Why am I so scared of hacking out alone??

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Louby

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Ive posted about this before but havent really had to go out on my own for ages and just cant get over my stupid stupid fear of dogs
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Daft thing is I love dogs, theres loads at the stables that I love but when Im hacking out alone more than in company I cant get it out of my head that its going to come and attach itself to my horses leg or something. My horse is great with dogs and even though I turn into a nervous wreck if I see one miles in the distance he doesnt bat an eyelid. Im that pathetic Id rather turn round and go home than catch the dog up or if I get really brave I cough loudly as I approach the dogs owner to get there attention or shout to the dog owner asking if there dog is ok with horse. This did stem from being chased by an aggresive dog a few years ago.
How can I get over this, it really spoils riding out. I'd happily go in the school but I dont think its fair on my horse and my friend thinks Im a nutter so Im determined to get over this.
 
Maybe if you just forced your self to go past a few then you'd feel better then? Is it only when you hack out alone? If so then you must see dogs out when your with someone and it's only the same..

TBH I think you would be extremely unlucky for anything to happen again - I guess you'll just have to face your fear? Good luck!
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I no, Ive just got to make myself do it. Im worrying now about riding on my own tomorrow. God I feel such an idiot. Do you stand still or keep moving if a dog runs at you?
My friend tells me off when we are riding as Im obsessed with the dog in the distance. I just feel better when theres two of us just incase something does happen.
 
Can you try the visualisation stuff about passing dogs with no problems. Worth trying when you are on the ground and feeling quite relaxed.
 
Thanks I will try that.
I really am a 'what if ...' person. So here goes
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What would you do if you had a problem with a dog met out hacking. Maybe if I can answer my what if I will be able to think 'ok so if that happens I do ....'
 
I stand my horse up and ask the owner to remove the dog. But the visualisation works better if you start with I meet a dog and we walk past quietly and there is no problem. Try positive sequential story telling to yourself.
 
Having been there myself, I think you just have to face up to your demons as it were. If you force yourself to do it, and you come back in one piece, then the next time you have to do it, you have the comfort of "surviving" the previous time if that makes sense.

My fear is tractors, because the pony is currently likely to freak out at the sight of them following on from a truly horrendously muddy New Forest Show in July, being towed in and out by tractors and him watching them go past towing the trailers/lorries out. He is absolutely terrified of them whereas before he wasn't too happy about them but was OK. So, whats the first thing we encounter yesterday, about 30 seconds after coming out of the yard gate? A tractor, and a really scary one at that with the bale spikes on the front and an empty trailer behind, so really making a lot of noise. Well we were lucky, I put my hand up like a policeman for the driver to stop, and thankfully he did. Once Ted registered the tractor, the fun started, but it was definitely better than the last time we met one. He didn't rear or spin round and try to leg it back to the yard all of which happened the last time. He planted and tried to spin and then started to reverse into the ditch, but I got him past, the driver realised I had a problem and thankfully switched off his engine to make it a bit easier. It probably all took about a minute but it felt a lot longer at the time! And big thanks from me to the driver and explaining why we had the problem. He was cool, he understood...

But you know, once you've achieved the goal and overcome the problem once, you will feel pretty amazing and proud of yourself, and it does become easier the next time you have to face it. Believe me, I'm a typical nervous middle aged numpty who sees problems where they don't really exist. And if necessary ask the dog owners to hold their dog as you go past, if you explain why, most reasonable people would understand the reasons for your anxiety.

Oh, and I wouldn't rate myself as any great shakes of a rider, just a point, steer, stop, stay on, happy hacker type who recently started riding again after a 27 year gap due to having a pony (not Ted) my other daughter refused to get back on after he bronked her off and broke her wrist. That one's now been sold and I really need my riding fix, so I find myself encouraging other daughter to go off with her non horsey friends so I can ride her pony!.

(Sorry for the long reply) Good luck, don't let it put you off hacking alone.
 
You can 'what if' about things all day. What if I get hit by a car? What if my horse goes nuts and throws me off on the road? etc...etc...
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At the end of the day, it is a unlikely thing to happen as most dogs wouldn't attack a horse. Can you carry a long schooling whip, so you know you'd be able to give one a darn good whack, if it did happen? Also, there is nothing wrong with asking the owner if the dog is ok with horses - if you say to yourself that if you see a dog, you will ask the owner and that's that. If it's a big dog, ask them to put it on a lead. At least then you know it can't hurt you/your horse. The positive visualisation thing is good, too.

At the end of the day, you have to push yoursefl just a little bit if you want to get over your fear. Start on small hacks, carry the whip and take a mobile. Ask the owner to put the dog on a lead/is it ok with horses and before you know it you'll be wondering what the fuss was about
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Good luck
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Thanks everyone, I know I just have to get on with it, its just doing it.
I know what you mean PennyJ I have made myself do it in the past and once I get off the bridleway its like YES YES YES I done it and I feel so proud.
I must sound like a right nutter, promise Im not
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My lad is great with dogs!I had 1 episode out hacking and this bloody jack russel was determined to get out of its garden to have a go,darn thing got out chased round my lads heels,he laid his ears back and how he missed the thing with a swift boot i dont know,dog ran off up road with tail between its legs,lol,never traumatised my lad though!However i am as you,wonder what would happen if it were a bigger dog???Answer,probably nothing,most dog owners i have met are VERY considerate(due to the fact ya horse is 10x the size of their family pet and they are frightened to death their beloved dog will get an automatic kicking as ya horse walks past???
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Why dont know,lol)!!
Trust in your horse if he is ok with dogs,honestly if he sees the dog up ahead if he that used to them even if they jump about and bark on the end of a leash he will probably completely ignore it,mine does!
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Agree with the longest schooling whip you can buy also,good clout round the snout should do the trick if ya horse aint killed it with hind hooves 1st!!!
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It's also sod's law that whatever ticks yours or horse's scarey box you will see 10 times more of when you're out. I was hacking out a horse that had a trembling fear of tractors. So what did we see four of while out - of course tractors. Other horse I ride out there who is like police horse for any vehicle, I have never come across a tractor with. But that's life!
 
I feel sorry for you - its such a shame that your hacking is being ruined.

When I hack I always carry a hunting whip (invaluable for doing gates!) and if i ever encounter an ominous dog (or wild pony) I crack my whip and it usually has the desired effect
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Its always the case, we always seem to meet the demon dog from hell when I pluck up the courage to go out alone but when out in company everything is fine. We do know of one dog which is walked on the bridleway which is known to attack horses. Its an English Bull and it annoys me so much as the owner knows it has a problem with horses so why doesnt she put a muzzle on it? Im not against dog walkers at all, I love dogs but surely if you knew your dog was aggressive then you would try to take some steps to prevent anything happening. Weve been lucky, owner panics, legs it after the dog and luckily has grabbed it, its an old dog now so not quite as fast. Years ago this dog went for my friends horses throat and thankfully missed but had hold of her martingale.
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Thanks for all your replies.
 
In all my 30yrs of riding horses i have never met an aggressive dog toward the horse(have met plenty that think it is clever to try have a go,however most cack it and run a mile,lol),understand why you have a phobia if that happened,however i think you will find it is an exception not the rule(owner wants a bloody kick up the ass if you ask me)!I really do hope you overcome this as you shouldnt suffer due to a persistant threat,get yourself out and if dog is so aggressive surely it is classed as dangerous and report to the appropriate authorities??
 
Thanks for that, I actually had a bit of a go at the owner last time we met them. We saw her up a side track, she panicked and legged it for the dog, so I said it should be kept on a lead or muzzled. She said its only gone for one horse!!! She got a pleasantish mouth full as I know its been a problem for years. Its funny cos theres a lady in our street with one who walks hers on the bridleway, never off the lead though and she has had riders be nasty to her. They must confuse her dog with the nasty one so everyone must know said dog is a problem.
 
I found myself having a similar "what if" idea about a place that has 3 large dogs that I ride past and what would happen if they all chased my mare? (It has never happened). Then it occured to me why didn't I think "What if the owner of the dogs came out and tried to give me a cheque for £100,000?" Well, it's not likely to happen is it? So I try to say to myself - neither is being attacked by the dogs ie I try to stay in reality not what might happen? Helps me a bit. .....(gets coat!)
 
Thanks Hornby, thats a great way to think about it. I admit Im a what if ... kind of person. I dont even realise I doing it at times which is kind of scary. Weve had an awful lot of tradgedies in our family in the last few years, maybe its knocked my confidence a bit?
 
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