What do your dogs do on the yard?

[Hexx]

Nope - not keen on having dogs on the yard.

At my present yard there are 4 residents - one barks at you to throw the ball - all the time! They aren't too bad and do keep out of the way, but you do have to watch where you walk because they poo all over. The liveries don't tend to bring their dogs up as a couple of the resident dogs don't like other dogs on the yard, plus there are free range chickens/ducks.

At one previous yard there was a pack of 11 that would roam around the property - mainly the owners with a couple of liveries' dogs mixed in. Total pain! They used to pop out of the bushes into the school whenever they wanted - although it did make the horses used to things popping out of undergrowth, it still made me jump and you would have to steer round them, not good when coming towards a jump. Again, wee and poo everywhere and they used to steal the carrots from the feed room and food from the office.

 

[gunnergundog]

Another one who doesn't like dogs on yards.

Years ago, back in the 80's a horse of mine killed a JRT. It was an American barn set up with my ned in the end box. One of the liveries owned this very annoying JRT which they chose to exercise when it was raining by throwing a ball up the corridor. My horse finally lunged over his door, grabbed the dog, shook it, threw it and it died. This was a horse that was an angel in the hunting field and had been used as 2nd whips horse.

Another horse I've owned has been very predatory about anything entering his field and would chase down any dog with head and neck snaking.....I have no doubt that he meant business.

Dogs and horses don't mix on livery yards as far as I'm concerned and am amazed at the number of people that consider taking the dog to the yard is the dog;s exercise for the day.

 

[ester]

Other people's dog poo on your hay (separate bays we could store up to 6 small bales in at a time) is intensely irritating.

Frank would chase any loose dog in his field, def not to be trusted, he's ok on the yard and took rather a shine to the JRT pup (owners) who used to get very excited about seeing him .
Generally we didn't have loose dogs on the yard other than YO's they were tied up though frankly dodging the rather snappy young daschund when I lived there and she didn't was annoying.
Someone who brought their kid for lessons once lost her terriers entirely (they didn't seem to bothered and when they reappeared at 10pm asked if we could put them in a stable!) and was spectacularly unbothered when told that the patterdale had gone for my ankle (leather chaps on so no mark).

I am a big lover of dogs, it made my day saturday to go have labrador cuddles in my plumbers van but I find it very stressful having dogs loose about the place with the horses, it can go wrong so quick/unintentionally.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'm concerned and am amazed at the number of people that consider taking the dog to the yard is the dog;s exercise for the day.

This.

 

[blackcob]

Horse poo is kinda hard to miss, in fairness.

Unless you can't tell your poo pile from a spaniel.

 

[{97702}]

Unless you can't tell your poo pile from a spaniel.

Well you know how it is, I hate to generalise but that’s spaniels for you.... imitating horse poo at every opportunity 😛

 

[DabDab]

I intensely dislike livery yards where dogs are allowed, but my own dogs come out loose with us at home. The westie mainly tries to steal linseed or sits in the hay barn or garden watching the world go by and the Jack rat trails around after me or the oh. We put them in an unused stable when putting horses in or out and although the jrt sits and watches me school from the gate, she's not allowed in.

I would be mortified if any of my animals could come into contact with a loose nail. Tbh, the horses are more likely to eat something inappropriate than my dogs, so anything loose lying about on the yard is a big no no in general.

 

[rara007]

We have the horses at home and my sister lives in the yard. Our groom also brings her dogs to work. Hers are crated or in a stable whilst she’s working and our dogs (terrier x, collie, spaniel, lab, schnauzer) are all on lead if horses are about. We do walk them in the horses fields and all the horses are good(ish!) with dogs and dogs 100% with the horses but not worth the risk of letting them self entertain. The collie would be around your feet and irritating, the spaniel 3 counties away and the schnauzer and terrier would stay about but the cats, cat food, rats, chickens, chicken food would all be targets once they knew backs were turned!

 

[Tiddlypom]

The westie mainly tries to steal linseed or sits in the hay barn or garden watching the world go by

Haha, Charnwoods micronised linseed is the most prized feed of all to thieve according to the elderly JRT, right from when it is first delivered to the porch and is still in its sturdy packaging, which would be shredded if he was given a chance! Once transferred to a feed bin, it is safe, though.

He mostly potters about these days and watches the world go by from whichever part of our property currently gives the best view of the action, unless he puts up a rabbit. I'm über careful about him getting accidental access to equine wormers or medication. After reading this thread, no more hoof trimmings either.

 

[Lammy]

Mine only likes the yard when we go for a hack, otherwise he sits in the middle of the front yard (where the horses are gated off from) on guard dog duty.

But he’s a very good dog and incredibly well behaved around the horses and even when galloping along with us he stays a good meter away up front because he’s much faster than the welshie!

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Thanks for everyone’s opinions, a little off subject some posts.. It wasn’t a post to debate if dogs should be allowed or not on livery yards. Some very helpful and even those who say they hate dogs on the yard. Glad you aren't on our yard then!! The livery yard I am on has been around for donkeys years, every livery has had dogs and it’s never been an issue.

I am quite shocked how judgemental some people are, suppose it depends what experience you've had but assuming if dogs are on the yard they poo in the hay, wee on haynets, chase the horses, get in the way, bark, don’t get exercised as they’re on the yard. It isn’t always the case at all. I can honestly say not a single dog (sometimes up to 9 on the yard at one time) is any hassle at all, all are extremely well behaved, don't steal and well trained. All of the horses are used to the dogs, some even very fond of them. We have a big yard space for a small amount of horses.

I (PERSONALLY) love having dogs on the yard, they are a pleasure to be around. My cocker is extremely helpful and will fetch my whip if I drop it when I’m riding, bring me grooming brushes and bandages when I don’t have enough hands but ONLY if I ask him too. Some people dislike dogs on the yard, fair enough, each to their own.. but at my yard we all love having the dogs around.

Ours are like our children and mean the world to us, they work on shoots away from the yard and get exercised 3 times a day, every day, away from the yard. They’re spoilt as can be. They are extremely fit but this nail incident has made me realise how careful I need to be specially with the young spaniel and from now on, I will be. Thankfully hes been fine since.

Since posting this I’ve made sure when mucking out the dogs are in the stable with me and wherever I am they’re with me, not out of site. It only took a day and they soon realise they need to stick with me and be in eyesight at all times.

I suppose each to their own.. but happy dogs, happy owner here.

 

[CorvusCorax]

It's hardly judgemental, it's just people's personal experience. Your yard sounds idyllic

 

[Hormonal Filly]

It's hardly judgemental, it's just people's personal experience. Your yard sounds idyllic

Maybe I took it too personally, apologies, but it did all go a little off subject. It really is a lovely, friendly yard.

 

[ponyparty]

My dog comes to the yard with me - has done since he was a puppy, when I worked on a yard where everyone brought their dogs. They were all well behaved (apart from one of the labs who lived there, he always used to shit in the hay 🤢 bless him, the old boy was PTS last year) and he stayed by me. He would never chase horses but did used to get stupidly close sometimes, until one day he got kicked by a (thankfully unshod) pony. He’s very wary now - he wasn’t injured, thank goodness. It did make me reassess whether to take him with me, but as it had the effect of him staying well away from horses from then on, I deemed it safe for him to come back on the yard with me. He is a cracking ratter and rabbiter so has his uses, and he really is very respectful of horses now.

I’ve been at different yards since with varying rules; current yard is dogs allowed off lead, but we are all on our own little mini-yards with our own fields attached so we're not under each others feet. He poos in the same place (grass verge) and I just go and do a poo sweep before I leave; we have woods and a massive XC field so I take him for a walk while we're there as well. If my friend that I share the yard with is up at the same time with her dog, mine stays around us/him; but if we're there on our own, he does sometimes disappear into the woods after a rabbit. Last week, while I was mucking out, he bolted one out of the woods and it ran across someone else's field, luckily no horses in it at the time. After that happened, I was keeping copious amounts of treats in my pockets and keeping him in eyesight whilst doing my jobs. Today I took a pigs ear with me and popped him in his crate in the tack room while I mucked out. I have to say it was much more enjoyable (and quicker) for me, being able to relax and not calling him or checking on his whereabouts every minute or so! So I'm going to do that from now on - take a tasty treat and keep him crated while I do my jobs, then he gets his walk afterwards.

 

[JFTDWS]

I love having my dog around the horses - but I'm not sure I'd like other people's It is probably a bit different with field kept horses - I only hay and poo pick and ride, so it's easier to keep a dog in sight than in and out of stables mucking out etc. My fields are stock fences (equine netting type) so he couldn't wander off even if he wanted to, all the horses are used to him, and he definitely doesn't shit in the hay! Plus I only take him when it's convenient to have him there.