Topic: Dog psycology?

[aquilegia]

Say if a dag was chasing you and you were riding a horse. If you threw something at the dog (like a glove or a whip, something to hand) would dog attack the thrown thing, attack you/the horse or run away?

This is the second time I've been chased by a dog on a particular horse. I can't train the horse not too run, but want to be able to do something to stop it happening.

Of course I don't want to hurt the dog, but I'm fed up of getting frightened/hurt myself. (At least this time it was not more than a bruised backside!) Oh and this time was at the horse's home - on private land.

[MikeB]

Sorry to say it would just carry on chasing you.

MikeB

[Paulines7]

Is it the same dog that is chasing you?  I suggest you chat to it's owner.

[return of the mac]

Yeh ive had that on my bike, dont risk yourself, a dead aqui is much worse than a dead dog

[joji]

I was once chased by a dog while out riding.

I turned the horse round and made the horse chase the dog. It worked.

The dog never did it again. It also stopped the horse being frightened as

my actions made the horse become brave and not scared of dogs any more.

I think people who let there dogs do this are irresponsible and need reporting. >:(

If you can find out where the dog lives go to the police and report it.

[aquilegia]

It's not the same dog. Same horse, different dogs. He's been attacked before so is now understandably frightened.

Joji - I've heard about the turning the horse round thing, but he gets impossible to stop. He just goes. Not flat out bolting fortunately, but I can't stop him enough to get him to stand still. Also one of his other ridings did stop him recently in this situation and he reared up and became much more dangerous.

Last time after I came off the dog kept on chasing him, but it ran off before I could catch it or find the owner. grr.

I think I'll just stick to my plan of only riding him at home. The dog in the home paddock thing was an absolute fluke and I don't expect that to happen again, so at least I feel safe there. I love the horse loads, so I will not stop riding him!

[joji]

Do you have any dogs down at the farm / stables / Fields

If so you could make him better behaved by getting him used to dogs being around him by desensitising him. Do it slowly and gently so that he knows the dog is about but is not going to attack him. It might be an idea to get a horse whisperer in if you can to calm the horse down as someone might end up getting badly hurt because of his flight reaction to dogs.

Just an idea. :)