Other peoples dogs barking at me while out hacking

Peregrine Falcon

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If your dogs are contained properly then the onus is on her to train her horse! As horses have fight/flight, it is our responsibility to ensure the safety of us (and other road users) when putting them in different situations.

I am lucky enough not to have to ride on the roads if I choose but there is a small part of road I need to ride along if I want to vary my riding. There is a house with 2 collies that run up to their gate spraying the gravel as they hurtle about and bark at people. Any young pony I start is taken down that road until they are used to them.

Invite the neighbour round to meet the dogs and suggest she brings the horse past one day when you are there too.
 

Gloi

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There used to be a dog near us that went spare whenever a horse passed and I always made sure I waited until there was no traffic until I passed it in case he got spooked. It was a pain but we put up with it. However one day the gate wasn't shut properly and it got out and knocked a woman off a bike and she was injured. The police were involved and not sure what happened but it never barked at us again.
 

Summit

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I have a collie who has a massive fear of horses and goes beserk when horses pass. I try and get him in to minimise any stress. However it’s his home and he’s allowed in the garden. It’s not my fault if a rider doesn’t like it...tough luck. There are worse things to encounter when out hacking
 

SusieT

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Train the horse to ignore them - I'm afraid if they are on their own property they are not in the wrong and can bark all they like within noise nuisance rules.
The horse should get used to them - you may need to get someone to accompany you on horse/foot/bike and ride past them lots so horse starts to ignore them. Once horse realises its noise, not actual problem it will relax- but only if rider also relaxes!
 

JanetGeorge

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This may be rather long, but I would like you opinions/ views on what I should do in this situation.

It's a very hard one, because all dogs have different temperaments, different training, different lives. IF you're lucky and they have had basic training, it MIGHT help to shout 'SIT!' in your sternest voice - if they take any notice, repeat SIT - and add QUIET! I'd be surprised if a water pistol would help - might even give them more reason to dislike you (and it would need to be a powerful one.) Otherwise, you could try sending a 'concerned neighbour' letter to owner, of try to find someone 'official' who might help.
 

Lois Lame

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I've just remembered something... the other week, a woman was telling me about something that had happened some years before.

She was out walking her dog when she saw these two (dog) hooligans approaching. They were still some way off but she started to tell them what good dogs they were, quite quietly, almost to herself and her own dog, I suspect.

As the dogs came closer, she was still insisting that they were very good dogs. Yes they were. Good and probably handsome too, I wouldn't be surprised. Such very good dogs.

By the time they reached her they seem to realise that indeed they were good dogs. How funny they hadn't noticed before.

I think this would be worth a go.
 

Red-1

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Hi I would like to tell you about my expersnce....I have two bernease mountain dogs one is very young and barks and runs at the fence when the neighbour goes by with her horse...I have just had a nasty email telling me my dogs are aggrisive and will cause a accident it’s spooking her horse ...which she has said it’s young horse....I have a six foot fence and extra barriers at the gates to protect my dogs in there garden....I’m now very upset and nervous letting the dogs out in case she’s out with her horse only to get a mouthful from her. These answers have been uplifting to me and now I think it’s time to see a lawyer

I feel for you. It may well be worth getting a solicitor to help you to compose a suitable reply. It should be able to be done within the free half hour that many provide. I would chose one of the equine specialists to make the wording correct.

However, if it were me and I wanted to foster good neighbourly relations, I may also suggest that she let me know what time she will be passing and using it as an opportunity to train her horse and the dogs not to bark at horses.

I have been helping train a neighbour's dogs. I don't give 2 hoots if they bark at me and my horse as I pass, but the neighbours are mortified and keep leaping out of the house trying to get said dogs in.

Through communication, whenever the dogs bark at me, I stand still, they come out and we stand and chat until the dogs get bored and stop barking. Then I say my goodbyes. It didn't take long before they quit barking at me all of the time. I am simply not exciting any more and barking doesn't make me leave, so they quit as it is no longer an exciting game.

I don't tell them when I will be passing, we get on just fine and I just ride out, and we deal with the barking if it happens. However, I would ask her to tell you when she will be passing as it inconveniences her (that part is a bit mean and I do feel bad about it) and lets her know how hard you are trying to resolve the issue. By email you also have a record of how hard you are trying to do everything reasonably possible to sort it out, whilst being able to point out that your dogs are securely contained. It also puts it back to her if there was an accident at a time that you hadn't agreed. It also puts it back to her if she refuses to engage on your kind offer to train her horse. Tra-La.
 

angrybird1

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I'm a bit baffled by this. The dogs are on their own property. Yes it's annoying they are barking but they are contained. There are so many hazards on the roads theses days and I'm all for traffic slowing down for riders and people behaving responsibly. However, have we got the right to tell people what they can do on their own property?
I've heard of a rider asking a child to stop playing in the garden as it was upsetting her horse.
people being asked to stop using power tools ,cutting their grass and just doing general stuff in their own gardens!
we really can't expect the world to stop for us!
 

Gingerwitch

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I feel for you. It may well be worth getting a solicitor to help you to compose a suitable reply. It should be able to be done within the free half hour that many provide. I would chose one of the equine specialists to make the wording correct.

However, if it were me and I wanted to foster good neighbourly relations, I may also suggest that she let me know what time she will be passing and using it as an opportunity to train her horse and the dogs not to bark at horses.

I have been helping train a neighbour's dogs. I don't give 2 hoots if they bark at me and my horse as I pass, but the neighbours are mortified and keep leaping out of the house trying to get said dogs in.

Through communication, whenever the dogs bark at me, I stand still, they come out and we stand and chat until the dogs get bored and stop barking. Then I say my goodbyes. It didn't take long before they quit barking at me all of the time. I am simply not exciting any more and barking doesn't make me leave, so they quit as it is no longer an exciting game.

I don't tell them when I will be passing, we get on just fine and I just ride out, and we deal with the barking if it happens. However, I would ask her to tell you when she will be passing as it inconveniences her (that part is a bit mean and I do feel bad about it) and lets her know how hard you are trying to resolve the issue. By email you also have a record of how hard you are trying to do everything reasonably possible to sort it out, whilst being able to point out that your dogs are securely contained. It also puts it back to her if there was an accident at a time that you hadn't agreed. It also puts it back to her if she refuses to engage on your kind offer to train her horse. Tra-La.
A lot of sense in this post, but with the everyone's fault not mine solicitor, by offering her a confirmation that their is a problem could cause the op an issue. Is this horse rider a property neighbour or just someone whom rides past ? And why should op change her routine ? Even If op wanted to be nice and say dogs will be in
Between 9.30 and 10.30 Mon to Fri and she is a minute late and rider comes off their would be a higher chance of a liability claim.
I personally would not agree to do anything especially in writing as many folk will use this back at you.
 

DMcLarty

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I feel for you. It may well be worth getting a solicitor to help you to compose a suitable reply. It should be able to be done within the free half hour that many provide. I would chose one of the equine specialists to make the wording correct.

However, if it were me and I wanted to foster good neighbourly relations, I may also suggest that she let me know what time she will be passing and using it as an opportunity to train her horse and the dogs not to bark at horses.

I have been helping train a neighbour's dogs. I don't give 2 hoots if they bark at me and my horse as I pass, but the neighbours are mortified and keep leaping out of the house trying to get said dogs in.

Through communication, whenever the dogs bark at me, I stand still, they come out and we stand and chat until the dogs get bored and stop barking. Then I say my goodbyes. It didn't take long before they quit barking at me all of the time. I am simply not exciting any more and barking doesn't make me leave, so they quit as it is no longer an exciting game.

I don't tell them when I will be passing, we get on just fine and I just ride out, and we deal with the barking if it happens. However, I would ask her to tell you when she will be passing as it inconveniences her (that part is a bit mean and I do feel bad about it) and lets her know how hard you are trying to resolve the issue. By email you also have a record of how hard you are trying to do everything reasonably possible to sort it out, whilst being able to point out that your dogs are securely contained. It also puts it back to her if there was an accident at a time that you hadn't agreed. It also puts it back to her if she refuses to engage on your kind offer to train her horse. Tra-La.
I wish I could do that and let her come into the garden a feed treats to them but my neighbour is a night mare ....if it’s not this it’s something else ...we have already been to court with them due to parking a horse box in my land .... but it was nit just parked it was out right up against my lounge window .... it’s a very sad to be typing this but I can only see it going legal again.
 

DMcLarty

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A lot of sense in this post, but with the everyone's fault not mine solicitor, by offering her a confirmation that their is a problem could cause the op an issue. Is this horse rider a property neighbour or just someone whom rides past ? And why should op change her routine ? Even If op wanted to be nice and say dogs will be in
Between 9.30 and 10.30 Mon to Fri and she is a minute late and rider comes off their would be a higher chance of a liability claim.
I personally would not agree to do anything especially in writing as many folk will use this back at you.
My neighbour is a nightmare and only rides the horse a few times a week for 10/25 minuets ....it’s only the past week she’s coming past my garden....I don’t have a problem her riding her horse but I do hsve s isdhecwhen she says I’m the one going to cause a serious accident...this neighbour we have already been to court with as she was parking her horse box in my land....but nit just parked it was hard up against my lounge window. She is obnoxious to talk to and I feel that’s why I have to get a layer involved.
 

Red-1

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There are lists somewhere here of equine specific lawyers, PeterNatt often posts them, if you message him I'm sure he will send you the list. I only say this as then they can get the wording correct about it being her responsibility to be in control of her horse.
 

Red-1

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In fact, I have searched Equine Solicitor on here and found one of his posts... copied here...

Deborah Hargreaves
Edmondson Hall Solicitors and Sports Lawyers
25 Exeter Road
Newmarket
Suffolk
CB8 8AR
Tel: 01638 560556
Tel: 01638 564483
E: solicitors@edmondsonhall.com
E: ah@edmondsonhall.com
www.edmondsonhall.com/page/1r6ef/Home/partner.html
Wroyte an article on The Legal pitfalls of Buying and Selling Horses

Actons
Tel: 0115 91002200 Caroline Bowler

Mark Carter
White Bowker Solicitors
Tel: 01962 844440
www.wandb.co.uk
mark.carter@wandb.co.uk

Helen Niebuhr
Darbys Solicitors
52 New Inn Hall Street
Oxford
OX1 2QD
Tel: 01865 811 7000
01865 811712
Fax: 01865 811 777
www.equine-law.net
E: equine@darbys.co.uk

Jaqcui Fulton Equine Law
Tel: 0121 308 5915
jf@equinelawuk.co.uk
www.equinelawuk.co.uk

Hannah Campbell (Specialise in compensation cases)
Tel: 01446 794196 (Specialises in traffic accidents involving horses)
www.horsesolicitor.co.uk
info@horse solicitor


Hanna Campbell
Horse Solicitors
(Took on case in 2013 on behalf of Claire Berry-Jones) involving making a claim Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB)

Elizabeth Simpson Senior Solicitor at law firm Andrew M Jackson
Tel: 01482 325242
www.andrewjackson.co.uk
enquiries@andrewjackson.co.uk

David Forbes or Belinda Walkinshaw
Pickworths Solicitors
6 Victoria Street
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL1 3JB
01727 844511

Mark de-villamar Roberts
Langleys Solicitors Equine Law Group
Tel: 01904 683051
E: mark.Roberts@langleys.com
www.equinelawyers.co.uk

Elizabeth Simpson
Senior Solicitor
Andrew Jackson
Yorkshire
Tel: 01482 325242
www.andrewjackson.co.uk

Richmond Solicitors
13-15 High Street
Keynsham
Bristol
BS31 1DP
Tel: 0117 986 9555
Fax: 0117 986 8680
enquiries@richmonssolicitorsco.uk

Jacqui Fulton
Giselle Robinson Solicitors

Inderjit Gill
Jacksons Specialist Equine Solicitor
Represented Gaynor Goodall in an accident on a bridleway on Tameside County Court 01 February 2010

Knights Solicitors
Tunbridge Wells
Tel: 01892 537311
www.knights-solicitors.co.uk
Work with GRC Commercial Bailiffs
Senior partner very good on equine matters

Horse Solicitor
Tel: 01446 794 196
info@horsesolicitor.co.uk
www.horsesolicitor.com

www.laytons.com

Mary Ann Reay Charles or Chris Shaw
Shaw and Co Solicitors
Equine Law Specialists
Tel: 0800 019 1248
info@shawandco.com
www.shawandco.com

Arnold Thomson
205 Watling Street West
Towcester
Northants
NN12 6BX
Tel: 01327 350266
Fax: 01327 353567
www.arnoldthomson.com
enquiries@arnoldthomson.com

Tozers www.tozers.co.uk

Eleanor Temple Barrister from Kings Chambers in Leeds
Tel: 0113 242 1123
www.kingschambers.com

Tracy Wright
Shergroup Security
Equine Enforcement
Tel: 0845 890 9200
 

canteron

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Horrid if there is a scary situation. But the best thing is to walk along by the dogs with the horses head turned towards them (or preferable in shoulder in) and whip the horse round if it starts to go too fast. Keep doing that as many times as necessary till horse can cope, critically always keeping the horses head towards the dogs.

Also embrace a defensive hunting chair seat. Weight firmly on your bottom, leaning back a little, weight in feet with them slightly forward.

if you can’t practice due to your circumstances, walk up and down by the dogs visualising how you cope - it does help.

Good luck!!!
 

DMcLarty

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In fact, I have searched Equine Solicitor on here and found one of his posts... copied here...

Deborah Hargreaves
Edmondson Hall Solicitors and Sports Lawyers
25 Exeter Road
Newmarket
Suffolk
CB8 8AR
Tel: 01638 560556
Tel: 01638 564483
E: solicitors@edmondsonhall.com
E: ah@edmondsonhall.com
www.edmondsonhall.com/page/1r6ef/Home/partner.html
Wroyte an article on The Legal pitfalls of Buying and Selling Horses

Actons
Tel: 0115 91002200 Caroline Bowler

Mark Carter
White Bowker Solicitors
Tel: 01962 844440
www.wandb.co.uk
mark.carter@wandb.co.uk

Helen Niebuhr
Darbys Solicitors
52 New Inn Hall Street
Oxford
OX1 2QD
Tel: 01865 811 7000
01865 811712
Fax: 01865 811 777
www.equine-law.net
E: equine@darbys.co.uk

Jaqcui Fulton Equine Law
Tel: 0121 308 5915
jf@equinelawuk.co.uk
www.equinelawuk.co.uk

Hannah Campbell (Specialise in compensation cases)
Tel: 01446 794196 (Specialises in traffic accidents involving horses)
www.horsesolicitor.co.uk
info@horse solicitor


Hanna Campbell
Horse Solicitors
(Took on case in 2013 on behalf of Claire Berry-Jones) involving making a claim Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB)

Elizabeth Simpson Senior Solicitor at law firm Andrew M Jackson
Tel: 01482 325242
www.andrewjackson.co.uk
enquiries@andrewjackson.co.uk

David Forbes or Belinda Walkinshaw
Pickworths Solicitors
6 Victoria Street
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL1 3JB
01727 844511

Mark de-villamar Roberts
Langleys Solicitors Equine Law Group
Tel: 01904 683051
E: mark.Roberts@langleys.com
www.equinelawyers.co.uk

Elizabeth Simpson
Senior Solicitor
Andrew Jackson
Yorkshire
Tel: 01482 325242
www.andrewjackson.co.uk

Richmond Solicitors
13-15 High Street
Keynsham
Bristol
BS31 1DP
Tel: 0117 986 9555
Fax: 0117 986 8680
enquiries@richmonssolicitorsco.uk

Jacqui Fulton
Giselle Robinson Solicitors

Inderjit Gill
Jacksons Specialist Equine Solicitor
Represented Gaynor Goodall in an accident on a bridleway on Tameside County Court 01 February 2010

Knights Solicitors
Tunbridge Wells
Tel: 01892 537311
www.knights-solicitors.co.uk
Work with GRC Commercial Bailiffs
Senior partner very good on equine matters

Horse Solicitor
Tel: 01446 794 196
info@horsesolicitor.co.uk
www.horsesolicitor.com

www.laytons.com

Mary Ann Reay Charles or Chris Shaw
Shaw and Co Solicitors
Equine Law Specialists
Tel: 0800 019 1248
info@shawandco.com
www.shawandco.com

Arnold Thomson
205 Watling Street West
Towcester
Northants
NN12 6BX
Tel: 01327 350266
Fax: 01327 353567
www.arnoldthomson.com
enquiries@arnoldthomson.com

Tozers www.tozers.co.uk

Eleanor Temple Barrister from Kings Chambers in Leeds
Tel: 0113 242 1123
www.kingschambers.com

Tracy Wright
Shergroup Security
Equine Enforcement
Tel: 0845 890 9200
Thank you for this ....I live in Lanarkshire Scotland ...I’ve made a zoom meeting with a local lawyer who I hopefully will know about horses...I’ve been in to the BHS but they haven’t replied to my email ...I just hope this can be resolve so nobody gets injured...thanks for taking the time to send the link..
 

Gingerwitch

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Hi Dmclarty I am so sorry you have such an awful horsey neighbour, it makes me ashamed of us horsey folks.
Good luck and please feel free to post on here, there are a lot if very sensible and helpful folk on here.
Good luck x
 

JanetGeorge

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In fact, I have searched Equine Solicitor on here and found one of his posts... copied here...

That's a hell of a list, Red-1 If I really needed a good equine solicitor, (or a farming one, or a libel one, or almost any other sort, lol) the senior partner, Matthew Knight, would be my No. 1 choice (I worked with him a lot on a plethora of cases when I was at the BFSS/Countryside Alliance.) He is GREAT - and a really nice guy too - but not inexpensive, lol.

Knights Solicitors
Tunbridge Wells
Tel: 01892 537311
www.knights-solicitors.co.uk
Work with GRC Commercial Bailiffs
Senior partner very good on equine matters
 

Flowerofthefen

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The pub I ride past used to have a huge Newfoundland dog. The pub garden was surrounded by a wall. The dog would wait until you were right next to it, you couldn't see it behind the wall, then would jump up and bark!! First few times the horse shot off, my heart rate went up! After that the horse completely ignored it even if it still made me jump!
 

Widgeon

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Thank you for this ....I live in Lanarkshire Scotland ...I’ve made a zoom meeting with a local lawyer who I hopefully will know about horses...I’ve been in to the BHS but they haven’t replied to my email ...I just hope this can be resolve so nobody gets injured...thanks for taking the time to send the link..

Hi DM, I found this company (below) to be very reasonable and helpful, and they know plenty about horses. I think it was one of the seniors who helped me. I looked him up when I was in a very miserable situation and honestly the contrast with the solicitor in England couldn't have been greater. Far more common sense and lower bills from the Scot! And as it turned out an English solicitor was no good to me anyway. Maybe worth a phone call to see if they'd take you on.

Smail & Ewart. 79, High Street. Biggar.
 

mini_b

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The pub I ride past used to have a huge Newfoundland dog. The pub garden was surrounded by a wall. The dog would wait until you were right next to it, you couldn't see it behind the wall, then would jump up and bark!! First few times the horse shot off, my heart rate went up! After that the horse completely ignored it even if it still made me jump!

? I ride past a collie like this. It waits for you to get alongside and then jumps out of the hedge and up at the fence until you are gone.
Scared the life out of my poor lad but he’s rock solid now.

however it makes me jump every.single.time.

he’s probably thinking “Jesus woman not again, we’ve seen it before!”
 

MagicMelon

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Since it sounds like they're nearby, Id probably walk the horse down the track every evening and let it munch the verges by the house (if it allows) so eventually the horse will just get used to them? You could always tell the house owners thats what you're doing, which would also hint to them if they were to help...
 

huskydamage

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What a self entitled neighbour! The dogs are on their property ffs, perhaps they should try my local hacking where some dog habitually leaps over the fence at its house and runs down the bridleway snapping at my horse or in front of cars. The owners do not care. All dogs bark when people go past if they can't get through the fence I don't get what this neighbours problem is. My horse doesnt like lorries but I dont send angry emails to the local hgv yard. Shame they didnt just explain their horse is scared of the dogs and ask to hang around there a bit to get them used to it.
I keep my horses next to a dog rescue centre, they were a bit alarmed at first but not surprisingly they are not remotely bothered by barking dogs now.
 

DMcLarty

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What a self entitled neighbour! The dogs are on their property ffs, perhaps they should try my local hacking where some dog habitually leaps over the fence at its house and runs down the bridleway snapping at my horse or in front of cars. The owners do not care. All dogs bark when people go past if they can't get through the fence I don't get what this neighbours problem is. My horse doesnt like lorries but I dont send angry emails to the local hgv yard. Shame they didnt just explain their horse is scared of the dogs and ask to hang around there a bit to get them used to it.
I keep my horses next to a dog rescue centre, they were a bit alarmed at first but not surprisingly they are not remotely bothered by barking dogs now.
Thank you as I was starting to feel it was me....but this neighbour is a nightmare and she’s not going to change.....I don’t want her to have a accident it’s the last thing ....but she’s got to take responsibility for herself. I hsve a 6 foot fence a hedge in in front of the fence and I’ve even put barriers that keep the dogs away from the bottom gate...I can’t do anymore.
 

DMcLarty

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Hi DM, I found this company (below) to be very reasonable and helpful, and they know plenty about horses. I think it was one of the seniors who helped me. I looked him up when I was in a very miserable situation and honestly the contrast with the solicitor in England couldn't have been greater. Far more common sense and lower bills from the Scot! And as it turned out an English solicitor was no good to me anyway. Maybe worth a phone call to see if they'd take you on.

Smail & Ewart. 79, High Street. Biggar.
Going to have a zoom meeting tomorrow with them..
 

CJoe

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ignore it, horse should too in time. Mine are well trained as they are so used to my dogs barking through the gate at people hacking past on "strange horses" (not their own family horses, they consider the lane between their gate and my field gate "theirs".
 
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