where should the dog be?

[Gestalt]

I’m not really into taking a dog with me when I ride, but I have in the past. A good friend and I had several dogs a piece at one time and that was fun. They ran back and forth through the brush until they got tired. Then one by one they would fall in line behind us.

Having dogs zipping around really does help a horse to focus on the rider and not be so jumpy when the bushes shake. :lol:

[SonnysMom]

I was just on a trail ride with a friend that brought her two dogs. The little JRT stays behind the horses. The JRT/Springer Spaniel mix does his own thing in the bushes along the trail or goes well ahead.
She has bells on both of them so she can keep track of them. One also wears a training shock collar just in case.

[RidingAllDay]

What is the point of having dogs if they can’t go with you on trail?

Mine are always with me, depending on where I’m going they are either loose and running where they please. Sometimes in front, sometimes to the sides or for the old dog, behind. Other parks they are ponied wherever we go, on 15’ leads, at the horses shoulder.

They go with me when I’m alone, when I’m with a friend or when I’m with a large group.

My dogs and I are both happiest when they have been on trail for days on end

[clm08]

I trail ride with my 2 mini poodles. They go ahead, jump in and out of the brushes, sometimes fall behind, and are also known for being right by my horses hind feet. Dogs have trained my horses to be careful around dogs, not to kick them, not to step on them, not to be scared when dogs jump out of the brushes. This served me very well when my horse and I went on our first hunt this fall. He was respectful of the hounds and not spooked by the many many times a hound would just pop off out of nowhere and run by us.

My dogs have a good recall, although the older one who is 13 is becoming hard of hearing and if she gets too far away, cannot hear me calling her. I usually slow down and make sure she can make visual contact so she doesn’t get lost.

My dogs love to go trail riding with me and I love to have them around. I am very lucky that most of the boarders at my barn also love to take their dogs along and everyone seems to get along without incidents.