Taking dog riding

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Twiglet

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I'm planning on getting a dog in the next few months (black lab!).

Does anyone take their dogs out whilst hacking - off the lead - with them? Any advice on whether a lab would be suitable for this?

The dog would be at work with OH during the day, but would want him/her to be able to accompany me riding evenings and weekends.
 
Any dog is suitable if well trained although I'd never ever take them on the road with me no matter how good they were, my friend had a Cairn years ago that was superb and she took him on the roads until one day, she trained him to tuck in behind the horse when a car came and he did but on this occasion the horse spooked and the dog moved out of the way of the horse and got hit by the oncoming car, sadly he died later at the vets through shock.

I've taken Mouse and Millie off road riding with me (they're JRTs) Jimmy hasn't been yet because he's still learning around the horse.
 
For totally off road riding where you are not going to encounter any livestock or other dogs, yes, that would be fine - however, I would never do it on roads, and not in a place where there would be other dogs - you cannot control your dog from on top of your horse and whilst yours may be fine, another dog could attack him and you would be powerless to stop it.

Lab puppies can be very boisterous, it took mine a long time to learn how to behave around horses - all he wanted to do was play! Make sure he keeps a safe distance from the horse (by running a few strides ahead usually) so he doesn't get kicked or trodden on.
 
I have a mini dashund, a cocker and a heinz 57 terrier type and I take all three of them out with me. BUT the road is quite quiet and the people do stop. The dogs have learned to go to the side when i ask them.

I don't think I'd take a dog in UK if it was on the road!!
 
We don't really have any roadwork other than crossing one to get directly on to hacking, and I could do that on foot (all 4 metres of it!).

But there would be plenty of other dogs where we hack, which may well be the problem.

It won't be essential that the dog comes riding, as I could walk it elsewhere, but my horse has always been ridden out with dogs and seems to love them, plus it would be great to have a canine hacking companion!

Have had labs in the past as family dogs, and the puppy is coming from a relative's dog, who I know well, so I'm hoping it won't be too much of a shock when i've got a bouncing barmy lab puppy running round!

The mum and dad have both been introduced to horses recently, and were good as gold, if a little nervous, so will take it nice and slow with pup.

Thanks for your replies.
 
I used to take my whippet riding when we had decent off road hacking over the road. I would dismount and lead the horse/carry the whippet over the road and into the field then remount and off we would go.

I never had any trouble with my dog BUT I established pack leadership with her from about 8 weeks. Basically I won't ever (or hardly ever) call my dog or wait for her. If she runs off and gets lost that is her problem. So she knows now that if she wants to go exploring or anything she MUST keep checking in with me to make sure she knows where I am.

In reality when she first started to wander (as a very young pup) and I was teaching her this lesson, I always knew where she was but a couple of 'oh god, I can't find mum' scares at a young age taught her to stay with the pack and I would hack for miles and miles with her, she would go rabbiting in the hedges etc but I never had any problem with loosing her. I think it is all in the early training which you can do on or off the horse
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My whippet made a great hacking partner cos she was the only thing that could keep up with my super speedy TBx who was related to Mill Reef LOL.
 
Black lab puppies are gorgeous
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not that I am biased....

Hope he'll make a good hacking companion for you.

Only thing I've heard is that you mustn't exercise them too much until their bones have properly developed - so prob about a year old or so?

congratulations on getting a puppy!
 
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Only thing I've heard is that you mustn't exercise them too much until their bones have properly developed - so prob about a year old or so?

congratulations on getting a puppy!

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I was thinking about that actually, so it wouldn't be until it's older that it was doing lots of hacking.

Mmm maybe I should be getting a whippet too then, I have quite a speedy walker! Maybe we'll do a lap of the park and come back for the lab......
 
My dogs come riding with me every time, however we have absolutely no road work and never have any need to go off my farm.

In the UK I used to ride out with my collie and springerX - they were perfect on the roads and very super-well trained so I never had any problems whatsoever. I used to know a few people who rode out with their Labs so it is possible, however I would wait until yours is much older and make sure he is VERY well trained if you decide to go out on the roads.
 
Ditto all the advice above especially about waiting for him to develop. My dogs are whistle trained both recall and stop whistle which makes them controllable from atop the horse but again we are lucky enough not to have to ride on the road, even so I only have to shout "Car" and they both go onto the side and sit until the car has passed.
 
I take my four collies out when I am riding. We have pretty quiet tiny lanes round us and it might seem awful but having the dogs running ahead of me makes me feel a lot safer as any car comming too fast will get to them before me. They act as a forward guard. I try and keep one behind as well. I'd hate for them to be run over but that's pretty unlikely as they can get right in to the side of the road, whereas if a car comes fast round the corner and meets me on a horse then we're in serious trouble.

Some people (mainly men) seem to think that being a good driver is getting round blind corners as quickly as possible. ;mad:

My neighbour lets me ride on his farmland but I don't take them then as it would be taking the mickey.

I never put my dogs on the lead anyway and they don't have collars. The two youngest wouldn't go on a lead if I tried. I think if you have the sort of dogs that don't need to go on the lead then it's not too much of a problem.

In my experience it's dogs on a lead that usually end up in fights.
 
I don't ride with my own dog, but the farm dogs always tag along on hacks, don't get a choice in the matter! They're working collies so are fairly obedient and know not to chase the sheep and come back when they're called. One is "not all there" and is deaf (he was hit by a car a few years back) and he is a real pain for chasing sheep, but the farmer knows what he like and thats there's nothing I can do about it. Not sure I'd be happy taking them on other people's land though.
 
I take my border collie on rides with me. I don't take him on roads - we ride out across the New Forest. We do, however, meet lots of other dogs and riders and we've never had a problem yet. My dog will listen to me just as well when I'm on a horse as when I'm on foot - in fact we have extra 'rules' for when I'm riding. If I stop, he will immediately return and lay beside me - unless I tell him 'down' right where he is. He is very good with other dogs and would far prefer to stick with me anyway, but he is always first to bow out if the other dog doesn't look friendly. I should think a lab would be fine as long as it is well trained and mature enough first. A friend of mine takes her golden retriever out riding with her and he loves it.
 
I took my lab a couple of times round the field, she hates horses though and gets severely depressed when I ask her to come with me!
I would never ever take them on the roads (and yes..having them running in front is pretty bad....sorry!) because I would die if something happened to her while I was taking her out, know what I mean?
 
my collie basil is really good when i hack out he never has a alead on and when i tell him to heel he heels to archies near fore leg. when we are off road he runs in front chasing birds and stuff out the long grass... saves archie having a fit when they pop up unexpected!! i love taking him but he is getting a little old now so dont go to far,(dont tell him hes getting old though!!) he use to come out for hours!
 
I plan to take my Ridgeback riding with me when he is older... not until he is around 2yrs old... making sure he is fully developed.

I will have to go down a main road (now I have moved) and I'm not sure what to do .... OH will just have to come with me on his bike!! LOL!!
 
i'd take someone on foot with me to 'control' the dog on the first few occasions to see how it goes
i personally dont take our dog as she is liable to run after other dogs and my horse would be scared by me shouting at her, would be a nightmare of spooky horse and dissappearing dog and prob me lying in a ditch
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