Sparkles
Well-Known Member
Hacking the mare out earlier, we were a field away from home and got attacked by 2 Alsations.
We were going along to far side and didn't realise there were 2 people on the other side of the hedge/dyke in the other field...there was a slight gap in the hedges and the dog just flew at her soon as it saw her.
Owner was lunging and bellowing at it before it had even seen me, so obviously knew what it was like.
I didn't know what to do, dogs attacking out hacking has always been my number one phobia due to a horrible incident with a friends youngster when I was teenager which involved the pony being bit to pieces and getting decked on the road....
Anyway the dogs were already barking when they disappeared into the ditch to run through to us, so I just spun her round 180 and booted her into the crop and the dogs carried on chasing us. The other dog stopped after 50m or so but the other which the owner had tried to grab first just carried on chasing and chasing us. I'd never have normally turned and ran as I know that makes it worse, but I honestly had one split second to make a decision, which didn't involve enough time to get off her, and I decided to turn and flee.
We carried on 3 times round the field flat out trying to lose him, but he just kept chasing and chasing....though eventually started slowing down his running when he was getting tired, but was still hell bent on chasing her. We'd tripped down plough bits and I was just flat out zig zagging to try and shake him off, I was too busy checking where the dog was behind us, and realised we were heading straight for the road entrance which we'd come into the field from. The dog had dropped back a bit where it was tiring, so I managed to come back to a canter and threw myself off and stopped her in time before it reached us, where it started going straight for her back end.
The mare just started stamping her feet and spinning, not actually kicking at it to to start with, then double barrelled out once but missed it, then it was just circling round her with his hackles up and went to come near her again, so I booted it away without thinking, yelled at it and smacked it with my whip, yelled at it again and it jogged off, turning back to look at her every few strides, back to his owner who was on the far side of the crop. He had been running and bellowing at the dog the whole time, but we were literally going flat out along with the dog and were already in the opposite field to him to start with anyway, so what he thought to achieve by doing this defeats me.
The mare's ok, incredibly tucked up and exhausted, but ok. Luckily she has a bit of feathering round her legs, so I think he was just nipping the hair rather than making a connection with her. Once the dog had gone, I checked her over and got back on and walked her a little bit, but then got off, loosened the girth and walked her back, as she was absolutely heaving. She had a long warm bath and a massage, trotted her up and she was ok, just very tired as she's not fit anyway, which is what I was worried about. Poor girl
I've warned everyone at the yard....the fields belong to the farm/livery yard anyway, but dog walkers do use it, which I have no objection to, but it is fairly clear it's used for horses, so I'd rather expect aggressive or dogs which dislike to horses to either NOT be on there, or at least be on a lead. No one had a clue who they belong to.
The road the field comes out onto is a main road leading the motorway and few main A roads, so it could have easily ended horribly. Luckily, it didn't. I never normally panic in situations hacking, though I have to admit, I did today!
We were going along to far side and didn't realise there were 2 people on the other side of the hedge/dyke in the other field...there was a slight gap in the hedges and the dog just flew at her soon as it saw her.
Owner was lunging and bellowing at it before it had even seen me, so obviously knew what it was like.
I didn't know what to do, dogs attacking out hacking has always been my number one phobia due to a horrible incident with a friends youngster when I was teenager which involved the pony being bit to pieces and getting decked on the road....
Anyway the dogs were already barking when they disappeared into the ditch to run through to us, so I just spun her round 180 and booted her into the crop and the dogs carried on chasing us. The other dog stopped after 50m or so but the other which the owner had tried to grab first just carried on chasing and chasing us. I'd never have normally turned and ran as I know that makes it worse, but I honestly had one split second to make a decision, which didn't involve enough time to get off her, and I decided to turn and flee.
We carried on 3 times round the field flat out trying to lose him, but he just kept chasing and chasing....though eventually started slowing down his running when he was getting tired, but was still hell bent on chasing her. We'd tripped down plough bits and I was just flat out zig zagging to try and shake him off, I was too busy checking where the dog was behind us, and realised we were heading straight for the road entrance which we'd come into the field from. The dog had dropped back a bit where it was tiring, so I managed to come back to a canter and threw myself off and stopped her in time before it reached us, where it started going straight for her back end.
The mare just started stamping her feet and spinning, not actually kicking at it to to start with, then double barrelled out once but missed it, then it was just circling round her with his hackles up and went to come near her again, so I booted it away without thinking, yelled at it and smacked it with my whip, yelled at it again and it jogged off, turning back to look at her every few strides, back to his owner who was on the far side of the crop. He had been running and bellowing at the dog the whole time, but we were literally going flat out along with the dog and were already in the opposite field to him to start with anyway, so what he thought to achieve by doing this defeats me.
The mare's ok, incredibly tucked up and exhausted, but ok. Luckily she has a bit of feathering round her legs, so I think he was just nipping the hair rather than making a connection with her. Once the dog had gone, I checked her over and got back on and walked her a little bit, but then got off, loosened the girth and walked her back, as she was absolutely heaving. She had a long warm bath and a massage, trotted her up and she was ok, just very tired as she's not fit anyway, which is what I was worried about. Poor girl
I've warned everyone at the yard....the fields belong to the farm/livery yard anyway, but dog walkers do use it, which I have no objection to, but it is fairly clear it's used for horses, so I'd rather expect aggressive or dogs which dislike to horses to either NOT be on there, or at least be on a lead. No one had a clue who they belong to.
The road the field comes out onto is a main road leading the motorway and few main A roads, so it could have easily ended horribly. Luckily, it didn't. I never normally panic in situations hacking, though I have to admit, I did today!
Last edited:
It was totally irresponsible of the owners to let the dogs off if they couldn't control them
