Hunting whip at a very nice price ! http://www.tackunlimited.com/hunting-whip.htm
We used them as Kennel whips when I was a kid.
Thats a long time ago and another country though.
First try a shake can (a tin can with pennies, metal nuts or pebbles in it)!!! It won’t injure your horse or the dog, is easy to carry with you. I have used it with great success for many years to warn off loose dogs. Just make sure that horse horse is used to the noise before you use it on a dog. And don’t chuck it at the dog’s head or anything just throw it hard near the dog so it makes a loud noise. The point isn’t to kill or injure the dog (which could start a legal problem for you and the dog owner) you just want the dog to move away and leave you alone.
The other item I use all the time with dogs is a spray bottle with lemon juice. It won’t kill or blind the dog but it stings and the dogs will back away.
I do think it is very reasonable to be worried about loose dogs and you should have a plan in place to deal with a dog acting aggressively. Too many people don’t take the time to train their dogs and give the dogs too much freedom. Being loose on a trail is a PRIVILEGE for my dogs and has to be earned. To earn the privilege they MUST come when called, even if rolling/smelling wonderful things and keep a respectful distance from the horses Quincy’s learning to stay about 5 ft away unless I ask him to get closer (to put a leash on or be hosed off) and braking or chasing at the horses are HUGE no no’s and earn him a correction (usually the lemon juice squirted in his mouth). And even when they have earned off lead time I only turn dogs loose where the rules allow it.
On a side note, one of the scariest places I take my dogs in a conformation shows, the people pay more attention to what’s going on in the ring and not nearly enough attention to what’s on the end of their leash and dog shows tend to be kind of cramped to make matters even worse. Field trials, especially ones where horses are used have the most polite dogs. although obedience trails and agility trails usually have well behaved dogs too. I don’t have herding dogs so I keep away from herding trails. I’ve never been a fan of the “eye” herding dogs have especially the bc’s and aussies. I have pointing dogs with a very soft eye (if they didn’t have a soft eye the birds would perceive a threat and fly off).
What about when a herding dog goes after your horse? a few weeks ago I had a dog come up behind really fast and was nipping at my horses heels and tail and barking which caused her to spin frantically in circles. When I got off to check her the dog came back for a 2nd go while the owner took off - I was fortunate a lady was brave enough to pull the dog off. What is the best thing to do in this case? The dog was right on her heels so I couldn’t chase it or even if I had a whip I couldn’t reach it. I am so mad because I had finally gotten her used to being around dogs and now she is scared to even pass them when leashed (will try to run past them as wide as possible)
I would have used the shake can to get the dog away from the horse. If the owner is there ask them to put there dog on a leash or you will call the proper authorities, and mean it. The only way that dog owners are going to be able to keep the privilege of walking their dogs in public parks is if the irresponsible dog owners are reported. If you feel bad about about calling the park police just remember that these irresponsible dog owners are making jeopardizing the privilege for all dog owners.
I would get down to check the horse for and cuts and while your down grab your shake can in case the dog comes back. If the dog comes back and you can shake the can at them or is it’s barking squirt the lemon juice in their open month. The lemon is bitter and will typically shut the dog up.
Try to be polite but firm with the dog owner but insist that the dog MUST NOT HURT YOUR HORSE and that the leash law is there to protect BOTH the horse and the dogs. I personally carry a copy of the leash law (which I had to show a local police officer who didn’t know that the leash in our county) in the bottom of a back pack that has my wallet and a first aid kit. I also have some business cards for a local obedience school if the person looks over whelmed.
The more important thing is how your horse will react the next time to come across a rude dog. If you know of a really good horse safe dog have the dog come for a visit and do whatever training you’ve done in the past to get the horse comfortable with dogs. Feel free to pm me if you have any questions of if you want to talk to a local dog trainer who could help you be more comfortable chasing dogs away from your horse. one trainer that I know walks her dogs while she rides is Sandra Ladwig, if she’s in your area I would definitely give her a call or e-mail her. I’m sure she would have tons of idea. She’s a fabulous dog trainer and could probably give you more ideas on how to help you and your horse.
When I was little my grandma had a dog who wasn’t great around horses. Whenever we rode old Peggy (best horse ever–I used to nap on her back, literally) we had to carry a squirt gun. If the dog came too close, we squirted it with just plain water. As an added bonus when we played “cops and robbers” over at Grandma’s ranch we had a mounted police unit.
[QUOTE=cass;4291885]
What about when a herding dog goes after your horse? a few weeks ago I had a dog come up behind really fast and was nipping at my horses heels and tail and barking which caused her to spin frantically in circles. When I got off to check her the dog came back for a 2nd go while the owner took off - I was fortunate a lady was brave enough to pull the dog off. What is the best thing to do in this case? The dog was right on her heels so I couldn’t chase it or even if I had a whip I couldn’t reach it. I am so mad because I had finally gotten her used to being around dogs and now she is scared to even pass them when leashed (will try to run past them as wide as possible)[/QUOTE]
See this is what i’m talking about. Dogs that are already attacking. Asking the owner to catch her dog would be a bit silly, since she was already trying to catch the dog. a Shaker can is also not going to get the dog away. a rock might help if aimed at the dogs head, but who wants to carry a rock around? and you’d have to have perfect aim. I realize some people are not convinced about Pepper spray, but the rider would be able to turn around and aim at the dog. The Rider and horse are both lucky the dog did not grab the leg and shred it. i am so sick of these damn people and their uncontrollable loose dogs.
What about when a herding dog goes after your horse? a few weeks ago I had a dog come up behind really fast and was nipping at my horses heels and tail and barking which caused her to spin frantically in circles. When I got off to check her the dog came back for a 2nd go while the owner took off - I was fortunate a lady was brave enough to pull the dog off. What is the best thing to do in this case? The dog was right on her heels so I couldn’t chase it or even if I had a whip I couldn’t reach it. I am so mad because I had finally gotten her used to being around dogs and now she is scared to even pass them when leashed (will try to run past them as wide as possible)
well, luckily a herding dog nipping at your horse isn’t going to seriously injure your horse; your best bet, if you can get the horse to cooperate, is to get the horse to stand still and not move. The herding dog is being “rewarded” by the horse moving in response to its efforts. You could also try stating in a very loud, firm, voice “LIE DOWN” or “SIT”; you’d be surprised how many dogs, esp. of the working variety, will sort of auto-pilot obey a voice of authority (assuming someone bothered to train them a bit first).
[QUOTE=ChocoMare;4288851]
I’ve spun my big honkin’ mare around and I growled, snarled, barked at the dogs while legging the mare forward to charge them.
I wouldn’t use any kind of spray since it could get in your and your horse’s noses/eyes, etc.[/QUOTE]
This is exactly what I do. The first time it happened, I REALLY had to kick my gelding forward to get him to go, but after that first time chasing the dog with me growling howling yelling and sounding positively FEROCOUS, my horse got very confident and now HE turns to start towards the dog whenever we see one while were out. He figured out quickly that we made a good team, all he had to to was provide the size intimidation factor and I’d do the rest. 
Gave him a power trip, I think. :lol:
dog pack
Dogs in a pack can be very dangerous, both because they are
bolder, but also because they can attack from any angle at any
time. Very hard to defend.
Having more than one means of defense might be a good idea.
Keep an eye out for danger signs: groups of loose dogs, even if
they are not aggressive or tracks of many dogs along the trail.
http://www.ajc.com/news/killer-dogs-mystify-117412.html
“Herding-type dogs will only nip at your heels or your horses heels,”
It is a bad assumption that they will not do damage. Some dogs
can really bite at a horse’s hind quarters and hang on. Yeah, they
can get shook loose, but they take horse-meat with them.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
When I’m in VA (where I’ve a concealed carry permit) and I’m on the trail…I’m carrying a .22 pistol and will shoot any dog that considers biting my horse. Zero tolerance for these dogs.
My mule will not tolerate dogs in his field (killed one fox already).
I’ve only had a dog attack my horse once on the trail, and my horse immediately started to spin like a top. I had my hands full trying to keep him together, and my friend started yelling at the dog’s owner, who was clueless at the time…blithely riding down the trail. He turned around and whistled for his dog, and the dog took off after him.
We spun so fast it sent my saddle bag flying off about twenty feet, but I stayed on.
I’ve found that if I yell “no” at most dogs they’ll stop. I don’t know why people take dogs out that they can’t control. Drives me nuts.
[QUOTE=saddleup;4316689]
I’ve only had a dog attack my horse once on the trail, and my horse immediately started to spin like a top. I had my hands full trying to keep him together, and my friend started yelling at the dog’s owner, who was clueless at the time…blithely riding down the trail. He turned around and whistled for his dog, and the dog took off after him.
We spun so fast it sent my saddle bag flying off about twenty feet, but I stayed on.
I’ve found that if I yell “no” at most dogs they’ll stop. I don’t know why people take dogs out that they can’t control. Drives me nuts.[/QUOTE]
Same reason people take HORSES (or children) out they cant control. They think just this once Fluffy or Jr. will behave.
The worst “dog attack” I’ve witnessed was a neighbor terrier mutt putting an eeentsy teeny hole in a riding buddy’s horse’s back leg. Horse was bitten, yes, but not mutilated or maimed. Her horse is dog broke and so are mine, and we all chase dogs when they come at us. This one incident was a sneak attack and once we knew, we were prepared to holler, swing whips, charge etc to ward him off if we rode by his place. It seems to have been a self limiting problem, he evidently freeranged one too many times and was hit by a car. Good riddance, too.
Other dogs, including and especially one hound we used to ride by, were always glad to see us riding down “their” road and would often come along for a few miles ramble with us.
My own border collie mutts come along on local rides in the cooler months. They crash around in the woods until they settle down and then park right under my stirrups and trot along very happily. Heese could care less. In the pasture, the collies often play with the horses, with the horses initiating the game as often as the dogs do. The mare snakes her head, the gelding flags his tail, everybody rushes around and has a grand time. I worry a lot more about a hoof hitting a head then I do about a fang nailing a hock during these antics. And yes, dogs are controllable enough that I can get them to desist.
When my mom was a teen (now late 60’s)she rode her pinto mare all over. Living in S. Texas, there were a LOT of dogs that would charge them… some would connect. Mom ended up teaching her mare to cow-kick when mom would slide her heel back to the mare’s flank. Local dogs soon learned to leave the spotted one alone! IIRC the mare broke the jaw on a few would be tail swingers!
I was in a situation once where two dogs came after us in a serious fashion. None of the usual things worked. It was early spring, still ice on the dirt road, so galloping away wasn’t an option. These two had gone after one of the women in our party earlier in the day too. They were pretty damn serious about wanting to hurt the horses. I got pissed enough that I jumped off my horse and went after THEM. (not recommended, but I seriously wanted to kill these rotten, no good labx curs) The male backed off, the female held her ground. I tried to kick her in the jaw a couple times, and she finally turned tail too.
We were on a public road, making a lot of noise. Want to know the pisser? The owner was standing up in the freaking yard of his house WATCHING his damn dogs trying to hurt us and never made one move to call them off! (he was a really weird dude too)
Guess what? I happened to be good friends with the ACO in that town…he got his ass handed to him after that one!
That was the only time to date where I’ve had dogs really, truly trying to go after us, hair straight up, teeth bared, dead run down the driveway at us snarling. Most of them bark, dodge and feint, but don’t really try to hurt you.
[QUOTE=Lady Counselor;4319770]
I was in a situation once where two dogs came after us in a serious fashion. None of the usual things worked. It was early spring, still ice on the dirt road, so galloping away wasn’t an option. These two had gone after one of the women in our party earlier in the day too. They were pretty damn serious about wanting to hurt the horses. I got pissed enough that I jumped off my horse and went after THEM. (not recommended, but I seriously wanted to kill these rotten, no good labx curs) The male backed off, the female held her ground. I tried to kick her in the jaw a couple times, and she finally turned tail too.
We were on a public road, making a lot of noise. Want to know the pisser? The owner was standing up in the freaking yard of his house WATCHING his damn dogs trying to hurt us and never made one move to call them off! (he was a really weird dude too)
Guess what? I happened to be good friends with the ACO in that town…he got his ass handed to him after that one!
That was the only time to date where I’ve had dogs really, truly trying to go after us, hair straight up, teeth bared, dead run down the driveway at us snarling. Most of them bark, dodge and feint, but don’t really try to hurt you.[/QUOTE]
It seems to me that more and more aggressive type dogs are allowed to run loose now. I’ve got my Long shooting pepper spray(17%) and it is a stream, not a fog, so it won’t blow into my face or my horse’s face. i’m sick of fooling around when so many SOB’s let their stupid dogs loose.
Have you all read the CNN article about the Georgia couple killed by a pack of dogs last weekend? I have packs of dogs near me like that pack.
[QUOTE=trina1;4320107]
Have you all read the CNN article about the Georgia couple killed by a pack of dogs last weekend? I have packs of dogs near me like that pack.[/QUOTE]
Maybe you should apply for a gun carry permit.
[QUOTE=wendy;4293975]
You could also try stating in a very loud, firm, voice “LIE DOWN” or “SIT”; you’d be surprised how many dogs, esp. of the working variety, will sort of auto-pilot obey a voice of authority (assuming someone bothered to train them a bit first).[/QUOTE]
As a pedestrian, I’ve found “STOP,” “GO HOME” and “GO AWAY” in the deepest roar you can manage can also be surprisingly effective in the early stages of a normal dog running out at you. The last dog I tried it on, a Bernese Mt. Dog, stopped dead and looked utterly devastated; it took the wind out of his sails. It has to be done early, though, before the dog gets all into his game of charge/attack. And it only works on a decent dog; the nasty ones and the ones with a screw loose just keep on coming.
When someone first dropped my pitt bull dog off (well actually threw him out the truck window with me watching, jaw dropped) the pitt would try to “heel” the horses. I spent hours and hours with him, every time I saw him (when I let him loose) go towards the rear of my horses, I said Out! very loudly and with venom, making him believe he would die if he didn’t respond.
I did use a whip (long longe whip) to pop him a couple of times - I do believe that besides being a bait dog (used in fighting according to my vet) he was also at some time, used to gather cattle (nipping heels, etc.).
It’s been six months and now, I only have to say the word “out” softly and point to the end of the barn or away from me and the horse and he will move away and sit down and wait his next command. It is a learning process for a dog so old (he’s six to seven according to the vet). Why am I doing this? I ask myself. Because if I did not, I would have to take the dog to the pound where, because he is a pitt, he would be promptly put to sleep (they do not adopt grown pitts out here, it’s a death sentence).
I do keep him leashed when I cannot watch him carefully, he is housebroken (someone at some point did care for him); he rides in the truck, he is very careful around the barn kitties, and never fights with my other dog, Baby, he gives to her, she routinely beat his butt the first two months he was here, he is very submissive to her.
I would NEVER allow him to run loose on a trail ride or take him to a show, there is too much temptation there and his former training might overcome his new training. Responsible ownership of dogs should include training to teach the dog obedience, and to be a good citizen.
That said - my pittie would likely kill an intruder if he/she attacked me. He gets between me and anyone he does not know and will do the “low growl” until I tell him it is ok. That’s fine, he’s leashed and he thinks he’s found Heaven here (no dogfighting, no working bad cattle - y’all would not have believed this boy when he got here, tore up head, neck, muzzle, ears, back, has scars that will never grow hair, ugly as sin, but his eyes are thankful and soulful).
I never intended to keep him, he loves children, loves barn kitties, will lick and kiss on them, and did give him to my daughter over five miles away who has a wonderfully large dog run (almost a 1/4 acre with trees and appropriate doghouse, Bouncer came home - took him two days to get here, but he showed up…sans collar and tags (had to ask for new rabies tag). I think he knew this was “his” place.
Point is - dog owners should be responsible but many are not. When riding, I never allow Bouncer or Baby to follow me - they could be injured on the road, hit by a car, fight with other dogs, etc. They stay home, that is their domain, not riding around the countryside attracting dogs that might attack my horse. I have had dogs attack in my neighborhood, going for both the rear and the front of my mule - my mule has zero tolerance for bad dogs and will kill one if she can get her hooves and teeth into it. One neighbor allowed his mutts to run loose…my mule severely injured one of his dogs - I had repeatedly ask the neighbor to leash or pen his dogs to no avail. Neighbor said he would sue, I said go ahead…there were enough people on our road that had been attacked by his yappers that he would never win. Now the dogs are penned.
OP I don’t know about bear spray, but I have used a spray bottle of ammonia which was quite effective, I have also let the mule have her head…she is also very effective. Be careful though when taking on a pack of two or more dogs, they work the front and the hind, trying hard to distract you, and that can be deadly to your horse and you if the horse were to spook into traffic.
I think any dog owner who is so irresponsible as to allow a dog to run loose knowing it attacks horses, bicyclists, or joggers should be fined heavily and the dog removed from their care. Gives all responsible dog owners a bad name and makes for ill relations in the neighborhood.
