another, OMG dogwalkers thread...

[Emily+Meg]

My Mum and Dad went for a hack this morning on Peggy and Nikki. stealing my horse Dad, grr, hehehe.

They had a lovely ride, and then on the way back split, because we like to teach ours to not cling onto each other too much. Mum went back on the lane, and Dad went back along the bridleway and through the village.

The last bit of the bridleway is a fairly steep downhill (the humps and bumps, is what we call it, its behind the village hall for anyone that knows lyminge! ) with a few bits that need 'picking' down carefully, if you know what I mean. Dad was doing it on Nikki, and she was being angelic. Suddenly, out of nowhere, and Doberman appeared, flat out, straight at Nikki, and the steepest part of the hill. Nikki panicked, shot flat out for about 20 strides - poor Dad, but not suprising. However she then straight away listened to Dad, slowed down, and then...was fine not panicked or worried, just accepted that it was all ok. Well chuffed with Nikki, apparently she was perfect all the way home as well, despite a very scary experience.

Dad had seen the doberman earlier,it had been on a lead, and apprently had been snapping and snarling as he rode past. Wish they had blimming kept it on a lead! so that was a bit scary, but I am so pleased with how Nikki was.

Dad was feeling very proud as well by how they both coped with it so it ended well!

[ukshowjumper]

I really do wonder at some peoples stupidity. Jack is great with horses (he's scared of them..lol) but if I see a horse I don't know he goes on the lead....simple...same around livestock...again he's scared of them but he goes on the lead regardless

[mellymoo]

I was walking Hamish home one day last summer (leading him, we had been for a wonder and a graze in hand), and a chocolate lab ran at him. He is such a brave lad, he just stood and looked down on this numpty dog! It wasn't barking though, just interested. The owner was mortified, he grovelled so much and apologised a hundred times. Now he has the dog on a lead at all times, which is nice. Good job Hamish isn't scared of dogs though...

Nikki sounds like a star!

[gemma]

Well done Emily's Dad and Nikki (know that bridleway well so know how you have to be careful about picking your way through that section!).

I had a similar grrrrrr episode in the woods near us a month or so ago. A young dog off the lead with absolutely no recall at all. He came bounding over to Marigold, encouraging her to play. She, bless her heart, stood absolutely stock still for 15 MINS (I timed it!) whilst this dog barked, leapt, ran away from his owner, ran under her belly and generally made a nuisance of himself. I know he was only playing so wasn't too annoyed. Just very, very proud of my sensible pony that day!

[horsey123]

orr what a good girl jimmy would of stamped on it and killed it then ran away

[Emily+Meg]

Dads still happy now lol!

[Cheryl Walmsley]

I never seem to have any trouble but there again we hack all around our own farmers land so people who are there are usually there because he knows them or something I think. They all wait for us and are really good. The one time I ventured out this old woman turned a pressure washer on just as we were passing so that was helpful, and also a man sped past us down a hill on a bike, we shouted at him. Sounds like Nikki was ace though!!

[romely]

Nasty dogg. I don't see why if its abit of a dodgy dog that will run off at horses why can't they keep it on a lead?

Also i was out riding in the forest last week on my own, and a greyhound just run up to Megan and was running all under her feet and in between them and she wasn't kicking out, just like picking her feet up high. The man was shouting for it to come back, but he wasn't runing after it. In the end i had to get off and try and get the dog away but it wouldn't. I think Megan might of then kicked it, but not hard because it then ran off back to its owner, so it wasn't hurt. But it was really scary!

[sara]

Thank heavens Nikki was good and listened to your Dad. I really dislike dog and dog owners like that. I keep thinking what if the horses kick them and kill them? Whose fault is it?

[marianne]

Echo well done Emily's dad and Nikki! ;D

I 'practise' dog training with my horses, there are a couple houses we pass on our rides which take us past nasty scary barking dogs (some behind a fence, others not) and I get the horses to stop and take a look if there aren't any cars around [having said that 2 days ago I was very close to getting off and leading past!]

[babycham]

I remember as a child riding out, on my pony that had only one eye. He was a great pony, and trusted me to see any dangers.

How ever one day, hacking home, and this guy opened his front door, and 2 boxers came running out , barking and snapping at the pony. I shouted at him, to get the dogs under control.

The pony, ended up bolting, and i fell off, one dog still hanging from his tail, and the pony kicking him like mad.

Eventually a group of people hacking past, caught my pony, and lead him back, he was shaking ,so they agreed to take him back to the yard for me, as being only 7/8 at the time, i didnt have the strength to lead him, as he was really scared.

On arriving back at the yard, i recognised the guy, he was the one that had the dogs earlier. He apologized, stating that they ran past him at the door, and as his daughter owned a pony(hence at yard). And said that the dogs have always been kept away from the horse, when she rides home.

Now if out hacking/leading, and i see a dog, i freeze, i just cant help it!!

[cokey]

Being a dog owner and prof dog walker, I have to say that I do sort of sympathise with the dog owner in this case.

Bet they thought the first time they saw you on your horses "oops better put dog on lead", then got a safe distance past you and thought it'd be safe to let the dog off again. If, like you said, it came out of the blue (I assume the owners were round a corner or something) chances are they had no idea you were there and thought all was well....

I've had instances when I've been on the horse in situations like this, and I've also been on the other end of the lead, so to speak, so I try to see it from all points of view!!

Glad that it all ended well though...

[Louise C]

We have a great bridleway network round by us and mostly off road too - but we do meet a lot of dogs(and buggies, people and canal boats!) Most of them are well behaved - but you do get the occasional one that plays havoc with the gees - fortunately Flynn is great but no way would he stand still for 15mins - it's not part of his nature!!!!

[geeup]

I knew a pony that kicked dogs, reason long story, anyway you always get those dog owners where the dog comes barking up and htey say "don't worry, its really friendly it won't hurt you" to which I used to reply, "no but my pony will as it kicks dogs", then all of a sudden dog would be on lead! Moral of the story, its Ok if my daughter falls of pony because of their dog, but not suddenly not Ok when their dog might get hurt!

[jinks]

My first horse a tall tb type, was chased by someones GSD once on a bridle way, the dog was barking at some walkers when we saw it, the owners were next to useless, the dog totally ignored them, when it say us it decided to chase us, my horse booted it about 3 ft in the air, luckily for the dog he was unshod it howled and howled I got off to see if it was injured the owners were again not much use, dog was ok, just bruised, i saw it after that months later and it was scared of horses, my horse had a graze on his leg from it nipping him, the walkers backed us up as the owner let rip as us, saying my horse attacked it. I suggested they might like to pay for the vets bill for the nip on his leg, they retreated then with limping dog. My horse had been fine with dogs before that by after he would go for them, teeth and hooves.