Reply following on from my do you think I caught them unawares

Pedantic

Pedantic

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Well what a lot of busy posters you all have been :D.

Seems some of you lot cant count ;), there are "5 dogs" ALL OFF THE LEAD

Obviously things need putting in perspective, first off I was walking behind at a distance for a fair old time, not once did the two gentlemen look around and show any form of awareness of anyone else such as joggers cyclists or horse riders, secondly I come across these two quite often and it's always the same scenario, loose dogs all over the river path, they know horse riders use this stretch, you all saw the reaction of the dogs, and yet non on the lead !!!! I specifically stayed on the hard surface so they would hear the footsteps of my horse, but because they were ignorant, so was I, I do admit that, maybe ignorance breeds ignorance and I make no excuses, why do you think I have my Pedantic name :p, thirdly this was a very short piece of a 2 hour ride which doesn't show how polite I was with other dog walkers cyclist motorists etc, at the request of the local Dog Trainer I regularly take the ginger sausage to the local dog training on the local park so peoples dogs get desensatized to horses, this is pups and older dogs, so I have an extemely good relationship with "most" local dog owners, as I live and work in the area I am well known by all.

Here is a socializing clip from about 1.5 hours earlier of ""the same ride", you will notice I mention going to the dog local dog training, which I go to most weekends with my Pony, Me, Pedantic, yep, vindictive, yep, ignorant, mostly only with people who are ignorant with me ;)

You will notice that these dog owners all had their dogs "under control"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPIHMh1rctY
 
5 dogs off the lead on the road? In itself, I think that's shocking. Roads aren't safe places for any animal.

Love your accent :D
 
By heck, me duck, grand accent!

I currently avoid bridleways as one of the youngsters hasn't got the best recall and he thinks that horses want to play with him. :roll eyes: He's badly wrong on that score!

I always always get out of the way of riders but I think no-one has right of way (in my uninformed polite opinion) and more care should be taken.

It's annoying and frustrating that they didn't react to a big horse coming up behind them, but a quick 'hi, excuse me' would not have gone amiss.

You have nice areas through which to hack.i kee trying to persuade the OH to move nearer his old mum in Nottingham: very horsey area, I see and a great exchange rate on house prices compared to my area. :D
 
Pedantic, its one of those cases of the lunatics taking over the assylum, simply because they shout louder than the rest. Any decent person would see something wrong in so many loose dogs running around a public track, but in the distorted world of some of the slightly "unusual" people who inhabit HHO, it becomes the foundation for an attack on anyone sticking up for common sense.

Common sense being of course that humans are in fact more important than dogs, which should be controlled by their owners so as not to impede other users of public places.
 
I thank you Mithras :D, to be fair to the ones who had a go at me, I can understand some of the post's as people on here can only comment on the very small clip they saw, of which was a 2 hour hack, which took in bridleways, roads, under a dark dridge with skatre boarders, public park with football matches going off all over the shop, and BMX track with sudden noises of starter bar going off etc etc, plus they don't know the area and history of this particular section of the ride, so I understand their comments, but then some just hate me anyway :D it's the price I pay for being practically perfect:D:D
 
I stand by what I said on your other thread, I think you should have shouted and asked them to move. If they are as you say 'repeat offenders', perhaps next time you see them you could have a very polite word and just ask them to be cautious with their dogs around horses, as not all are as steady as yours and they may end up with an accident and/or a squished dogs. They may genuinely know nothing about horses and how they can react.

For the record, those did not look like 'out of control' dogs to me - the looked like a bunch of dogs having a mooch.
 
Mmmmmmm, soooooo, so what part of being under the owners control were they when of they decided to come running barking at me, didn't really look very under control to me, if you look again at the clip, you will notice we were quite far off when they decided to come running barking at us, under owners control when there is the very likely encounter of meeting a horse and rider on a saturday morning, there are other riders along this stretch, I don't think so, my pony under control yes, the 5 dogs no, and I don't think they will be next time I encounter them either.
 
The trouble is, as Mithras says - too many lunatics screaming in this asylum. The dogs weren't under control, and there is no excuse for failing to notice a horse trotting up behind you... If they can't control their animals, they should be on leads.
 
But you didn't really give the owners a chance, first thing they knew of you being there was when the dogs ran towards you. We don't know for sure, but perhaps if you'd shouted 'hello...I'm going to pass, are the dogs OK?' they would have stuck them straight on the leads/called them to heal. The dogs were just mooching around until they clocked you, and the owners recalled and collected them as soon as they turned and saw you.

Personally as a dog owner I have one eye on the area around me (and yes, they should have been more observant) and recall my dog/heel him/put him on lead as necessary. This does not mean for the time he is off lead, exploring, pottering etc he is out of control.

I just don't understand why someone would not, given the time and opportunity, take the polite option if you have it. That way, I hope you leave people with a good impression of a horse and rider, and if you can talk to them and educate them about how horses may react, then as I see it you take that opportunity.

The need the education to understand that a horse could react to their dogs in a dangerous manner, but perhaps you could have given them the benefit of the doubt and politely let them know you were going to pass.
 
Sorry Pedantic, I don't hate you at all & in fact agree with a lot of what you write.

However, in this situation I agree with bex1984.

We all have to use the public rights of way. Yes, they should be more considerate, but all it takes as Bex said, is for you to shout on ahead, and if they're repeat offenders, have a chat with them about it. If it then starts getting nasty, you can explain that they have a duty to keep their dogs under control and that you will report them if they don't.

Simples :)
 
would it have really been too much effort to shout a warning of your approach though? that way if something had gone wrong you would have most definitely been in the right and them in the wrong, ;) if they always act like idiots then treat them as such! announce your arrival loudly purely to cover your own arse and then carry on by in your normal fashion, :)
 
I have asked owners to catch hold or put their dogs on leads when I am out with a youngster, [on an estate with signs up "dogs on leads"] to be told "he is good with horses", I have to explain that I don't know how they are going to behave, and a young horse can be unpredictable.
I can't guarantee any horse won't kick out if they rush up and grab his legs., most people are actually approaching me as if I see them ahead, I try to avoid them.
I have recently met people who ask their dogs to sit, while I have a chat with them, but don't scold them for barking.
The basic problem is ignorance, but there are people who have an "attitude"
On the same estate I have met dogs running loose in the forest, and I have shouted at them to "lie down" or whatever, sometimes if a dog is running straight at me, I have to shout "grab hold of your dog", I can understand that people want to let the dogs off the lead, but they should always be aware of other users, [especially me!]
 
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Have you asked them to get their dogs on leads before if they are repeat offenders, if you have I can understand your actions a bit more I think. (I did read the other thread, but couldn't be bothered to respond lol)

Have to say there are some very annoying dog owners near me, one with a mini schnauzer (sp?!) called jamie that is always off the lead, and apparently always lost :rolleyes: causing the owner to be constantly shouting 'JAMIE' in a v high pitched v posh voice, I would be annoyed if I wasn't haven't a quiet chuckle to myself :D
 
My two are grand with horses but I know some that are fine with walking horses but perhaps not with horses 'running' towards them- a friends collie is timid of large animals doing this so starts barking through fear. So effectively you may have made the situation worse. A simple excuse me costs nothing but can help others perceive horse riders in a better light.
 
perhaps they were looking the other way when the dogs had a poo and thought you were coming to point it out to them. :P
 
I read the post yesterday, but couldn't be bothered responding as everyone had already said what I was thinking.
Pedantic, I normally totally agree with you, but on watching the other video twice, I do think you could have shouted something. "Excuse me" would surely have been enough to grab their attention.
A dog off a lead is not out of control. The dogs were possibly trying to protect their owners when this huge animal approached noisily. Dogs don't have to walk perfectly at heel to be under control. You didn't give the owners time to call them back. To me, it looks like the only time that the owners become aware of your presence is when their dogs bark and you don't give them time to do anything, you just carry on past as if you own the path. I've heard of inconsiderate driving, but in this case it's inconsiderate riding!!
 
im at a loss too as to what this post is trying to prove. unlike some of the other posters here ive not watched any videos of Pedantic. All i know is that the short video i watched was of someone with very bad manners. I didnt think the dogs looked out of control , all i saw was some folk walking dogs and some one charging up behind them. Don t hate this pedantic person... and for all i know he might be a saint at all other times apart from when this video was taken. The fact is the person on this video comes across to me as some one with very bad manners. and lastly surely if the dogs were allready out of control surely all the more reason to approach with care.
 
Holly Hocks said:
I read the post yesterday, but couldn't be bothered responding as everyone had already said what I was thinking.
Pedantic, I normally totally agree with you, but on watching the other video twice, I do think you could have shouted something. "Excuse me" would surely have been enough to grab their attention.
A dog off a lead is not out of control. The dogs were possibly trying to protect their owners when this huge animal approached noisily. Dogs don't have to walk perfectly at heel to be under control. You didn't give the owners time to call them back. To me, it looks like the only time that the owners become aware of your presence is when their dogs bark and you don't give them time to do anything, you just carry on past as if you own the path. I've heard of inconsiderate driving, but in this case it's inconsiderate riding!!
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Totally agree with this. I saw the video yesterday and actually felt that you were very rude - and gave a really bad name to riders. I feel, as a rider, that I have to be better than other road users - even those that regularly cause riders problems. I am on a big 1/2 ton animal - normally towering over everyone else. If I am on a bridleway and see a loose dog in the distance, i always talk to the owner - often to say, can you put your dog on a lead as my horse is a bit nervous. My horse isn't but it makes dog walkers aware of the issues. People who do catch their dogs, normally make them sit - I always compliment them on "their beautiful dog and isn't he well behaved".

Children running loose are also treated the same way - with the addition of "would you like to stroke him?"

In fact all other road users are engaged in conversation - all with the idea to educate without lecturing.

All other road users have been lovely to me -maybe because i treat them all with consideration - but after seeing your video I would fully expect the next dog owner to either set their dog on me or to give me a mouthful. It only takes one to tar everyone. Think about that next time you "want to prove a point"
 
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