my dog is afraid of my horses

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dragonflys

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Any thoughts - positive - appreciated.

My little dog, a BC, is really scared of my horses. They have never done anything to hurt her, although they do run around a bit.

She comes with me everyday but it is beginning to feel as if Im putting her through purgatory and i feel really bad for her, but my horses are my life too :(

I have done everything slowly with her, introducing her to them slowly, walking her round the paddocks with me etc but really dont know what to do next.
Thanks for any ideas
 
mine too, he won't go in the field if my horses are there, they have never hurt him! however seems quite happy to go play with the next door neighbours youngsters :eek: silly puppy!! :rolleyes:

To be honest I've just learned to keep them separate, and I would rather he was afraid of them than over confident and about to be kicked in the head :)

He has become more tolerant of them now by being tied at the far end of the yard on a long lead (only whilst i handle the horses on the yard, or popped in an empty stable whilst getting in/ turning out etc.) maybe worth trying?
 
Our BC pup was also terrified of the horses - strange really as from day one she would come down to the yard/fields with me and like yours has never had a bad experience with them. Up until very recently, when I took her riding with me (with the other dogs too) she would absolutely refuse to go through a gateway whilst I was on my horse, holding open the gate whilst the other two rushed through as normal. She would hang back, too frightened to go through the gate past my horse! I either had to ride further away into the field or just shut the gate and let her find her own way through.

Actually I think she learnt the lesson that if I shut the gate after trying to encourage her through, and she got left behind the other side trying to find her own way - it made her brave enough to pass my horse ;)

Now though (and she is 15 months old) she will rush through flat out LOL and she will even race out of the car whilst I am holding the boot open with one hand and horse in the other - quite an achievement!

I have found that BC's are very wiley and even if they don't like something (such as horses) they can become brave enough to meet their ends :)
 
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Just keep trying! But fear is a good thing, Chloe loved our lot and used to run like mad until our mare got so pissed off she stamped on her. Could hav been much much worse-only sliced straight through her toe!!! xxxx
 
Think yourself lucky :) The bc at my last yard had no fear of horses and used to run rings around them while they were tied up on the yard - seriously annoying apart from anything else :( but she got trodden on and kicked i don't know how many times, was always down the vets or limping / on bed rest and she NEVER learnt from it :mad:

If I were you I would just ignore the behaviour as much as possible so as not to encourage it with sympathy and she will get used to them in her own time
 
your lucky he is a bit wary it is a lot safer. One of mine is to sure of them eats out the buckets with them, walk on their heels when hacking, surprised she has not got hurt yet. A little distance is good.

With time it will get better x
 
Harley is very wary of them loose, although if being lead will go past them. I can only see it as a good thing. Nothing worse than a dog you constently think is going to be kicked!!
 
I wouldn't see that as a totally bad thing tbh. Henry is wary of horses when we meet face to face, but has no sense of self preservation when he's on a scent which has come close to getting him squished once or twice! I wish he was a bit MORE wary tbh:rolleyes:

But then I do have an adrenaline junkie danger dog:p
 
Thanks for all replies.
I hadnt thought of it like that, ie fear being a good thing.
I will persevere with her as i have been and hopefully she will get more brave.
I could also tie her up where she has the choice of being with them or not to see if she can become a little less scared on her own.

I knew a lot of heads were better than just one! :D
 
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