Yesterday I took my dog on a walk to somewhere we have not been for about 4 months.  My dog is nearly 1 year old.  Over the last couple of months he has been interested in everything that moves - joggers, cyclists etc.  We take a frisbee out which he loves and the need to chase joggers, cyclists has now stopped, he is more interested in the frisbee.  Anyway yesterday we were walking along and we turned one of the corners (which I knew there were horses in the field) but he had never bothered before, the horses are kept in with a barbed wire fence.  My dog went like a possessed thing, he ran into the field (not barking - luckily) and done a complete round of the field and then came back out.  It was just like he was possessed!  Luckily he did not get hurt by the horses, or by the barbed wire, plus he didn't seem to distress the horses - I think they must be used to dogs.  He has seen horses before when we have been out (there is a bridel path where I take him).  I don't know how to deal with this.  

This thread should be of help, though it would be too dangerous to stock proof by having confrontations with horses!

http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/cgi-bin/board/topic_show.pl?pid=450389;hlm=and;hl=sheep#450389

You should take him on a long line back to the horse field and insist that he leqaves the stock.  A stern no if any interest is shown.  Keep him on lead each time you are near them again and keep up the training.  Hopefully they shoukld just become old hat to him, especially if they don't take much notice of him being around.

Even better would be to try and arrange a stable visit to some steady horses used to dogs.  It is uncumbent on all dog owners living near livestock to ensure their dogs are safe near them.

Thank you for that.  I was thinking along the same lines.  It was so frightening yesterday, not only the horses but I was lucky that he didn't rip himself on the barbed wire.

Sadly in most cases a single dog will come of the worst with a horse confrontation.  A bitch I bred got kicked in the head by her horse pal, as she just happened to come on him unawares. 

We will never know whetehr the fact she just dropped dead a coupl of months later at 23 months of age from no apparent cause theat the vet could find might not have had something to do with being kicked in the head. 

Of course even worse a ridden horse spooked by an over excited dog can cause serious accidents to rider and road users.

I quite often see dogs get into the field behind our house where there are horses. The horses are quite tolerant and don't mind unless the dogs get quite near - but then the horse kicks. The owners can't see their dogs, as the dog has had to crawl through a hedge to get into the field and may not even realise that there are horses in the field - so would never know what had happened to the dog :(

Daisy

You also need to remember that if your dog chased one of the horses and it panicked and went into the barbed wire fence it could cause very, very bad injuries to the horse and you could be in a lot of trouble. Horses are normally very tolerant to dogs, but even Willis has been kicked by one of my horses because he went to close to her back end and followed her. A smaller dog could have been killed by it - and horses with shoes are even more dangerous.

I have horses and dogs so love both and if I found anyones dogs in my horse field God help them.  Make sure your dog is under full control where any livestock is, it is part of responsible ownership.
Ok this time you didn''t know your dog was going to do this but you are now aware.  Don't let it happen again.
I have a miniature pony who will chase dogs and stamp them into the ground, you are lucky you didn't incur a pony like this.

Bev

Ooooh - a mini with an attitude eh!! :D :D Love mini ponies. What otehr horses do you have?

I have an old 45 yr old horse, who still chases the others around and is definatly boss.  Also a 26yr old pony who only likes my daughter and two miniature shetlands aged 3 and 4yrs.  The minis definatly have attitude and stick firmly together.
I would hate to think of any dog chasing round upsetting any of them especially my very old girl, could finish her off.

Bev

There is no way I would let this happen again.  This was an accident, I am quite aware of the problems that my dog could have caused, I am a very responsible dog owner.  I had not walked in this area for 3 months and he had never bothered about the horses when we had been there before.  Also I do realise that a barbed wire fence is dangerous, and I do know that I would have been held responsible for the horses.  Also it is the first and last time that this would happen with my dog.

Glad to hear it and its nice to hear you are such a responsible person.  Wish there were more like you round this area.

Bev

These things happen unfortunately, its the folk that don't learn from it that cause the problems :)

I actually find the worse ones are when you are riding and their loose dogs run up and snap at the horses legs - and they are oblivious to the fact that either dog, or rider could be killed!

Sadly it works both ways. I have given up our favorite wood land walk at weekends due to the number of people who insist on going flat out on their horses and nearly mowing us down because they are not actually in control of their mounts :(  Dogs normally manage to get out the way OK but believe me the air turns blue if I have to dive in to the bushes.

Thats interesting - msot folk here are very considerate - are the riders on bridlepaths?

Some are bridle paths and some are 'permit holders' on private tracks, all open to walkers and cyclists (they can be just as bad 'cos you dont always hear them coming. 

I agree - no-one should be going so fast no a horse they can't slow down for a walker.... but whatever happened to cyclists bells!! They cycle up behind me on my horse and tut because I don't get out of the way immediately!!

I dont think that bells are 'cool' anymore. Mind you neither are lights or looking out for traffic round here. Fortunately I was awake otherwise the unlit lad on a bike that shot off the pavement would currently be staying courtesy of the NHS. What did I get for breaking hard down the highstreet a mouthful of abuse from the lad and a toot on the horn from the chap behind who nearly rear ended me :0 Wish if hadnt been a reflex action to stop!