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How do you handle loose dogs around your horse?

Off Course
#21

Yeah, it definitely sounds like a dog and dog owner problem. Hard to get a horse used to dogs when they really are threatening or underfoot!

I used to be able to bring my old Aussie to the barn. My old horse was pretty sensible about dogs and the dog was not allowed to go in the field or to “play” with the horses. I would tie him by the side of the ring when I rode so the horse was used to him. Then, when I was riding alone, I would let the dog loose to follow us around the ring. Horse was fine with that, so eventually we headed out on the on-property trail. At first I would call to the dog and keep him where I could see him. He enjoyed crashing around in the brush, and since the horse knew what it was, it didn’t really startle him. Finally I could let the dog go wherever and the horse was totally fine with the dog running from any direction (we could always hear him!) Now silent attack deer on the trail were no longer a problem! :winkgrin: Never brought the dog on trail when riding with someone else.

OTOH neighbor had an obnoxious setter that would try to chase the horses. He tried chasing us in the ring.(This was after Aussie was gone) My horse wasn’t really scared, but the dog was persistent and when we tried to chase it, it could circle around faster than we could and kept nipping at his heels! I got off when the dog grabbed his tail. Wish the horse would have kicked the dog just hard enough to send him away, but he didn’t. I had to actually throw rocks and hit the dog to get him to back off at all.

#22

My dogs are loose around our horses. I have had a herd of dogs for many years which have included a cadre of JRTs FOR A REASON. I don’t like snakes and for that reason I hate rodents. My dogs do work for a living. That being said I’ve had one dog killed and one dog injured by my herd of horses over the years. Currently the horses I own all put up with dogs well. Strange loose dogs, however are not allowed on my properties.

Having said all that, for years my son and I trained horses for competitive trail and have had to ‘deal’ with strange loose dogs or certain neighbors’ dogs who ran loose. Oddly enough for the last 3 years I haven’t had one incident and I trail ride A LOT now though it’s a different neighborhood. When my son and I were riding, we got to the point that we carried super soakers. Fortunately we were able to get our horses acclimated to them easily. It did cure a few dogs who were persistently running loose and threatening us when we would ride by. My son actually looked forward to the exchange. His two mares that he competed over the years really took care of him, didn’t really mind dogs and stood solid when he would let it rip on a threatening dog. No one was ever hurt but after my horse got bit by a roaming pit bull while trail riding around the neighborhood, it became a ‘better’ solution than me shooting the dogs which was legal at that time and certainly something I’m cable of doing. Before I moved here, I have shot and killed free-roaming dogs who were getting into my pastures threatening my horses. I had young stock and dogs were known to run in packs. I will underscore that in every case I’ve known what was legal for the area I lived in and what were my rights as a livestock owner.

7 Likes
#23

There’s an A-hole who haunts my local trail system with her loose dogs, leash law be damned. She will be riding her horse and her dogs will be 1/4 to 1/2 mile away from her, chasing wildlife. I almost shot them once when I caught them chasing deer (which would be completely legal in my state, FYI). The dogs aren’t mean or horse-aggressive, just untrained and completely clueless. My most recent interaction, her stupid dogs ran up to me horse and started swarming around my mare while i was in the process of mounting–thank god i hadn’t brought my anxious greenie. My mare has done a lot of cow sorting and so we chased the dogs off the second I got a leg over. Cow sorting is a good exercise for teaching a horse that they are real big and intimidating and can push a smaller animal away with very little effort.

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#24

I understand I’m coming from a different perspective than yours in your own situation but thought I’d chime in - I ride as a mounted law enforcement officer in a major metropolitan area and we often encounter unruly/unleashed dogs within the city’s parks.

Our horses are very accustomed to them, but they don’t always start out that way. We give a verbal warning to the person that their dog must be leashed immediately (as the law states) and that their dog’s safety cannot be guaranteed if they run up to the horse. Maybe in your situation, talking with the people to whom the dog’s belong would be helpful. I would be rather irritated if a barn dog was attacking the hose while I was trying to bathe my horse. The owner might not realize the behavior is going on. Likewise with your friend on the trail with her loose dog. Ask her to leave Fido at home next time you go on a ride with her or maybe ride with others until you can accustom your horse to dogs.

When a loose dog does approach our horses, especially if it seems potentially aggressive, we make every attempt to keep the horse facing towards the dog. This lessens the chance of the horse spooking and kicking out, the horse is calmer being able to see exactly what’s going on, and it has the added benefit of often intimidating the dog and it may back off on it’s own. Might help while on the trail if a dog approaches.

If you do want to spend the time training your horse to be comfortable around dogs, I’d start with a leashed dog (your own, maybe a friend’s more boisterous dog, etc.) walking towards your horse, around him, closer and closer. School your horse in an arena while someone else works obedience training on their dog. Take a walk on the trails with someone on the ground with their dog on a long line, moving up to the dog walking/running up behind your horse, so on and so forth with slow desensitization. With the dog on a line it will mimic a loose dog, but you can control the exposure to your horse.

Hope some of this will help! Some of our horses could not care less about dogs and some are very sensitive to them. Sounds like your boy is sensitive and has had a hard go of it lately. But I agree with MsM, sounds like mainly a bad dog/dog owner problem. Try addressing it with them first, then start some desensitization training! Best of luck.

7 Likes
#25

Ugh! Dogs messing with the water in the wash rack would get calmly but authoritatively removed. Stick them in the owners stall. Same for running into my horse. I have dogs and my horses are good with them but dogs yield to horses, the end. Time to move!

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#26

Not a big fan of dogs running loose in the stable. You might consider carrying something like a dressage whip or squirt gun every time and not being afraid to use it at the slightest opportunity. At the wash rack, dogs would get an instant face-full of water from the hose and a very loud “Get!”

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#27

Really glad this thread came out - iv got mixed opinions on the issue.

The last barn I was at, there would at times be lose dogs around the property. This was OK to BO as long as all canines stayed respectful. She did ask that dogs be leashed if they were bothering horses on cross ties, farrier was working, or horses were in the ring. I myself would bring my pup out. I was on one side of the barn where everyone had horses that were all pretty unreactive to dogs so we all were OK with the dogs being off leash even when horses were on cross ties. If any of them started playing too much they would get thrown in a stall so they could romp around without bothering anyone else. Now when I first got to this barn, there was a reining boarder there who lived there with her LQ trailer (as she would be on the road a ton). Her dogs always ran the property lose, and a couple of them were NOT safe and would run into the fields, snap at horses etc. Luckily she left before it became an issue for me personally, but i could certainly sympathize with the others who had to deal with the unpleasantness.

I think its pretty common to have “horse people” who are also big “dog people” and to have lose dogs at barns. So especially when its the BO or BMs dogs, I dont see those situations changing. But how do you draw the line between some people having better behaved dogs so they get more privileges than others who dont? Obviously horse welfare comes first, but it does make it quite difficult when there are dogs that are fine and respectful. Should I feel guilty that my dog is behaved better then others? And dont get me wrong, even though I have a behaved dog there are times that he may annoy someone and be in a space hes not wanted, and i am A OK with someone addressing it, making him move, locking him up etc. Its the sentiment we all shared around my past place.

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#28

I think you should seriously consider moving to a barn that will better fit you and your horses needs. I don’t see the culture changing and it is a safety issue.

My dog dog comes with me everywhere (service dog), and I have always boarded at barns with well behaved off leash dogs. My dog knows he is not allowed out in the pastures or in the riding ring. He was taught from a early age to give horses a respectful distance. My horse is completely fine with dogs even loud dogs running up behind him.

Dogs should be well-trained in order to be around horses and go for trail rides. They need a solid come, move over and down stay at the very least. I doubt your barns culture is going to change though for requiring dogs to be under better control.

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#29

Me? I’d move.

Early on when I went back to riding after many years away from horses, I boarded my new-to-me mare. To be fair, she really wasn’t the right horse for me to get back into riding with. I was a fairly timid rider at the time having been back in the saddle for just a few months.

BO’s dog (some herding breed of which breed now I don’t recall) thought it was great fun to herd horse in the arena just just outside the fence line. At one point, scared the crap out of my mare. I came off, landed on my back and had the breath knocked out of me. Bless my trainer that she didn’t insist I get back on (I wouldn’t have anyway).

But, that incident took me many months to get over mentally.

Found a more appropriate home for mare, got a new horse but still spent months getting hand walked by trainer to get me over my fear.

I really don’t like loose dogs at a barn and would not board at one if they were allowed.

1 Like
#30

My horses foxhunt and are very used to hounds. However, the trail system next to my barn is swarming with off leash dogs, many of which have never seen a horse. My mare was attacked by two dogs a bit more than a year ago and she’s still skittish around aggressive dogs (she still is fine in the hunt field).

I agree with always facing the dogs if possible. When my mare was attacked the dogs were circling us and jumping up at her so it was difficult.

If I see a dog looking like it’s going to attack, I ride toward it. Most of them will turn tail. I also carry a hunt whip. Just a word of warning, teach your horse not to be scared by the whip or you’ll have a whole 'nother problem.

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#31

I have seen so many owners who claim their dogs are super well behaved, while everyone at the barn is irritated but says nothing. Owners tend to believe their pet is perfect, even when it is being annoying. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news: even if you ask them directly they wish you’d left poochy at home.

Don’t tie your dog and leave it there whining and barking so we have to listen to it while you go for a ride!
Don’t tie it in the barn doorway for everyone to trip over!
Watch it like a hawk - it’s pooped when you were not looking and peed on my hay! Picking dog crap out of hooves - yuck.
When it eats food out of my horse’s bucket offering to replace it isn’t enough: dog needs to be locked up! And don’t get sweaty with ME when I tell you there were meds in there!
When it chews my gear, ditto!
When it races around the outside of the arena while I’m riding, YOU might think that’s fine, I don’t. No, screaming at it to lie down every 2 minutes doesn’t display admirable voice control - it’s annoying!
Dog growling at me when I go in the tack room? Oh heck NO!
Dog chasing away all the beautiful wildlife? Trying to kill the lovely barn cat? Not OK.
Dog jumping on you with muddy paws and covered in ticks? No thanks.
Dog loose on the trails running round the corner and I get bucked off? Apology and a LEASH.

There is only one dog I like at the barn and he’s silent, 100% leashed 100% of the time, and sleeps in the owners car during rides.

8 Likes
#32

I hate dogs at the barn too. DH’s horse hates them - there was a college young lady who took to tossing a ball down the barn isle for her dog to chase, yep, right under Mick’s feet! He was good then, but later outside, he did the Mexican hat dance, unfortunately sans dog, when that ball got tossed again!! She kept closer tabs on her dog. But it wasn’t until the BO’s dog ( tied) was attacked that the meno came out of no dogs.

1 Like
#33

I am always amazed at the dog haters on this board (or at least dogs at the barn haters). I have always been at barns that allow dogs and never had an issue. What I hate are the CATS…they are the ones that have gotten me nearly dumped on so many occasions - jumping up from behind the arena wall…darting in and out of the arena (using it as a litter box - yuck).

My horses are actually more relaxed on the trail knowing the dogs are with them…the dogs scare up any of the wild life before we come upon them…we have lots of deer and wild turkeys…the turkeys are the worst! All my horses have grown up with loose dogs so maybe that is the difference…it is normal for them. Plus our dogs are horse friendly and do not chase or cause any strife.

2 Likes
#34

Yeah, sorry, I wouldn’t tolerate that. I’d have my dressage whip handy, and those dogs would learn fast to steer clear of me (which doesn’t necessarily help your horse any, but would at least clear my path! And get me kicked out of the barn! As well as earn me a nasty label, which would be 100% earned and proudly worn.)

Probably though you really need to move and there are likely other safety problems there.

I’m vote this. Yeah, good barns are hard to come by, there are cost considerations, etc. etc. etc. But what you have now doesn’t sound like it’s working.

1 Like
#35

Big difference between dog haters and badly-behaved-dog haters.

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#36

I’ve been reading and absorbing rather than replying but I’d like to shut this down. There’s no dog shaming here. There’s no dog hating. I personally have two and love them. The issue is problem dogs causing problems with horses. Can cats be a nuisance? Sure. That said, I’ve yet to seen a cat chase a horse and I’ve yet to see a horse euthanized due to a cat attack.

No sensitivity required. Feel free to start a post on how to deal with barn cats.

18 Likes
#37

I do not see it as a bunch of dog haters. I see it as a bunch of people who do not want to spend their very expensive and time consuming hobby dealing with other people’s un-trained dogs.

For the record, I have dogs. I love dogs. I do obedience stuff with my dogs. Trick dog stuff. Therapy dog stuff. (In other words, my dogs do not just sit at home and go nowhere.)

I see no reason for anyone at the barn (if I still boarded) to have to deal with my dog running around loose while they do whatever it is they do with their horse. Same for me having to deal with their dog. I may love Fido and enjoy Fido, but my barn time is limited and important so dealing with dogs that the owner thinks are amazing, but are rude and in the way just ruins the whole experience.

That is ignoring the fact that it is not overly safe for your dog to be running loose and you not paying a lick of attention to what it is doing.

7 Likes
#38

Lucky you that you’ve never had a problem.

I love dogs… had them then (a herding breed) and have them now. Would I ever bring them to a barn at which I boarded for visited? No. Ever since that early re-rider wreck, I was never again comfortable riding with loose dogs anywhere… barn, shows, etc.

Goes right along with all the people who either let their dogs come up assuming I don’t care if they sniff mine or if their freakin’ dog is off leash and then tell me in a happy voice that their dog won’t bite. Frankly, I don’t care… mine might!

1 Like
#39

Lots of good suggestions here. We had a mare like clanter’s. She considered dogs in her area to be soccer balls. She also played soccer. Dogs were just practice for her. That is dogs doing what they weren’t supposed to be doing.

Sounds like you need to keep doing what you’re doing by working with your horse to get him over some fears. Dogs or no dogs you need to do that. Teaching him to turn, face a dog and move forward is a good suggestion.

Loose dogs on the trail are a different problem. They will pack up and gang up. A lot of folks here pack a can of bear spray. That is because we do have bears, cougars and coyote packs. Sometimes they’ll use it on an aggressive dog. It works! You need to be sure you can use it and not hit your horse. And, you need to know the rules for your jurisdiction.

I would have a quiet talk with your BO about the problem. I wouldn’t hesitate to go after a dog bothering my horse. You’d tell a kid not to play under a horse. Dogs are no different. When I correct a child - I let that child’s parents know. If there’s no change - look for a new place.

I’ve never experienced that problem you’re having. Either at home or at a training facility. Course, there was a pygmy goat at one place. It would just jump out of nowhere. It was so darn cute you couldn’t get angry. It was good practice for the horse not to spook.

1 Like
#40

You guys just have a different view of dogs than I do. I have never had a dog injure a horse nor one injure a rider on a horse…I cannot say the same for a cat. We have had just different experiences that’s all. I have been in the horse business from running a breeding farm to competing at FEI since the early '80s and have boarded at many places along the way. The big named trainers I know (USET team members) all have dogs loose at their own barns.

If you don’t like having dogs at the barn you are at then move…not everyone feels the same way you do and if the barn owner is fine with it then don’t expect the rules to change because you are not comfortable with dogs at the barn. I cannot imagine a barn without a dog…oh wait I can…I boarded at one place that didn’t allow dogs…it was the most sterile cold place…course it might have had something do with more than not having dogs around! Oh but they had cats and someone did get hurt - and they didn’t get rid of the cats

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