"You Should'nt Be Riding Your Horse Here, Horses Are Dangerous Animals"

Mithras said:
Award for the most stupid comment when on a ride? I was riding my mare on a piece of open ground last night, covered in tracks and popular with walkers, runners, dog walker and a few horse riders. I was riding quietely past past a man with a dog (fortunately on a lead), not really close to him at all and he said to me the above "You shouldn't be riding that horse here. Horses are dangerous animals". Now, I'm pretty good at speaking up for politely but firmly and took him to task and he knew when he was beaten, but the silly idiot said "Have you ever been kicked by a horse?" to which I replied "No, have you ever been bitten or chased by a dog?". (he just walked off). I have been chased by snarling dogs many times too, particularly when I'm out running. I should also point out that his dog ( Wiermanner type) was snarling and straining at the lead all the time when my horse was perfectly well behaved.
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Good for you! Well done for retaining your composure too!

There is a 260-acre common near us, and there is one circular bridle path route around the perimeter. Inside, there are hundreds of footpaths, making up several miles worth of walks for dog walkers, yet so many of them insist on walking their dogs, off lead on the horse track.
Quite often dogs will run up to and bark at horses, and it really annoys me. Terriers tend to be noisier, but my horse tends to be OK with small dogs, but he has in the past sometimes taken off when larger dogs come running towards him flat out barking! These irresponsible dog owners are the ones causing the accidents, not us riders!
 
I can remember once when I took my two collies out for a walk round the local country park. Two girls on horses rode up to me and demanded rather rudely that I put my dogs on a lead immediately because they might spook the horses. Now, I'm not being funny and I am a responsible dog owner but these two horses were the most well behaved horses I've ever come across (I like to think my horses have manners but compared to these two they're a bunch of hooligans) and coupled with the fact that my dogs were SWIMMING in the opposite direction to us at a rate of knotts and were a good distance away - what did they think I was going to do - swim after them? If the dogs were on dry land fair do's they'd been on a lead straight away but c'mon they were on a mission to get to the other side.

Anyway they departed rather quickly with a flea in their ear.

Some horse riders get my goat though - they expect the world to stop just because they are out on their horse. My friend is a prime example. We were riding along the edge of a park what had a football pitch in the middle and my friend was screaming like a banshee at the lads who were playing.......wait for it football, f'ing and blinding and demanding that they stop kicking their ball until the horses were gone. It was really embarassing and I ended up going up to the lad in goal and apologising for her behaviour.

Sometimes horses riders can be equally up their own arses.
 
Cavblacks said:
Ive heard of horse ball! Sounds so much fun Id love to give that a go! Im also trying to persuade a friend to come and do a polo day with me but not getting far! haha
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I would definitely do a polo day! Always fancied it - polo ponies just look like the most fun you could ever have on a horse.

And, as an aside, hurrah for London riders!
 
FionaMc said:
I would definitely do a polo day! Always fancied it - polo ponies just look like the most fun you could ever have on a horse.

And, as an aside, hurrah for London riders!
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Dont they just! I might look some up!!! :D There are a few places round and about here

There aren't many of us, but we're here!!!
 
Indy said:
Some horse riders get my goat though - they expect the world to stop just because they are out on their horse. My friend is a prime example. We were riding along the edge of a park what had a football pitch in the middle and my friend was screaming like a banshee at the lads who were playing.......wait for it football, f'ing and blinding and demanding that they stop kicking their ball until the horses were gone. It was really embarassing and I ended up going up to the lad in goal and apologising for her behaviour.

Sometimes horses riders can be equally up their own arses.
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Ditto that! I don't mind if dogs run up, imo, I should have reasonable control of my horse and be able to cope with unexpected situations. I don't mind the joyous dogs either - yes I don't want my horse to be bitten but most dogs ime, act like horses are big dogs and just want to play with them :rolleyes:

There was a time I was riding on the road, and a guy with a leaf blower was up ahead, now he had the correct PPE (ear defenders) and wasn't looking my way so coudln't see me. Me? I was sitting on top of my horse doing a merry dance at the side of the road, eyes agog at the monster. I got past, but then the guy apologised when he could see my horse was worked up. I said no worries, its not his problem if my horse is a big girls blouse is it :D
 
We have a footpath along the lane that leads to our field. The path is also the access to the four fields leading from the lane and was originally used for farm machinery. Dog walker regularly use the footpath and we also ride from the road to the field and vice versa.

On returning from a ride last year, we encountered a dog walker who quite rightly said "This is a footpath". I was about to explain that we are the landowners and therefore can use the path, when my OH replied while pointing to the horses; " they are on their feet", and we walked off leaving the poor man speechless.
 
Some people can just be so nasty!

I'm luck that despite frequently meeting lots of dog walkers in the forest I've never had an issue - although one time a group of women let their puppy run right up the back of Casper while shouting "it's ok he's fine with horses" to which I replied "and how do you know my horse is ok with dogs?" - they quickly called it back and put it on a lead.

I often stop and talk to dog walkers to let their dog's see the horse as often it's the dog's first encounter (Casper usually falls asleep at this point as he is fine with dogs)
 
Luckily most dog owners near us are fab, they always tell their dogs to sit by the side of the road. To be honest, if a dog bites a horse or frightens it, it's the dog who is most likely to come off worse so it's in their interest to look after their dog. I can control the front end of my horse to an extent, but not the back ones from kicking out.

Another reason why i always carry a very long schooling whip. After being chased for about half a mile by 2 dogs biting at the horses legs and i had to rip a huge branch off a tree to beat them off with. Their owner wasn't even in sight, yet they had collars on! Luckily i've not had many problems in the last few years, but when i do i warn them that a kick to the head will easily kill their beloved untrained pooch.
 
Sorry all dogs should be on leads where ever they are - you never know whats going to happen. For example take my dog.... three legged rather grey old lurcher. Often gets people cooing round him and saying poor thing, and isn't he wonderful for his age (13) as he is trying to get as much fuss out of them as possible. What a nice dog! Walk past another dog on a lead, he thinks its a good idea to have a bark and a pull to try and get to it; get a loose dog out of control off the lead sniffing round him, there would be no more loose dog, he'd kill it.
 
Hmm,

Some of these posts are a little irresponsible. Stencilface and Indy, you must obviously own ''bombproof'' neds. Not everyone’s horse is OK with out of control dogs running up to them! Horses are naturally flight animals and they have an inbuilt instinct to run when a predator threatens them - i.e. a barking dog running towards them!

Now, I accept that some horses wouldn't give a flying hoot if a plane crashed down next to them, and I am always amazed at how the local riding school horses who ride past our yard at the weekends are completely and utterly unfazed by anything, but my horse and most other horses are much more sensitive, and I would appreciate a little more consideration and respect from some dog walkers when they are on a public bridle path. Keeping dogs on a lead while on a bridle path would prevent many accidents every year.
 
What does my head in is the people who let their dogs come galumphing towards you (not on leads, of course), while yelling "Don't worry, he's fine with horses!"

Does it never occur to them that the horse might not be fine with dogs?! One of my friends got dumped in the sea last year after some eejit let his great dane loose even though he'd seen her riding.
 
you see, this is why you carry a whip out hacking (preferably a nice long one!) - if the dog comes at the horse you hit the dog.

If the owner complains then tell him sorry but it wouldnt have happend if he had his dog on a lead.

Also explain to him that under the dangerous dogs act, you could report it as you wernt sure if it was going for you or the horse.

:p
 
OK why is it when you have adjacent paths as we do, dog walkers, people with tiny children in pushchairs still come down the bridlepath which is muddier anyway than the footpath which has a wonderful surface.:confused:
 
Misinterpreted said:
Keeping dogs on a lead while on a bridle path would prevent many accidents every year.
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People not riding horses in public would also prevent many accidents every year.:rolleyes: Its astounding how many horse owners don't take responsibility for their horse's actions whilst out and about. The number of posts from people whose horses went mad because a car went past a bit quick or a dog ran up behind them is unbelievable on the forums i frequent - fair enough if the car hits you, or the dog bites/harries you, but dog owners have a perfect right to use the bridlepath the same as you do and it may be the only time the dogs get to run off lead. Maybe the law should be changed so that only bombproof horses can be taken on public right of ways. :rolleyes:

Of course if a dog owner is deliberately rude and encouraging the dog thats different. But hows about a bit of tolerance for the average dog walker with an inquisitive dog? Its not their fault your horse is scared of it.
 
Wench, I really can't agree with you. If your dog has good recall and you have a degree of control why should they be kept on a lead? My dogs love swimming - why should they miss out and I'm hardly going to jump in the river Don with them am i?

Misinterpreted - I wouldn't call my horses bombproof to be honest. At the moment we have an issue with a dumped 3 piece suite and joggers are the devil as far as one of my boys is concerned and to be honest I've only ever had , shall we say over exuberant dogs come running up which we cope with without managing to dash off into the sunset. If they did that everytime we had an incident I have to say I would be questioning the standard of my riding.
 
i think the thing is, cloud is a good pony, she is well trained, well mannered, used to dogs as we have them on the yard so dont mind meeting them if the dog is under control. however she is also quite quirky, and can be a bit funny in season, but she is fine with most things, not really spooky. however, if a growling dog started chasing her, she would bolt. and who would blame her? she is a prey animal and its her natural intsticnt, but could cause a nasty accident. she wouldnt kick.
misty wouldnt bolt, and she really is bombproof, but i cant imagine her liking it at all. as for matrix, he would completly freak, and probably injure me, himself, and out of the three he is the one who really would boot the dog.
these are ponies who are used to dogs running and barking all the time, but frankly i would be astonished if they put up with a growling snapping chasing dog. i would be terrified.
so have your dog off lead, IF you can get it back to you untill theriders have passed is what i say
 
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