Training a dog to come out hacking?

Luci07

Luci07

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 October 2009
Messages
9,380
Location
Dorking
Visit site
So my no 3 trial staffie has been coming out for short (30 mins) hacks with me. I am taking out my old mare (totally impervious to dogs and anything they are doing. I am keeping it short, and we don't have to cross any roads. So her recall is excellent. Bit of a problem with being exact about the "stay" (practising for crossing a "b" road) and stays with me. Will also be polite with all other dogs although caught a couple of walkers out yesterday who were focused on me and didn't see her (she is a red).

However, she insists on walking right behind my horse. I am not sure it is a good idea to get her to go ahead of us but what can I do to train her to give my horses back legs a good distance. It is no problem whatsover with my old mare but the youngster (when better) would definately kick out. He is only just getting used to going with dogs (friends well trained dog) despite having been hunted. Any ideas?
 
Not an expert and I'm sure there are other people on here with much better idea's to try first, but the only thing I could think of would be a spray collar and spray it when the dog gets too close to the horses back legs?
Sure other people will come up with better ideas to try first.
 
I used to take my two out hacking with me but stopped doing so. It wasn't so much of what my dogs did/didn't do but more to do with other factors. Although my dogs are trained and well behaved, not everyone elses dogs are the same. If anything happened to either of my dogs, say another dog appoached and attacked them, I'm in a very poor position to do anything from on board my horse. For me, it's much better to hack my horse without the dogs so I only have to worry about myself and my horse and then take the dogs for their walk so I only have to worry bout them. Hacking was becoming to stressful with constantly being on the lookout for possible dangers that I don't really have to worry about when it's just me and my horse or me and my dogs.

I wouldn't recommend using a spray collar to teach the dog to stay away from the horses back legs. The dog will not understand that its been sprayed because its too close to the horse. The dog will associate the presense of the horse to being sprayed and will probably develop a fear of the horse with the possibility of developing nervous aggression toward it.
 
I wouldn't use a spray collar either, it may create a negative association with horses.

I am teaching the pup to come along beside me on a bike (just straddling the bike around the yard, nothing hardcore!) and am holding my hand out with food in it and using the follow command and clicking to keep him where I want him, bit different on a horse but could you chuck food on the ground in a strategic manner to keep her in the spot where you want her?
 
Rocky is just starting to come out hacking with me (he's a 6 month old cocker x pointer so likes to run).

We started off with someone else riding my horse and me walking so I am on the ground to correct him. The rider was giving the commands and I was there as back-up.

We taught him an emergency command which means "get right out the way now" in essence which is a simple shouted "MOVE".

Apart from that he was taught to remain behind if the path is narrow (rather than barge through) but far enough back - this is where me being on the ground helped. And if he runs on ahead to stay within sight and not leap out of bushes :rolleyes:.

I carry my gundog whistle on me so I have that back-up in an emergency (haven't needed it though) as well as plenty of treats in a bumbag (dropped occasionally to remind Rocky its nice and fun!), a dog lead and a long lead rope (so I can lead both horse and dog if I need to).

Apart from that enjoy it!!
 
I taught a 'heel' command as normal and then transferred it to ridden by taking it slowly and starting off in an enclosed area. B was quite reliable by the end of it all but I would only take her on bridleways because I was worried about the lack of control if she did decide to take off to smell something, chase something, talk to another dog, etc. She was never good enough to trust with crossing a B road, but I suppose with practice you will get there!
 
Right I will go back to some work on the floor to get her to stay a bit behind. If nothing else I can't actually see her! I carry a lead rope on the saddle and used to hack out everywhere with my old staffie. Honey is very very good with other dogs and already focused on me so not worried about that. If I had the misfortune to meet an agressive dog then I would have to get off and keep her with me but never had that in all the time I did this previously. Its great fun having her with us and means my other 2 get a rest!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top