Which do you love more - your horse or your dog?

Patchworkpony

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Dogs are incredible creatures - they work alongside us and protect us, herd sheep and cattle, guard our property and livestock, catch criminals, find lost people in varying conditions - mountains, earthquakes, avalanche, you name it; they save lives, detect bombs, guide the blind; there are hearing dogs, mobility dogs, dogs that detect cancer, that seizure alert, they can find dead bodies and the remains of dead bodies.
I totally agree they are incredible - I particularly love the assistance dogs and hearing dogs. If I win the lottery I shall give money to the hearing dogs to train up more as there are not enough to go round apparently.
 

millitiger

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It depends on the horse and the dog you have!

I lost my German pointer nearly 2 years ago and although I love my current horses, I'd swap them in a heartbeat for him.
I also lost my horse shaped soulmate very prematurely last year, again I love the current dog but if I could have my vinnie back I'd do it in a heartbeat.

So really, to me, it's the individual not what species they happen to be, I miss my 2 favourite boys so much, I'd swap most of my human family to have them back too!!
 

CarlungM

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I love all my animals- horses, dogs and cat but in a different way. My horse, especially my Highland makes me feel good to be alive and I look forward to seeing his lovely face. Each year I have him I care more deeply for him. However because my dogs are with me at home, I feel I know every quirk- one is 14 (but a rescue of only 18 months and a sweetheart) and the other I have owned since he was 7 months old and now he is 9. He is the most loyal, devoted dog and I love him deeply and would hate to be without him.

May cat, well he is a love when not terrorising the dogs- he is 14 now , but when he pesters me at 5am for food, I don't feel much like loving him!

While I would never put my animals above my son or grandson, I do think of them as family and can understand why pets are as children to some people. Mine do sit on the sofas (which are covered with all sorts of covers to keep the hairs off the suite). I like them sat with me. My house ,my rules I guess.
 

poiuytrewq

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Tough and interesting question and replies!
Someone asked me recently if I could choose only one animal from our collection 5 horses, 3 dogs and numerous other pets what would it be?
I actually answered it fairly easily!
Little disabled Labradog! He just has the most amazing personality and is usually with me. I can't imagine life without the troublesome lummox ❤️
 

Cinnamontoast

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Tough question. When I'm with the dogs, I probably have stronger feelings, but similarly, when I'm with the horse, it's the same, he's such a doll! He's like a big dog according to the OH and very bonded: he comes to call, follows me round and so on. Spending more time at home than at the yard means I'm with the dogs a lot and they are incredibly affectionate (needy!)
 

Leo Walker

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Hands down the dog! Hes my best friend, constant companion and has gotten me through some really horrific times in my life. I prefer him to people if I'm being really honest! I do love my horse though, but its a different sort of relationship and I spend less time with him than I do the dog, might be different if he came and sat on the sofa with me on a night :lol:
 

Leo Walker

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When I was in HDU and was at my absolute lowest my friend got permission to get me into a wheel chair and wheel me down to see my boy. It gave me the strength to get through it and the drive to get myself up and walking about. She had to keep him for ages after that, but she was very smart about things. When I got home and still couldn't really walk and was in a bad way she used to bring him and drop him off, she started at 15mins and built up in a very sneaky way :lol:

When I was at the point where I needed to be walking but was terrified of the pain she made up an elaborate excuse as to why he had to come to me all day and therefore had to be walked. And up I got because I had to. I still remember the terror I felt about it, but I did it and it was fine, well not fine, but I got through it :)

And thats why I adore him! He was the reason I got up and started walking. He was what kept me going when it hurt so bad I sobbed and collapsed with the pain and wanted to just give up and die. Through all of that he was my constant companion. Always there, always near me and supporting me unconditionally even when I was a bit mental!

As much as I love my horse, and I moved heaven and earth to keep him believe me, he wasnt there like the dog was, he couldn't have been. I do appreciate that my circumstances were more than extreme, but it does highlight the differences between dogs and horses :)
 

Patchworkpony

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When I was in HDU and was at my absolute lowest my friend got permission to get me into a wheel chair and wheel me down to see my boy. It gave me the strength to get through it and the drive to get myself up and walking about. She had to keep him for ages after that, but she was very smart about things. When I got home and still couldn't really walk and was in a bad way she used to bring him and drop him off, she started at 15mins and built up in a very sneaky way :lol:

When I was at the point where I needed to be walking but was terrified of the pain she made up an elaborate excuse as to why he had to come to me all day and therefore had to be walked. And up I got because I had to. I still remember the terror I felt about it, but I did it and it was fine, well not fine, but I got through it :)

And thats why I adore him! He was the reason I got up and started walking. He was what kept me going when it hurt so bad I sobbed and collapsed with the pain and wanted to just give up and die. Through all of that he was my constant companion. Always there, always near me and supporting me unconditionally even when I was a bit mental!

As much as I love my horse, and I moved heaven and earth to keep him believe me, he wasnt there like the dog was, he couldn't have been. I do appreciate that my circumstances were more than extreme, but it does highlight the differences between dogs and horses :)
Your dog sounds amazing - what breed is he?
 

Leo Walker

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Have a selection! These sum him up perfectly, hes a 40mph couch potato! :lol:

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Mince Pie

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Dogs, no question. I had my pony for the best part of 10 years and he was my soulmate and the trust between the pair of us was absolute. I had to sell him last year, and whilst I think of him a lot I am comfortably living without him. There is no way I could live without my dogs, I can't work so they are always with me.
 

Patchworkpony

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Dogs, no question. I had my pony for the best part of 10 years and he was my soulmate and the trust between the pair of us was absolute. I had to sell him last year, and whilst I think of him a lot I am comfortably living without him. There is no way I could live without my dogs, I can't work so they are always with me.
That is so lovely - what a bond!
 

rowan666

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Well recently I've been contemplating getting rid of all the horses and getting another dog instead to save money then I remember mastiffs eat more than horses lol my last dog absolutely tore my heart to pieces when I had to have him PTS, I absolutely adolised him beyond comprehension more than any other animal I've ever had, i can only dream of finding a partner as loyal and protective as him and there's been many times over the years since he was PTS when ive been in a pickle and I've actually needed him, I've never thought i needed any human! So I guess if I had to choose it would be dogs although i was raised always having both horses and dogs and my horses are actually pretty loyal and my dog is possibly the dumbest animal I've ever met! Lol
 
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Shantara

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I love them all the same amount in different ways.

Tamriel is with me all the time, so she can get on my nerves but she can be there for me when I'm at my worst. We spend a lot of quiet cuddle time together and go for adventures!

Nedly has so much unconditional love, I don't care if I never sat on him again, he's my lovely boy and always will be, we've been through soo much together! Ups and downs.

Seren still has to prove herself a little, since I've only had her a month and I've been away a week of that and she got a kick so I've only ridden a few times. She seems amazing so far though and I already feel a spark of love :)
 

RunToEarth

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Dogs, every time.

I've had horses my entire life, I've loved a good few horses, but it's a completely different relationship and they are, in the main, elusive, mechanical sometimes - as long as they have their basic needs met and an affectionate head scratch they genuinely don't really care. I put them in their stables at night and I have never once wished that I could bring them into my home.

My dog is my friend, I avoid leaving her in her kennel or away from me whenever I possibly can. She comes to work, she stays in our house, she shares all of our time and affection.

My dog is far more of a factor in my life than the horses, in so many ways. If I have to work away from early morning until late at night, I can stick the boys in the field with a water trough and not give them a second thought - if it rains, if it is dark, if it cold - not the end of the world. You can't do that with a dog, or at least I never would. She isn't my child but she's a personality and much more involved in my every day life than my horses are.

I'm not violently allergic to the dogs either, which helps.
 
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