Ideal dogs for around horses?

[supsup]

Not a dog owner, by my observations from being on a yard where another owner has had a German shepherd and collie around our horses. Both dogs were IMO under-occupied (the trip to the yard in the evening was supposed to serve both as a dog walk/occupation and to do the horses), and both dogs had such strong prey drive that they would stalk and/or nip the horses in the field. Both had good recall but the attention span of a gnat, and would return within a few seconds to stalking/bothering the horses after being called off.
No doubt, with better training these dogs could have been safe and well-behaved around horses, but that is my point: they'd still need a job, and the handler's full attention to train them and keep them mentally occupied in a productive way. I don't see how it is possible to do both dogs and horses justice and give them full attention at the same time. I think this probably applies to most breeds, particularly those with strong prey/investigative drive (terriers, lurchers...). I think I'd always want to budget enough time to fully occupy dog and horses independently, and personally, I don't see how that can be fit around a full time job.

 

[Damnation]

Also, what you want OP is a well trained dog.

Put the effort into it as a puppy to get the basics, specifically the recall first!

Most breeds can be trained, its just figuring out what makes them tick.

Dad is determined that Stumpy the Bassett can't be trained because she is a "Hound", she can and she is actually incredibly intelligent and willing to please. She would probably suprise him if he put the effort in.

 

[Clannad48]

We have a 'rescue' beagle - brilliant with the horses, loves long walks 'sometimes', funnily enough is a 'fair weather' animal, if it looks like rain there is no way you are getting him out of the door. Ours has lots of exercise morning and evening in the week but to be honest he just loves to sleep in the day, for example the other day I was home from work all day, got dressed to go on a long walk, got his lead out, called him down stairs from his basket, said the supposedly magic 'walkies' he just took one look at me as if to say 'I was sleeping you know' and went back to his basket - he's only five and not ill or unable to cope with a walk.

 

[buddylove]

funnily enough is a 'fair weather' animal, if it looks like rain there is no way you are getting him out of the door.

my JRT has always been the same. If it is raining he would rather cross his legs than go outside. The look of disgust when I open the back door is pure comedy!