I’m of the opinion that you never know whats going to happen out there and I hate blaming other trail users for problems with our horses. All trail users have to get along and if anyone is going to be cut off from the trails, its probably the horses.
Riders who freak out about loose dogs tend to annoy me. Now, I’m not talking about dogs who “attack” horses. I’m sure that happens, but usually its just dogs who are either minding their own business and happen to be next to the horse, or maybe run up to a horse. I sometimes take my dogs out with me. They are obviously very used to horses and are not acting threatening, but every so often a rider will start carrying on, screeching for me to get my dogs away from them- I’m sure its out of fear, but its annoying! We do have neighbors who live a half mile down the street- they have a bunch of Great Pyrs who run out and bark at us- I think the size and whiteness are what gets my horses, since they are not afraid of dogs- but usually they do spook at those dogs. I’m not about to go postal on these neighbors though. Live and let live.
This conversation would have a totally different tone if the OP had been pushing her 5 month old baby in a stroller and the dog tore loose from its owner and came charging at her and the baby 
But since its a big tough mean horse, then it’s ok.
I watched something happen in the vet clinic a few weeks back that was really interesting…A husband/wife were sitting in the waiting room their tiny little teacup toy terriers. I was waiting in line to buy some bute. A guy came out of the exam room with a Pit Bull that was probably 70-80 lbs. She was happy and wagging her tail, came up to my leg and leaned up against me. LOL. I scratched her all over and she just wagged and wagged all the harder, licked my hands, all that sweet stuff. She wanted to go over by husband/wife to say hi and lick them and get scratches. The two snatched their dogs, stuffed them under their arms, jumped up off the bench like they were ejected out of the seats, and moved to the other side of the room!
I was thinking, geez dumb people, can’t they see the dog had no bad intentions? But I guess everybody reads body language differently. Maybe they didn’t notice the wagging tail. All they saw was a big Pit Bull coming at them and their snack pack of doggie nuggets.
They got called back to the exam room, so then it was just me and the Pit Bull guy there. I said “Wow, they seemed scared of her didn’t they?” He was like - “Yeah, everybody does that. It used to bother me but it doesn’t anymore. I guess people don’t know her, and don’t know that she’s a big lamb chop. It’s not their fault.”
So really, it’s true - when a strange dog is coming at you, you DON’T know that dog’s intentions, his temperament, his past history, or what he’s capable of. It’s better to be safe than sorry. It was better for those people to take the doggie nuggets to the other side of the room instead of sitting there in fear and feeling threatened by the big dog. For all they knew, he’d eaten 3 other little dogs for breakfast. They didn’t know. I didn’t feel threatened because I didn’t have any tiny cargo to protect, I own a Pit Bull, and I’m fairly dog savvy and could see the wagging tail and loose facial expression. But clearly they DID feel threatened, and they were WELL within their rights to remove themselves from a situation they felt was threatening and unsafe. (And FWIW, the scenario could have played out the same with any big breed dog - it just so happened to be a Pit.)
[QUOTE=katarine;4822008]
oh blah blah blah.
This rattle and hum from the gal who wants guard rails on trails.
Shinola happens.
We encountered a big fat mylar ballon with Frosty the snowman’s face on it- floating, tethered to a tree branch deeeeeep in the woods. Chip’s heart pounded out of his chest in cartoonlike fashion trying to sort that face. That’s it, ban balloons!
Another time with 3 pack horses it’s a gal in one of those funny pointed chinese hats, warning us of a string of llamas behind her. I’m on a 90 day horse, Mr CBM’s on a 60 day horse, and none of them top to bottom knew llamas. Llama peeps hid in the dark woods so they wouldn’t scare our horses, promptly scaring the horses who couldn’t cypher the weird smells and odd lumpy profiles bobbing their heads. Had a llama pulled loose and sniffed my horse- it’s MY fault and on ME if I come off. Bad llama bad! I can’t strike one, she might spit on me 
Own it, sister. You just flat fell off.
What if the gal had tripped and dropped the leash in trying to catch herself, and there was no velcro to place your blame on? Then what? Rocks for tripping over? No rocks, no rocks! Ban the rocks!
Tempest in a teapot.[/QUOTE]
Amen Sister!
I ride on trail with my loose Boxers all the time. Beware the little creatures of the forest but everyone else is fine. If someone had hit my Boxer with a whip they would have found themselves BACK in the dirt! I don’t give a sheee ite who was right or wrong.
My horse is to look to me for spook incidents and guess what, he does.
Maybe if you had continued the discussion with her, you could have talked about velcro and flexi leads and how silly that concept is.
Good luck on the trail and be nice to Boxers
A2 - Call me crazy but even if the dog came running up to me and a baby in a stroller I wouldn’t have had a fit. Been there done that with big dogs and small children. My response “Hello puppy” and then I usually meet the dog and the owner. This dog was running up out of curiousity not barking and foaming at the mouth.
Everybody really just needs to relax. Dogs and horses go together - at least they do in my world. If you tense up and act the fool of course your horse is going to. If you stay calm and act like it is no big deal horse usually does too. Horsemanship 101.
We meet them off lead all over the place. We are also lucky that landowners still allow us to go through their properties and there are some big dogs in various spots who are contained by invisible fence. There are a few that love to dash out and bark. Some of the horses spook, a lot. But it is up to the rider to teach the horse that it is not a big deal, just a dog.
If you ever want to foxhunt you better get that horse used to hounds in and around its legs without caring or kicking. Hurt a hound and you’re toast.
I’ve got a soft spot for Boxers…grew up with them. My first boxer just knew I was her puppy and she was always putting herself between me an any threats, which amused my pony to no end.
I was riding my Trakehner one day and a BIG white & black harlequin great dane came wandering down from a house bordering the trails…he was young and a beautiful dog. He came over quietly waging his tail and looking very happy at finding an even bigger “dog” than him. I patted my horse in front of the saddle and said, “Well, c’mon up” and the dog put his front legs on my guy…jeeze he was big. My horse knew and actually loved dogs, any dog. I’d carry one of the old jack russels on some rides when he was pooped. The poor owner came running over the hill to see where his dog was…he was so shocked to see his dog happily being patted while he had his paws on a big white horse who was happily eating grass. Got a lot of goodwill that ride…and the dog would come to my call to say “Hi!”…I carried dog treats and his owner managed a few carrots for my guy too.
But that’s rare.
Like the parents(?) who bred ill-behaved feral children, they also own dogs equally as wonderful. Ill mannered brats with 4 legs. My mule gets VERY interested when dogs are within hoof reach, front or back. So far, he’s only killed a fox…you mess with longears and your dog at your own risk.
I hate lose dogs, one idiot woman liked to collect dogs, mostly pit-looking mutts…some scary dogs to run into in the field. These specific dogs needed the classic, S.S.S. A crop smack on a dog sniffing my horse is deserved and well earned. If the owners won’t teach manners, why should we suffer?
And my brother would be my sister if he were a female.
I watched something happen in the vet clinic a few weeks back that was really interesting…A husband/wife were sitting in the waiting room their tiny little teacup toy terriers. I was waiting in line to buy some bute. A guy came out of the exam room with a Pit Bull that was probably 70-80 lbs. She was happy and wagging her tail, came up to my leg and leaned up against me.
insert rest of pit bull ramble …
Did you mean to post this on another thread? Or maybe a dog forum?
lcw – I agree. I’m pretty sure one reason my horses don’t react much to non-aggressive dogs (loose or on a leash) is that I don’t react to them. I’ve only had one come at us with less than friendly intentions. Horse knew what to do.They’re born with that knowledge, I believe.
if the story ended with the OP waking up in a bathtub full of ice with an incision over her kidney, it sure would be a different story, eh?
more on loose dogs…
Interesting that we still don’t know if the OP was on truly public land or private land (with/without permission). 
I’m starting to wonder…:uhoh: Much of this debate really depends on knowing this!! All land is owned by someone ya know!
If there are leash laws then the publics law should be honored. But if it’s private land; then the landowners rights/preferences should be honored! Hence my comment that their loose dogs are ok on ones own land. The rider is technically trespassing with or without permission so…
I find most dogs that come up barking & running at you are protecting their territory. They give up if you calmly just keep going forward. I even talk calmly to them giving them reassurance. Sometimes even…“Good dog!!” because they are doing what they’re supposed to be doing. It’s instinct to protect their turf/farm/home/human/self, right? Breeds & sizes don’t matter. IMHO Jack Russells are the worst!!! :winkgrin::D:lol:
[QUOTE=wateryglen;4823920]
I find most dogs that come up barking & running at you are protecting their territory. They give up if you calmly just keep going forward. I even talk calmly to them giving them reassurance. Sometimes even…“Good dog!!” because they are doing what they’re supposed to be doing. It’s instinct to protect their turf/farm/home/human/self, right? Breeds & sizes don’t matter. IMHO Jack Russells are the worst!!! :winkgrin::D:lol:[/QUOTE]
:yes: When loose dogs come running up at me, I usually say, in a high-pitched friendly voice, “Why, you must be the guard dog! What a good job you’re doing!”
Which generally results in a tail-wagging, smiling dog saying something like “Yes, I am. Thank you for noticing.” in canine.:winkgrin:
And we all continue on with our lives.
I can’t imagine why people always assume that an animal-aggressive dog will also be people-aggressive. This is usually not the case. But the OP doesn’t even describe an aggressive dog. Just a full-of-himself unrestrained canine. So WTF is up with the baby carriage menaced by the Hound of the Baskervilles?:lol:
I have not read all the posts-I admit it.
But have to say-I have 2 VERY dog tolerant horses-one used to have a dog “ride around” the pasture hanging onto his tail-and loved it! (I on the other hand like a longer tail :)) ) and another who is used to the barn dog jumping at the hose spray while I am bathing him…UGH! But it does help make him “bombproof”. (which there is NO such thing as…BTW) However-either one would certainly spook at a dog running at them on a trail, and I certainly would be a bit upset too, just as the OP was. The “dog” lady has a responsibilty to control her dogs, and yes, she was trying, and it was an accident. Frankly she is VERY fortunate she still has 3 dogs! Could just as easily been down to 2 after the pony (who had EVERY right) double barreled the loose one! A dressage whip is NOTHING, and I hope the dog learned something!
Glad you are ok-
[QUOTE=RidingAllDay;4823754]
I ride on trail with my loose Boxers all the time. [/QUOTE]
… and some people ride combat. Wheeeee!!!
One of the best threads I’ve seen in a long time. ROTFL:
input from a hair-trigger attorney…
a terrifying gold lame suit…
feral children…
waking up in bathtub full of ice w an incision over the kidney…
I suppose I should clarify that I do not endorse dog abuse; I will also feel free to whomp any feral children, hair-trigger attorneys, or offenders in gold lame suits who run up and sniff legs (the horse’s or mine) without permission/control as well
I am so happy to learn I am not the only one who tells the dogs what a good job they are doing. Sometimes I tell the little ones they are really scary too! :lol: It does seem to make them happy.
For the record, the scariest thing we’ve ever come across on the trail was a troop of boyscouts relieving themselves in the woods. :eek: I was in the lead, trotting along when pony stops dead snorting, mom’s horse barrels into pony’s rump and so on. I get a “what are you stopping for?!” Slowly realization dawns as the adults notice the boyscouts saluting their trees. :winkgrin: It was pretty funny, nobody knew just where to look. Finally we just trotted on. But my pony never did like boyscouts after that! :lol::lol:
Hmm. Not having read all the responses (and I’m sure there are some fun ones), I just have to say that smacking a dog with a whip for the crime of sniffing seems more unsafe and unfriendly than walking a dog on a velcro leash. Sounds like everyone in this scenario could have used some better trail-sharing manners.
This!
Having once been suspected of being an organ smuggler (long and funny story involving match.com), I had to laugh at this.
Actually, I’m only posting because I’m supposed to be a stalker, so I thought I should stalk, at least a little bit. This counts as stalking, right?
[QUOTE=lcw579;4824229]
I am so happy to learn I am not the only one who tells the dogs what a good job they are doing. Sometimes I tell the little ones they are really scary too! :lol: It does seem to make them happy.[/QUOTE]
Oh, yes, it’s especially important to give the vertically-challenged canine his/her props.:yes:
Although sometimes they really are scary. I met a Jack-ahuahua on my lunchtime walk the other day!:eek: She looked just like a purse-sized pit bull - and acted like she could take on all comers, too.:lol: Her friend, a resigned-looking miniature poodle, advised me to just ignore her.:winkgrin:
[QUOTE=mp;4824184]
… and some people ride combat. Wheeeee!!![/QUOTE]
I think you mean commando :lol: Learned that right here on COTH, I did.
Combat = the same thing.
Wow, something new I learned here on COTH. Always a good place for new information I say.
