Help please - Ruby has decided to start 'rounding up' the horses

[Demolition_Derby]

I was hoping someone could give me some new ideas to help me please, I will try and keep this short!

Ruby has always been very wary of the horses and respectful of their space but the last couple of weeks she has been trying to 'round them up'

. She is fine when they are tied in the yard or in the field/walker but when I lead Firl (my horse!) in from the field Ruby runs around her in circles and has grabbed her tail

. I have tried:

- Shouting at her incredibly loudly - she stops for about 5secs
- Standing Firl still everytime she does it (Firl is a very patient horse!)
- I had a friend lead Firl whilst I squirted water at Ruby everytime she did it but she just moved over to the other side when she saw me. I also tried this on the lead so she couldn't get away from me - I almost 'let' her do it then pulled the lead with a short, sharp tug (slip lead) and squirted water - this worked whilst she was on the lead but made no difference once she was loose

.
- I have shaked a tin can full of stones everytime she did it (I had to practise around Firl first so I didnt scare her

)
-Played 'tug of war' with her favourite toy as I am walking and this does distract her for a minute or so but in a way I feel that I shouldn't have to do this - she should walk quietly and calmly by herself.

I have now (for obvious safety reasons!) resorted to having her on the lead at all times whenever the horses are not tied up. I would love to be able to have her loose with the horses and when the yard dogs are out and she is playing with them/distracted she completely ignores Firl walking around.

I probably sound like a complete numpty so please excuse me but I have never had to deal with a problem like this before!

Any advice really appreciated

.

 

[CAYLA]

I would enlist the help of a friend or family member so u can give her and reprimand her with your full attention by getting someone esle to walk the horse, and you walk her, I would also use a good firm reprimand as she is displayed potentailly hrrmful behaviour towards another animal and it's going to end up in her potentially getting a kick, which would not be so bad as in teaching her her lesson......but could also seriously hurt her, so not so good for potential vet bill

I would use a full check chain and a good training lead and mean what u TELL her.
Get her around them as much as possible, they are new and exciting and they MOVE, and she is displaying a natural chase/nip instinct.
Wear her out first to get a bit of that energy out of her.

 

[NikitaXI]

Hmm I have this problem with my Standard Poodle and have never managed to stop him, he has even been kicked twice for swinging off the horses tails but he still does it! It's only when I'm leadng though not when they are loose in feld or when someone else is leading so it's obviously a jealousy thing with him! My vizslas would never dream of doing it as they have been socialised with the horses and other animals from puppies.

I think you are going to have to be really firm and continue to reprimand her whilst she is under your control, but remember to reward her when she does what you ask otherwise she won't know when she is doing right. Have you tried clicker training her? It is a brilliant way of teaching what's correct behaviour with rewards. (Here's me advising you when I can't stop my idiotic poodle!!!!! But hopefully she is not as wilful as him??) I use it to gundog train the Vizzies and it does work as it gets their attention, they know they have done right and they will get a reward. Be interested to hear how you get on, good luck...meanwhile back to the manic poodle......