhound and completely oblivious to me being behind her. I think her dog was more aware! I have come across her before and she is always in the middle of the road - I think she is sooo ignorant and i was sooo tempted to beep my horn at her but obviously I couldn't. Anyway, trundling along after her wondering how to let her know I'm there (resorted to flashing my lights!). EVENTUALLY she acknowledges me and it's then i see she's on a mobile phone!!

I'm sorry but there's ignorance and plain stupidity! This was yes a country lane but a narrow one at that - she had no reflective gear on, it's getting dark yet she thinks is ok to wander in the middle of the road, doesn't even have the common sense to ride at the side, she acts like is her road!!!

Grrr, it's people like her that give the rest of us a bad name. I wish I'd said something to her now but i was just soo mad at the time.

Sorry for the rant and going completely off the point but had to get that off my chest! Aaand breathe!!!
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A friend of mine used to take her well trained lab out with her and her horse around the fields , he dog used to stay pretty much to heel, unfortunetly one day they went past a rabbit and the dogs instinct kicked in and it went to give chase, frightened the horse who panicked, kicked the dog and bucked throwing my friend and breaking her arm, the horse then galloped home knocking a man off his bike on the way.
If you are on private property and have control of your dog then it's fine to take them hacking with you, but even if your horse and dog are well behaved if you take them on a public bridleway you don't know what might happen or who you might meet and you are indangering other people, in my opinion shouldn't take their dogs out off the leash on any road.
 
I used to and still do hack out with my woglet, hes well trained and obediant and i love having him with me, we stick to quiet lanes/woods etc but ive never (in over 9 years) had an issue.

he has additional commands such as 'close' (near the horse but not directly behind it) 'in' (get into the nearest hedge) 'over' (cross the rd) 'off you go (belt ahead at mac9)
As well as the bog standard sit, stay, heel, down etc

I also take him running, bike riding etc
 
Personally think its a very bad idea just from my experiences of it. Pickle got bitten on the leg by a dog being "controlled" by someone on horseback and they couldnt do anything about it because they were riding. Then I was chased up a field by a dog (pickle is obviously pretty scared of dogs due to past experience) it was obviously because dog was used to following horses.
 
I used to take my lurcher out regularly with my sensible well schooled horse, but only ever round our favourite hack which is completely off road round quiet tracks with no livestock. Usually out just after daylight or just before dark so rarely meet anyone else. I'm not taking her at the moment as I have a new 5 year old (horse I mean) and am not too confident on the control front yet!
 
i take my dally out with me i haven't had him long but my mum walks with me so he is walked on the lead by my mum on the road then let off on the bridlepath he still obeys commands from me when im on izzy we do get some comments (spotty dog spotty horse) there are sometimes dogs out on the bridlepath but alot of time there is nothing there are fields which sometimes have sheep in and if there are sheep he stays on the lead. he races izzy and she races him which is good for me lol
 
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