Be careful around horses

Especially if your dog is unaccustomed to horses, be careful. Dogs can spook horses, and corgis are herding dogs, after all.

We occasionally encounter horses on steep terrain. I hike with the dog off-leash, but this is a main reason we practice quick-draw leash drills. The horse folks tell me it's best to move off the trail on the downslope side -- so the horse can see you better -- and talk quietly to make sure the horses know you're there, and be still and keep the dog quiet until they pass.

This was posted in a local hiking forum:

"... granted, there are riders out there (men and women) who lack experience. But that is also true of hikers or mtn. bike riders. ... THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BOMB-PROOF HORSE. They do not exist. Regardless of who is riding it. My horse is cool with bikes, traffic, logging equipment, kids, large dogs, llamas, deer, bears, and coyotes. What has freaked him out? A Corgi. "

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ivy on February 7, 2014 at 9:54pm

Yes the two most important things you can do when encountering horses are talk early (so they know you are there) and keep your dog near you. I've had dogs rush at my horse and the owners coo "oh he won't hurt you". Yah, I'm not worried about your dog hurting my 1400 lb horse! However my horse can easily kill your dog with one little kick. Some horses are more dog proof than others. Mine is fine with "her" dogs but will go after strangers.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Vicky Hay on February 8, 2014 at 12:18am

Darn right!

My cousin's mother-in-law took her little shrimpy city dog -- don't recall what breed, but it was something poodlish or terrierish -- up to the cousin's ranch. Dog bounced under the fence into the corral, there to yap at the unfamiliar creatures. Horse kicked it and killed it right on the spot.

I've had dogs that were OK around horses, but they weren't city dogs. And yes, any horse can dispatch a small dog without much effort...but there's no thing as a horse that won't spook at something unexpected. And that certainly could threaten a rider's safety, if not the horse's.

A horse, IMHO, is God's IQ test for humans... Most of us seem to fail.