Posted 2008-04-30 11:32 PM (#82880 - in reply to #82510) Subject: RE: Taking Dogs With You
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385 Location: washington
One of the trainer's at my old barn brought their dog to work every; he was an aussie. That dog would lay in the shadows and wait for you to walk by, then dart out and nip your horse's heels. I told her time and time again that my horse would kick and she laughed and said the dog was too quick - ha. The first and only time that dog went after my horse, I heard a yelp, looked back and saw that dog going horizontal about 40 mph. He hit the wall 20 feet away and ran off on 3 legs. I didn't see him for a month, and heard through other boarder's that he was okay, just a broken leg. That was kind of sad because it was absolutely the owner's fault in my opinion. The dog still did sneak attacks but not as much.
Posted 2008-05-01 8:54 AM (#82909 - in reply to #82872) Subject: RE: Taking Dogs With You
Veteran
Posts: 294 Location: Fort Worth, Tx
Originally written by dwnsouth on 2008-04-30 10:01 PM
Envision sitting on your horse watching the event waiting your turn. Your friends well mannered lab, that your horse has been around for years walks up behind you on a leash with the owner. Very politely the dog stretches his nose out real quick like and touches your horses hind leg. Maybe horse having a bad day??? Dont know but we do ride unpredictable creatures that can go off in a moments notice. After dog gets kicked, he jumps to bite because the bad horse has hurt him(dogs are unpredictable at times too). Horse attacks back by jumping around/kicking/bucking. 4 jumps/bucks later rider on ground, dog bleeding and horse trembling scared witless. Fast forward 6 months after new titanium elbow, $175,000 medical bill, and 4 months of intense pain in physical therapy. Now your right arm will never fully extend all the way ever again and you are technically considered handicap. All this due to a well mannered socialized dog that was around numerous times. Dogs can be brought to a horse event but for the safety of EVERYONE...please keep them well well far away out of the reach of any horses. A polite 15 foot distance is well appreciated and unexpected mishaps will not happen. Even the most well mannerd canine can unintentionally cause nervousness and mishaps with horses no matter how careful we all are. By the way, I dont dislike dogs...I own 2 Great Danes and while one goes to the shows with me, he is always leashed and is never near the horses nor the rails where he might scare them and cause a mishap.
While I sympathize with you, you could easily substitute "friend's well mannered child" or "friend's well mannered gelding". If a horse is startled by anything an accident can happen. It is a good point that dogs, pigs, people or other horses should ALWAYS remain a horse's length distance away from a horse-I've been preaching THAT for as long as I've been teaching and riding.
Taking Dogs With You
