need to vent about obnoxious dog walker on bridleway

[sparklypickle]

Hello,
on our hack today as we were near to home (horningsea) we had two collie-dogs run at our horses, barking and growling. We were at a crossroads where a bridleway crossed a footpath. The walker with them did not initially even attempt to put them on a lead, so we had to stand still and wait for the dogs to lose their initial interest..the walker then called the dogs and after being asked to put them on leads, she did so for one, but left the other one crouched on the path between the horses and herself growling. She was obstructing our only way down the bridleway with the dogs and when asked to put the second dog on a lead she yelled at us that they weren't her dogs and she couldn't hold them. Obviously we pointed out that she shouldn't be out walking dogs that she cant control whether they were hers or not...she told us to shut up! she told us to go down the footpath because she wasn't changing direction! Funnily enough we weren't up for that because 1. the route she was blocking was the way home and 2. Its illegal to ride on a footpath. we asked HER to go up the footpath but she wouldn't because she had already come that way! She then strode off calling the other dog who then followed and unclipped the other dog so they were both off their leads and there was no way that we could pass them. We had to follow them down the bridlepath and when we asked her to put the dogs back on a lead she ignored us totally, so we were stuck with horses on their tippy toes following these dogs and I cant tell you how glad I was when she turned right at the end (we were going left).
The majority of dog walkers that we encounter are pleasant and considerate, they make sure their dogs are under control, then are polite and understand the dangers to dog, horse and rider if they are not in control of their animals.
I just do not understand how people can be so obnoxious, and in a situation that could so easily have gone wrong, so had to vent! Shame we couldn't had videoed the encounter so that we could send it to the local newspaper!

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Notify the dog warden. I think (but not 100%) that horses have right of way on bridle paths. Also, the revised Dangerous Dogs Act is pretty clear on people feeling threatened by dogs, there doesn't have to be an actual attack/damage.

 

[maisie06]

Dog warden - I think I would have kept trotting towards her too, she would soon shift, as would the dogs!!

 

[Honey08]

Next time, take your phone out and film her dogs misbehaving (or even pretend to) and ask her to please control her dogs or you will be passing the footage onto the local dog warden. I expect you will find she changes her tune and gets out of your way PDQ.

 

[PeterNatt]

Dogs must be under control at all times in a public place.

If you are unfortunate enough to suffer such an attack you should report the matter to the police stating that you where in ‘apprehension of injury’ due to the dog’s actions potentially causing you to be thrown. It can be argued that there was an offence under Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. The case of R v Nash 2011 at Birmingham Magistrates Court, Appealed to Crown and upheld by HH Judge Faber, held that the offence was complete if the dog’s conduct was enough for the rider to apprehend injury by way of causation.
If the Police still refuse to take action, you should complain to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

 

[sparklypickle]

Thanks for the suggestions. We've never seen these dogs out before and without a photo wouldn't be able to identify the woman :/ hence only venting.

 

[Goldenstar]

Also remember feeling threatened goes both ways .
Dog walkers can feel intimidated and frightened to .

 

[Hoof_Prints]

I don't know how people can live being so rude! There are a few dog walkers like that around here , not quite so bad. I kindly tell them the story of how my pony kicked a dog's teeth out and broke it's jaw when it pestered her and bit her legs- true story. And how the insurance company wouldn't pay a penny as it was the owner's fault. That soon gets the dogs under control... I don't really have time to go through the dog warden route so just use that method ! I am always polite and nice to anyone I meet out hacking, I only resort to that if they are being obnoxious and rude

 

[bonny]

Also remember feeling threatened goes both ways .
Dog walkers can feel intimidated and frightened to .

That was my thinking too.....I wonder if someone tonight is posting on a dog forum about rude, inconsiderate horse riders.

 

[Fii]

That was my thinking too.....I wonder if someone tonight is posting on a dog forum about rude, inconsiderate horse riders.

Her post didnt come across as if she had been rude to the dog walker though!
How is it inconsiderate to ask for someone to leash an aggressive dog? I came off a horse that bolted because three dogs were allowed to chase up to us barking and snarling!

 

[bonny]

She said they had to stand and wait for the dogs to go on a lead so they were hardly bolting and reading between the lines I suspect the dog walker would say the horse rider was the rude one.

 

[Fii]

not bolting no, but it could easily turn nasty and and an accident happen!
I cant see the problem with someone asking for a dog to be put on a lead to save someone (even the dog) from being injured!

 

[Goldenstar]

Harassed lady walking somebody else dog .
Is told by person looking down at them from a great height to put dogs on lead then told she should not be walking them .
Oh yes I am pretty sure she felt all warm and happy and likely to want to help riders in the future .
Why should a random dog walker know what's a bridle way and what's a foot path.

 

[Fii]

Most footpaths and bridle ways are marked though, and the lady must have been able to see that the dogs were showing aggression, so whether she was left feeling warm and happy is not the issue. The issue being she didnt want to or refused to control both dogs, which she has to do within the law! In ANY public place!

 

[Indy]

not bolting no, but it could easily turn nasty and and an accident happen!
I cant see the problem with someone asking for a dog to be put on a lead to save someone (even the dog) from being injured![/QUOT

ive got collies and once they're down they're down and not moving. Id be pretty cheesed off if someone demanded I put them on a lead - especially when it seems they are more in control than the horse

 

[FestiveG]

I'm with the OP on this one, not her problem that the woman was walking some-one elses dogs, that continued to snarl at the horses. The OP should not have made comment about where the woman was walking, she has the right to walk on the bridleway, but the dog was obstructing the path and was not under control.

 

[bonny]

How can a collie who by the OP's admission had stopped growling obstruct a footpath ? Why not simply walk past the dog instead of having a go at the owners ? Some riders need to calm down and give a little, nothing happened, no one was attacked and it all sounds unnecessary to me.....also does nothing for the image of horseriders, everything doesn't stop because you want to ride past !

 

[FestiveG]

Can't seem to quote, but the OP states the dog was on the path, snarling and obstructing the path. The woman with the dogs said she couldn't hold them, how is that dogs under control, or waanting the world to stop?

 

[Houndman]

When I was a teenager, an out of control dog came rushing up to my horse ready to attack and my horse gave it a great kick. The woman complained but I told her it was tough as she was not in control.

I always carry a hunting whip when hacking and have had to use it on the odd occasion on an out of control dog threatening my horse.

 

[holeymoley]

How can a collie who by the OP's admission had stopped growling obstruct a footpath ? Why not simply walk past the dog instead of having a go at the owners ? Some riders need to calm down and give a little, nothing happened, no one was attacked and it all sounds unnecessary to me.....also does nothing for the image of horseriders, everything doesn't stop because you want to ride past !

I'd certainly not be going by a growling collie or one who had been growling when it's lying down and looks like it was t obeying the supposed person in control. On horse, foot or by whatever means! They are quick, fly and nippy to react.

Sorry to generalise, but have experienced the vast majority of collies to be like this. There are few that are lovely but they generally have an owner with their head very much screwed on. You can't give them any chance of leadership, they're too smart and would soon be ruling the roost!

 

[COldNag]

I am with the OP. The dogs ran at the horse. The walker should have had them under control in a public place.

 

[Hippona]

I once went to pass a dog that the owner would not leash because she said the dog was fine.

It wasn't....it charged the pony, who panicked, spun and I fell off. She became foul mouthed and abusive towards me so I reported her to the police who went round and had a word.
They told me....and I quote....if her actions OR INACTION caused me to be injured in any way she could be charged. And this was before the recent changes in law regarding dogs.

I have dogs, they are fine around horses but I would always leash them if I met someone out riding....it's hardly an infringement of my civil liberties and safer all round....I don't want my dogs getting kicked by a scared horse.

 

[Shantara]

When my dog was still going for long walks (shes a collie) I would always stick her on the lead as a sign of good faith! She was not aggressive and couldn't care less about horses.
Its horrible coming across badly behaved dogs, a collie has sent me and ned into a bush and hes good with dogs!

 

[sparklypickle]

Gosh, that's quite the range of opinions! I felt a little sorry for the lady who must have been doing someone a favour by walking their dogs but people saying we should have just ridden past them...well it didn't seem safe at the time..the one dog on a lead was straining to run towards the horses and the walker told us she couldn't hold him (which felt like a threat to me) then let him back off the lead. I Wouldn't be surprised if she had posted about rude horse riders but the fact is we were not rude (in my opinion) we just asked for the dogs to be kept under control. Obviously I'm sorry if the lady felt intimidated, but knowing that they weren't her dogs and didn't respond to her commands (collies are usually so well behaved they just sit there patiently and let us pass), it was a tricky situation even without her unhelpful attitude. You wouldn't hack out on a horse you knew you couldn't control and were afraid of yourself (though of course, accidents and misjudgement happen) so why is it ok with dogs?

 

[sparklypickle]

I feel like I've poked a bees nest here...we didn't tell the dog walker she couldn't go down the bridleway, she TOLD US to go down the footpath...
but our only legal route was....following her. We only asked if she could go that way instead and she refused. Which is her right, but it just irked me because the footpath and bridleway meet up at the other end! Well anyway, none were hurt, and all ended fine, just some vestigial urge to vent about the episode lingered!
Ps sometimes collies/ older dogs we pass need no lead to be under control, and that's fine...I Wouldn't tell someone to leash a dog if it was obedient and quiet, though the story above makes me wonder..

 

[twiggy2]

maybe the lady was as worried but the reaction the dogs had shown as you were?
maybe she did not know that the footpath met up with the bridle path at the end?

in your shoes i would have turned around and gone back the way i came from for 5mins to give the dogs a chance to move on so we could continue our ride safely in the direction we wanted to go.

live and let live and try not to create bad feeling to horse riders is my thought.

 

[AmyMay]

So dogs weren't really a problem....

 

[dogatemysalad]

I think it highlights the importance of training horses to be able to cope with untoward hazards when taking them out in public. Horses can seem very intimidating to people on foot, so being able to stay calm and walk on past bouncy dogs, children and cyclists on bridleways isn't optional, it's essential.

 

[southerncomfort]

This is my absolute pet hate. It makes sense to keep dogs under control for their own safety as much as anything else.

Whenever we have had trouble with dog walkers I've warned them that my little mare has been attacked by a dog previously and will kick if she feels threatened. I also point out that under the Dangerous Dogs Act is an offence to allow dogs to be out of control and causing a threat to others.

Glad you made it through unscathed!

 

[AmyMay]

I think it highlights the importance of training horses to be able to cope with untoward hazards when taking them out in public. Horses can seem very intimidating to people on foot, so being able to stay calm and walk on past bouncy dogs, children and cyclists on bridleways isn't optional, it's essential.

What a brilliant post.