Who else takes their dog out hacking with them and how far do you go?
- Thread starter Bronya
- Start date
I wouldn't dare take my dig with me. Not only is it not allowed on the estate that I ride on, what if there are rabbits/cats about, or other horses? Do you keep him on a lead?
It's my pet hate to see dogs off leads when there are horses about, especially after a rhodesian ridgeback decided it wanted to attack Bronson, and tried to jump onto his back.
It's my pet hate to see dogs off leads when there are horses about, especially after a rhodesian ridgeback decided it wanted to attack Bronson, and tried to jump onto his back.
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charlotte+jill!
Scoobs the wonder pony
when I ride out at work the dogs tend to follow sometimes...... scares the life out of me, they like going bunny hunting.... I have visions of going back to boss to tell her I lost them! eeek!
But yeah not on the long ones just on the hack round a few fields nor on the roads.... though boss does take hers (he listens more to her!)
Couldn't dream of taking mine out with my horses ......hes soooooooooo naughty!!!
But yeah not on the long ones just on the hack round a few fields nor on the roads.... though boss does take hers (he listens more to her!)
Couldn't dream of taking mine out with my horses ......hes soooooooooo naughty!!!
I think its ok
your own risk i suppose
i dont do it, as we cant miss out roads when hacking, but i probably would consider it if we had access straight onto fields woods etc.
saw a lab out wiv some horses (on the road!) the other day
just happy plodding along in front, and had its own little reflective harness martingale thing on
your own risk i suppose
i dont do it, as we cant miss out roads when hacking, but i probably would consider it if we had access straight onto fields woods etc.
saw a lab out wiv some horses (on the road!) the other day
just happy plodding along in front, and had its own little reflective harness martingale thing on
H
haylekins
Guest
i have 5 dogs and would only take 3 down the farms fields with me when empty as no sheep and cows are only ever on farm in winter as one bites when nervous (can never be sure no-ones about) and would chase anything and no doubt the other would chase things and end up stuck in a rabbit hole . i would take glen as he just keeps a steady pace behind and stops and waits until; we head back and walks up slower than he started mouse will follow then have a sniff and run until he relises we're half way up the field and panicks and scott was a sheepdog so comes to call and is a people dog but i'd never take them away from home as you never know what could happen and you can never be 100% you could call them back
. i would take glen as he just keeps a steady pace behind and stops and waits until; we head back and walks up slower than he started mouse will follow then have a sniff and run until he relises we're half way up the field and panicks and scott was a sheepdog so comes to call and is a people dog but i'd never take them away from home as you never know what could happen and you can never be 100% you could call them back
My dogs will come out hacking with me, I dont have roads really but even so they are very well trained, working gundogs that will sit on a whistle and not move until asked so horses around or no horses, they behave. I dont mind dogs off leads if they are under control
I have done with previous dogs and the one I have just now has been hacking out for 10 years!
Goes as far as we do - usual hack is about an hour - but he darts off when we go through the woods so must rack up some mileage!
On the roads (back roads!) he trots along about 10 yards ahead on the left and sits everytime a car comes along! I used to have to tell him to sit but he picked up pretty quick so most of the time does it himself now with no help from me!!!
I cycle to my field too and he runs with the bike. We have 2 main roads to cross. He sits till I tell him its ok to go and I wheel the bike across with him at my heel.
He is an absolute superstar. (Wish I could clone him!)
Goes as far as we do - usual hack is about an hour - but he darts off when we go through the woods so must rack up some mileage!
On the roads (back roads!) he trots along about 10 yards ahead on the left and sits everytime a car comes along! I used to have to tell him to sit but he picked up pretty quick so most of the time does it himself now with no help from me!!!
I cycle to my field too and he runs with the bike. We have 2 main roads to cross. He sits till I tell him its ok to go and I wheel the bike across with him at my heel.
He is an absolute superstar. (Wish I could clone him!)
I used to take my mums Border collie out hacking with me. Had to do a couple of miles of roadwork before I hit the woods. He was very well behaved, would jog along beside me, on the inside, but would bound off as soon as we got to the tracks, sniffing and scenting on every single tree!
I expect we did 6 or 7 miles each time
I couldn't do it now, we have a basset Hound and she'd be off like a shot at the first scent of something interesting. They have extremely selective hearing!
I expect we did 6 or 7 miles each time
I couldn't do it now, we have a basset Hound and she'd be off like a shot at the first scent of something interesting. They have extremely selective hearing!
When I had a cob mare on loan a few years ago I used to tack the owners border collie with me.
He loved it and would keep up with you at any pace, but was also very obidient, if you said get in, he would. He waited when asked aswell, and left other dogs/animals well alone when asked.
We didn't ride on any main roads with him, but would use country roads, but he would go ahead (so I could see him) and if I saw a car I would say 'get in' and he would go as close to the hedge as possible with me alongside so he was at no risk of being hit.
Its also important that your horse is ok with dogs though and you have a lead with you just incase
He loved it and would keep up with you at any pace, but was also very obidient, if you said get in, he would. He waited when asked aswell, and left other dogs/animals well alone when asked.
We didn't ride on any main roads with him, but would use country roads, but he would go ahead (so I could see him) and if I saw a car I would say 'get in' and he would go as close to the hedge as possible with me alongside so he was at no risk of being hit.
Its also important that your horse is ok with dogs though and you have a lead with you just incase
i used to take my yorkies out on hacks bubbles i would sometimes go up too 3 miles with but squeak not too far he has a metalplate and some bolts ets in his leg so he just potters down the lane.
i supose it depends how fit the dog is
i supose it depends how fit the dog is
I've never been out hacking with dogs as I don't own any but my RI's dog decided to come back home with us the other week - followed us all the way up the hill and down to where Maple's field is!! I had to take her back in the car with me and drop her off at her house as I was passing it on the way home myself!! This is the second time she's done it so I imagine she must go on hacks with her owner as she seems quite content running alongside us and doesn't wander very far!
I used to take both my golden retriever & my goat with me- hours of hacking in the forest and/or mountains (in France). Must see if I can find my old photos to scan in.
these days I'm not sure I would risk on roads, etc. Maybe for rides in the downs if I get a big dog again ...
these days I'm not sure I would risk on roads, etc. Maybe for rides in the downs if I get a big dog again ...
White-Blazes
New Member
My border collie has been with me lots of times over the years, but now she's almost totally deaf at the age of 13, so she can't hear my commands
4_white_socks
Run Harley! Run Fly! Run!
Personally, I wouldn't consider it. This is through my own and friends' experiences.
And, of course, many dogs are very well trained and fairly reliable, but I'd still not like to risk it. The whole "better safe than sorry" approach. We all know no horse is 100% safe, the same goes for dogs.
My friend was bitten by a dog out hacking. A horse I know died because of a dog bite - it's not something I'd like to risk.
Also, a lovely dog at the RS followed a hack (without them knowing at first). I believe they were turning back to take her home when she ran across the road and got hit by a car. The car stopped, and started again, and she ran across the road again and got hit for a second time by the same car! Poor driver, and poor dog. After operations and a long time of rest, she was okay.
I don't want that to happen when I could have prevented it, so I will never take dogs on hacks with me, unless they are on the lead with someone on foot.
And, of course, many dogs are very well trained and fairly reliable, but I'd still not like to risk it. The whole "better safe than sorry" approach. We all know no horse is 100% safe, the same goes for dogs.
My friend was bitten by a dog out hacking. A horse I know died because of a dog bite - it's not something I'd like to risk.
Also, a lovely dog at the RS followed a hack (without them knowing at first). I believe they were turning back to take her home when she ran across the road and got hit by a car. The car stopped, and started again, and she ran across the road again and got hit for a second time by the same car! Poor driver, and poor dog. After operations and a long time of rest, she was okay.
I don't want that to happen when I could have prevented it, so I will never take dogs on hacks with me, unless they are on the lead with someone on foot.
I wouldn't, mainly because mine are terriers and have selective hearing
Georgio is the sweetest, most unassuming woof you'd ever meet. She's exceptionally gentle and spends her whole time with her head resting on my chest giving me gooey eyes However, when we were out for a walk the other day, she heard my dog yelp and then a gun shot from far off (unrelated, thank god!), panicked, turned around and bit my leg, HARD. She didn't mean to and immediately curled up into a little ball and basically epitomised sorry. I wouldn't want that bite to go to a horse.
Georgio is the sweetest, most unassuming woof you'd ever meet. She's exceptionally gentle and spends her whole time with her head resting on my chest giving me gooey eyes
However, when we were out for a walk the other day, she heard my dog yelp and then a gun shot from far off (unrelated, thank god!), panicked, turned around and bit my leg, HARD. She didn't mean to and immediately curled up into a little ball and basically epitomised sorry. I wouldn't want that bite to go to a horse.
Yes, I often take my little dog with me. She's a Yorkshire Terrier, so not the type of dog you normally see out with horses, but she's fabulous. She never runs off, she just trots along behind us. She does like to stop and sniff at things though, so I do have to stop every so often to let her catch up. The longest we go out for is about an hour and a bit, so we probably cover about 3 or 4 miles. It's a good way of getting both my animals exercised at the same time!! Here's a piccie of her:
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Interesting how many wouldn't. Would the same people not let their dog off lead when being walked?
I did choose my dog specifically with hacking out with her in mind, and all her training and everything I've done with her has led up to this. She is tiny enough to ride on the front of my saddle with harness + lead attaching her to me when we're on the road, on a safe, beginner's ride of a horse. I'd never take her out on my own, or on a feistier mount, and her training has paid off. On the first ride we did, she behaved as if she had always been doing it. On her second ride, she was foot perfect, even waiting patiently with us while other riders and their horses passed us.
I wouldn't take a dog I hadn't trained from a pup to do this AND who was chosen from suitable parents, so I would agree there. I've put a lot of time and effort into her training, and the rewards are lovely. Her nature is down to her breeding though - dad wouldn't know what to do with a rat or rabbit, and mum can't usually be bothered, so there wasn't much terrier instinct to start with!
I did choose my dog specifically with hacking out with her in mind, and all her training and everything I've done with her has led up to this. She is tiny enough to ride on the front of my saddle with harness + lead attaching her to me when we're on the road, on a safe, beginner's ride of a horse. I'd never take her out on my own, or on a feistier mount, and her training has paid off. On the first ride we did, she behaved as if she had always been doing it. On her second ride, she was foot perfect, even waiting patiently with us while other riders and their horses passed us.
I wouldn't take a dog I hadn't trained from a pup to do this AND who was chosen from suitable parents, so I would agree there. I've put a lot of time and effort into her training, and the rewards are lovely. Her nature is down to her breeding though - dad wouldn't know what to do with a rat or rabbit, and mum can't usually be bothered, so there wasn't much terrier instinct to start with!
Ah see I would if I had more obedient dogs. They're also titchy and it wouldn't be fair on them the distance I like to go on hacks. Also if they were not terriers - Georgio's recall is 100%, if a tad slow sometimes, but Sage is kinda iffy quite a lot of the time, she has the attention span of a teaspoon!
I take my dog with me almost every time I go out (unless I am going for a lesson or schooling). She is well trained and goes just in front of me, so I can see her. She understands 'in to the side', 'wait', 'sit', 'onto the pavement', 'onto the grass' , stay with me' or 'on you go' and even knows how to swap sides of the road if we are going right at a roundabout (I know you are supposed to stay left, but due to poor visibility for oncoming drivers on some of our roundabouts we have to cross). She also knows to stay on the pavement even when there are parked cars between her and the horse, ditto at situations where there is a barrier (like at traffic lights), to stop and wait for a commend at junctions, and on country roads to get onto the verge and sit when a car approaches.
She gives my horse confidence - if there is something spooky ahead I can send her as a sacrificial dog - the horse usually accepts that if the skip / wheelie bin / tractor or whatever hasn't eaten the dog, that might be safe enough for him to proceed (this is where the 'on you go' comand comes in).
As a consequence my horse is supremely dog proof - if she stops in front of him he will literaly pick his way over her! If I meet a dog who is barking or overexcited about seeing a horse, I often ask the owners if they would like to let their dog meet my horse - he always bends down and sniffs them gently, and I think that the dogs are less likely to be upset or excited by horses as much in the future.
I did spend a few years training my dog before venturing onto the roads with her - she came with me on off road rides only until I was completely confident that I could control her.
She gives my horse confidence - if there is something spooky ahead I can send her as a sacrificial dog - the horse usually accepts that if the skip / wheelie bin / tractor or whatever hasn't eaten the dog, that might be safe enough for him to proceed (this is where the 'on you go' comand comes in).
As a consequence my horse is supremely dog proof - if she stops in front of him he will literaly pick his way over her! If I meet a dog who is barking or overexcited about seeing a horse, I often ask the owners if they would like to let their dog meet my horse - he always bends down and sniffs them gently, and I think that the dogs are less likely to be upset or excited by horses as much in the future.
I did spend a few years training my dog before venturing onto the roads with her - she came with me on off road rides only until I was completely confident that I could control her.
I let him off the lead at home, and on the estate when there aren't horses/livestock/other dogs about. If he were to chase any of the (rather valuable) livestock, any of the farmers would be able to shoot him, and that's not a risk that I'm willing to take.
Also, when I'm on Bronson I wouldn't be able to keep him on a lead, as he'd tangle Bronson's legs up, and I wouldn't be able to get off Bronson if I needed to grab Tye, because Bronson bolts if you're not on him. Bronson is not too bothered about dogs, even after the ridgeback incident, and getting bitten by a westie. Bounty is scared of dogs.
Also, Tye is a rescue dog, spent the first 2 years of his life being abused and left alone in a squalid house, then 6 months at the RSPCA branch. As a consequence, he's also wary of humans, aswell as he's not quite as reliable obedience-wise as another dog from a different set of circumstances might be.
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