And what typically happens is that the one person who pipes up and says what everyone else thinks but is too chicken/passive to say gets branded a troublemaker and is evicted. Then as soon as the troublemaker is gone, the BO will build a kennel for the dogs.
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I would move too. It’s dangerous. The best, calmest horse who’s been around dogs their whole life can still get a fright and/or panic. It’s too easy for the dogs to also get injured/killed.
I keep my horses at my dad’s property. His dog was allowed to wander around the horses because she had impeccable manners, was smart enough to keep out of the way and the idea of nipping/chasing would never have occurred to her. Having said that, I did keep her away from the young horse initially.
My dog…absolutely is not allowed anywhere near the horses. He’s a very, very reactive, barky miniature dachshund who thinks chasing anything and everything is such fun and he is blindingly fast and impossible to catch (yes, we’re working on some behavioural issues). He was allowed near the old horse as a puppy, because she literally does not care. Then I got the young one and it’s just too dangerous, and the dog is so small that it would take very little to seriously injure or kill him. The young one probably would kick out or inadvertently trample him. So the dog either gets left at home or occasionally if dad is around and doesn’t mind watching him, he can go into the house.
I’d love to be able to bring my dog out and just have him chill. I can’t, such is life, better for me, him and the horses to not put any of us in that situation.
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Electric fence? Pshhht. Some people have goats like this one to deal with loose dogs…
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Leave and be honest about your reason. “I’m leaving, despite your otherwise excellent care, because I can not cope with your dogs chasing my horse. It is dangerous”.
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But, if you’re on the way out anyway, who cares?
Ummm, I have cats chickens and dogs and there’s a huge difference between when a chicken wanders in and occasionally gets jumped and when a dog comes barreling through barking and carrying on. I host clinics (letting people know I have chickens) and I have only had one horse who had an issue and it was a 4yo’s first trip off the farm, he had issues with EVERYTHING and was barely steerable, we removed the chickens and he had a eye opening trip. None of the other horses that visit seem to have an issue with chickens, even the extra fancy horses 
While a cat can jump out and spook a horse I don’t feel they are nearly as disruptive as untrained loose dogs.
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I have a mustang mare. I’m willing to loan her out to anyone who has an issue with dogs in the pasture or arena. Not responsible for what happens if she outruns your dog, but luckily the neighbor’s loose German Shepherds were fast enough (and oddly they stay off our property now!) and our own Boxer now respects horse personal space.
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That wouldn’t have been in a barn outside Wilkes-Barre, PA, would it? 
I visited one in that area when I was looking for a temporary boarding spot, and the trainer told me to make myself at home while she was finishing up a lesson. I was walking down an aisle with stalls on both sides, and passed a big pile of loose hay without thinking anything about it. That is, until the hay exploded and a large pig dug herself out and trotted away. I nearly had a heart attack, and I shudder to think what my horses would have done. It would have been a great de-sensitizing strategy, but…no thank you!
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No, it wasn’t, but that sounds terrifying! I’ll admit the first time the pig came over, I was worried, but horse just put his head down to say hi and I guess she fell in love. 
It got to the point where she would meet my car at the gate, so I could escort her to his paddock. She was kept in the barn/arena area, and couldn’t go to the farther paddocks without a chaperone. They really liked each other!
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This! I just can’t understand it either. I have an acquaintance who has a couple of Aussie Shepherds and also horses. I can’t count the times she’d be yelling at the dog for doing what came natural - herding animals. One gal almost shot her dog for trying to herd her horses and luckily a friend who was there took the dog away from her.
The barn I’m at just instituted a dog must be on leash policy. Before, boarders were bringing their dogs and allowing them free run of the place. Probably stepped in some dog crap that the DO didn’t clean up.
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It really does blow my mind how disconnected people can be from reality when it comes to owning a dog. Especially horse people. You’d think that someone who trains and works with horses would stop to consider how much energy and dedicated training time they’ve invested in EACH horse to teach them to be contributing members of society, and then realize that a dog requires just as much time and energy.
Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but if you don’t have room on your plate to raise and train a weanling, you don’t have room on your plate to own a dog either…
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I feel like there is such a vast difference between staying & suffering to leaving without a trace. There can be a tactful way to admit your concerns in a positive way, seek some options, while maintaining healthy relationship and boundary with trainer.
For example, as a “reasonable” dog owner I feel as if my own dog is very well behaved, however if “Jan” came to me that she was perterbed that my Dog jumped on her when she exited her car. I’d first apologize, then consider options to alleviate Jan’s discomfort. Maybe by calling dog to me when Jan came up, keeping them in the barn, OR if Jan was a paying client be more tactful about training my dog. 99% of the people who meet my dog love him, but I’m reasonable enough to expect a few people don’t enjoy that.
I’m more of a timid/introvert anyways, but if Jan stomped over to me and said " “” if your dog jumps on me one more time I’m leaving, you are disrespectful and a bad dog-owner" First, I might cry, but then I’m going to avoid Jan, hide myself and my dog when she’s around, and probably hold a grudge. Rather, if she came to me with, " “” “Fido” is so adorable, but he always wants to jump on me when I’m doing XYZ, he’s so sweet, but I wanted to let you know." My reaction, “Oh my gosh Jan, I’m so sorry, wow he’s so naughty! Let me be proactive and call him to me or keep him in the tack room when you come in.” I’ll keep chatting with Jan, we stay buddies, it’s a good relationship with open communication.
Most of us are 10% away from each other, so I think if you can be rational and voice your concerns that rational dog owner will work with you. If the trainer is not rational, then there are other issues outside of the dog-ownership responsibilities.
I’d do a compliment sandwich,
“Hey Trainer, I just wanted to let you “Pony” and I have had such an incredible experience in your new program. I have had some added stress when “Fido” jumps at my horse when I’m coming into the barn. Some of the noise and attention from “Fido” has even distracted me from really enjoying my time with “Pony” Do you have any suggestions that we can take to alleviate this? I’m really excited to see you at the barn “Thursday” !”
You’re not coming at her with a pitchfork insinuating she’s a bad dog owner, you’re not pointing fingers that she’s done things wrong. Then, if the situation does get worse or you’re unable to enjoy your setting, then move. But to me, there are so many communication options inbetween the stay and go.
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My horse legitimately dislikes dogs. He stomps them.
I wouldn’t enjoy it.
I knew a trainer who had a sweet little pug she was always screaming at. I don’t know how that’s related, but I always felt so sad for that sweet little dog.
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UPDATE: My amazing trainer reached out to ME to speak about it and it turns out I was worrying over absolutely nothing - she was also concerned about the new dog and the change in the other dogs’ routines and says she’s committed to making sure the barn remains a nice calm safe place. She has a really good training program in place for the new dog (who is VERY sweet and wants to be good) and I’m so so lucky to be in a place where I can communicate!
The whole thing now makes me think about how much PTSD we have from trainers in our past who flew off the handle / made more drama than they solved / were just general nightmares to deal with. When we finally do encounter those nice reasonable horsemen/horsewoman, it’s so hard to recognize them - or maybe just to trust what you’re seeing/hearing is real. I’m lucky to have found one, and just want to say to that they do exist! This is the SECOND great trainer I’ve had in a row!
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You wouldn’t be on the way out if the dog problem were solved.
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To be accurate, I wasn’t on the way out at all, that was just everyone else’s consensus. I had already decided to stay prior to our conversation after some fantastic lessons and more time seeing/being in the program.
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So happy to see this. I had a funny feeling maybe it was something like this. Everything else sounded so good that this felt like an anomaly.
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As a person who has lived and boarded near Wilkes Barre, I’m dying to know where this was . I did board at a place near there where a very rambunctious goat roamed. We had to lock him up when we rode. He was rather a nuisance.
We did used to have a sheep that was very attached to grey horses and ponies. She could not be left alone. So more than once we rode with the sheep. My mare was not afraid, but she did get annoyed when the sheep literally joined in our lessons and got in the way.
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Lol! I can’t remember the name, because this would have been about 2008, but it was northeast of town, not far off the road headed up into Dallas. Very nice place, and honestly it was the fact hat it was a little pricier than I preferred for three horses, and not the pig, that caused me to keep searching. 
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Hmm, i am going to have to think on this one. I know almost all the barns around there as my parents are still local and my mom rides as well. Now I am intrigued!
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