hi, I have a nine month old puppy who is used to seeing our horses and has been around them on lead and is fine. He loves them and never barks at them. I am just nervous of letting him off lead around them. How do I do this successfully?
Solid recall worked for me. We took our dog to the farm when we vacationed. A kick from a plough horse could kill a dog instantly. All we did was show him how to move well around them and he did. My friend has not found it so easy, her dog will run at and bark at horses. She's scared to death the horse will spook (riders we meet in one bush) and she'll have to deal with injured horses and riders as well as injure dog. Sometimes we don't see them far enough ahead to call the dog.
Hi @Nanster It's OK around your own horses as he is used to them but I wouldn't recommend letting any dog off lead around anyone elses horses as you know they can be unpredictable. My dog Hattie is almost 10 years old and Charlie is 6 years old and I always put them on lead when I see approaching horses for the safety of the horse, rider and my dogs. If a horse is injured due to your dog being off lead you could be in for a hefty insurance claim. Probably not worth the risk. Brilliant that he is well behaved around your horses x
Thanks, we have two big yards in our area that use our lanes to get their horses fit so I never walk him off lead, but he is well behaved when a group of them come trotting by . Will try him off lead around my horse. Maybe try him loose with the miniature shetlands first and build up to the big one!!
The first time Harley met a horse was unexpected. We literally walked around a corner and there were 6 horses and 2 foals. It is quite a common place for them to be, but they are usually at the far end of the field. Harley walked past them, stopping for a quick sniff and came running over to me. Since then she has been fine with all horses. I agree it might be worth letting him off around some of your calmer horses.
I owned a horse when I had my last dog, a Lab, as a puppy, which I kept at DIY livery. Because he'd been around horses from his first day out as a puppy he was fine -never barked or jumped at them . My horse was very placid so I let Rolo off lead with him from the word go, but I was more cautious with one of the others at the yard who used to charge at dogs in the field, so obviously if that horse was loose I didn't let Rolo come in the field with me. I suppose I'm saying that if your horses have been fine with your dog on lead then I'd let him off with them. If you feel a bit unsure, perhaps do it in the yard first time with someone holding a horse on a lead rope and you ready to intervene with your pup if necessary.
I have two horses and I walk and train my dogs in their paddocks every day. With dogs and horses it is not socialisation but habituation you are aiming for. So, I don't want them to be best buddies but I rather want the dogs to completely ignore them and give them space at all times. You are right go keep your puppy on the lead around your horses at the moment. I would do a lot of basic training, sit, stay and recall before letting the dog off the lead when horses are around.
I think I could have been more help. I no longer ride but certainly know what it's like from the rider's point of view to meet well behaved dogs and bad dogs. To that end I walked my puppies down the trail to the horse farm, supplied with carrots for the horses and treats for the pups. Pups soon came to associate horses with being close enough to me to get the treats. There were nasty dogs on one road we rode. We made sure to have in our group at least one of two horses who not only were not afraid of horses but would strike at them if they came too close. In another case people moved in next door and let their two big dogs run loose in the field my friend had her two broodmares, with foals, in. My friend called the dog owner who told her it was fine, her dogs would not hurt the horses. My friend replied, "Oh, I'm not worried about the horses. It's your dogs, the bay mare will stomp them to keep them away from her foal." No more loose dogs. It was true too, Chimes would go after those dogs, I saw her chase them myself.
