The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: Rosemary on September 16, 2010, 05:34:51 pm
-
Smokey and I had an interesting experience with some dogs today. I took him out on longreins along the cycle track, as I did on Tuesday. Now on Tuesday, I met a nice lady who's a dog walker. She explained that she had a Great Dane that wasn't very good with horses and that she used the cycle track regularly. I said if I saw her van, I'd go the other way. I could hear the dog barking in the van as we were talking.
When we set off today, the van was at the end of the track. I could hear the dog barking so I thought I'd just go the way I'd gone before. A few hundred yards along the track, there's a couple of bends. As we went round the second one, we met the Great Dane coming the other way. It was black and the insides of its eyes were red - just as well I wasn't letting my imagination run wild, as it looked like demon dog.
Well, it came at Smokey, first at his face then round behind him where it was biting at his back legs. I was first trying to get a hand on it, then using the long lead rope (12ft with a leather snap) to drive it back. Then its 2 mates - a collie and a daschund joined in. The lassie had a couple of other dogs on leads so was pretty helpless.
Anyway, the point of this is not to get everyone wound up about the dogs but to tell everyone how magnificent my pony was. He didn't spook or even try to run - he double barrelled the Dane and struck at the collie with a forefoot (as well as eating the hedge - takes a lot to come between a Highland and his snack!). The dog's OK but will be sore tomorrow. We didn't panic - and once they'd gone on their way, we set off again - disregarding the combine harvester in the field on the other side of the railway and the ve..r..r..r..y long and rattley goods train that went past.
I know we were fortunate that it turned out positive - and it did - but Smokey was just magic - my little war horse!
-
lots of cuddles and pats, that was very good bless him
-
Well Done Smokey! and you for coping so well in the situation.
I often chuckle when out driving Odinn, obviously to some people a pony and trap is an amazing site and we always get lots of smiles and waves. On Sunday we did a 17km BDS drive in Blackhall Forest and along the banks of the Dee in Banchory, at one part we were near a carpark in the forest, lots of people walking their dogs etc. The comment I got most on Sunday was 'Its ok, 'dog' is fine with horses' as they let their animal run around my turnout. What they didnt ask me was, is you horse ok with dogs or is he likely to try and stamp them to death?!!!!! ;)
-
I'm concerned that this Great Dane might do the same to some other rider - perhaps a child on a not so steady pony. Should you maybe mention it to the local dog warden so that he/she is aware of it if another problem comes up. Personally my dogs have run in 50 acres of fields with 16 horses that a friend owns(Admittedly they are used to dogs) so I don't worry about them, but I wouldn't free run a horse aggressive one on a track if I knew there was a possibility of a horse/pony using the same track. Did you talk to the dog walker afterwards?
-
There wasn't really much chance to chat, to be honest. Thing is, I know it happened to my neighbour when she was riding. Sheba's not as steady as Smokey. Not many horses use the path, I don't think but there is a riding school a bit further on.
I'm glad is wasn't Bugsy - this dog was nearly as big as him!
My dogs aren't that great with horses - they go mental at the through the gate but pretty much ignore them if I take the dogs into the field with me. I think they must have desensitised Smokey ;D
What a boy, though.
-
Way to go Smokey! :) What a clever lad. Not a clever dog owner though :-\
-
Well done Smokey (http://www.cosgan.de/images/midi/froehlich/a035.gif)
-
What a brave pony and well done you for dealing with the event so well, it should be mentioned to the dog warden or even the police. If that had been a child :o