Right of Way, Horse & Dog

[Beastiee]

I'll try to keep this short.

I've got a dog, he's always on a lead when we're out. I live rurally, the field next to my garden is the only route to reach any public footpaths to walk my dog. The field has a public right of way across it as it's on a designated national trail.

It's owned by a neighbour who has just put a horse on the land. My dog has no reaction whatsoever to horses, he ignores all livestock. The horse he's put on the field is clearly agitated by my dog, as I try to walk across the field (I pick my time, when the horse is the furthest away) the horse will run up and sniff at the dog's back end and sort of push him, I'm assuming this is a warning of 'get away'.

Again, my dog ignores totally as I swiftly walk across the field, but the horse will follow and keep pushing him until we're out the gate. It's happened twice now.

Obviously I don't want the dog, or me, to get kicked/attacked by the horse so I can't walk across the field again to risk it - would I be unreasonable to tell the owner his horse is causing an issue? Neighbour has form for being difficult.

Aha, what's happening here is the horse is looking to be fed. Either his owner feeds him in the field or other walkers do (sadly this is very common even if you put up signs). So he's probably charging up to you hoping for treat. Is he all on his own as well? Horses are social animals and really shouldn't be kept without company, ideally another equine but at a push sheep or goats will do. If he's alone he probably lonely and a bit badly socialised. I doubt he'd be deliberately aggressive to you or your dog (quite rare in horses in open spaces except for breeding stallions who can be territorial or a mare feeding a baby, in enclosed spaces is different) but he could nip you looking for treats or accidentally tred on the pooch if he gets around his feet.

You could try and track down the owner and let him know but I doubt there's much they can do and if they're keeping him alone without even other horses visible that doesn't give me hope they're responsible owners. Personally I would pick up the dog if you can to avoid the treading, or otherwise just walk quickly as possible without running through the field and don't stop to interact at all, keep your shoulders angled away from him. Don't have your hands in pockets or rustle your treat pouch as he will definitely think there's something coming out of there for him! If horse approaches too close a waved lead rope as per PP and sharp 'no' should try and keep him out of your space (don't actually hit him though of course!).good luck.

@Dotjones “None of which affects the farmer's right to shoot your dog if it is causing alarm to their animals. Even if one of their animals "started" it, the farmer has the right to finish it.”

Agreed.

No but if you let your dog loose in a field with livestock, for any reason, and the owner sees you then they have a right to shoot your dog. Why risk it? Farmers around here DO shoot dogs if they are running loose on their land and quite rightly so.
You should never let your dog off the lead unless you fear for your safety. It is the reason we don't walk our dog through fields of cows at any time of the year.

@twistyizzy

Actually, the advice is if cows or horses charge at you and your dog when you are in the middle of a field, let the dog off the lead so it can run away. A dog can outrun a herd of angry cows, a human can't. That way, the cows will go after dog and leave you alone. If you keep the dog with you, there is a very high risk of being trampled.

Also, understand your dog's behaviour. If you don't think your dog has the common sense to run away from them or it will get aggressive, avoid fields with cows. My dog wants to be friends with everything so I would never go into the same field as a herd of cows with her. Tbh, I would avoid entering the same field as cows without a dog anyway. Friends of mine went on a walk with their two kids and had to turn back after a large herd charged at them from a distance. Luckily they had just entered the field and had time to grab the kids and run back to the gate.

Fellow farming childhood here (albeit abroad with different laws) and agree with all of this.

Where I live there are 'wild' horses and sometimes I have to walk near them. They can be quite curious because I suspect people feed them, and they don't like dogs when they have their babies or one of them is hurt.

I walk fast, as far away as possible from them, and ignore them completely, as do my dogs. If they do come near, I find either standing tall between them and my dogs and putting a hand out shout sternly at them to stop, or clapping at them and saying no makes them back off. They're not stupid just curious and a bit cowardly so trying to grandstand to protect their babies.

I own a field with a right of way at the top of it. I have certain obligations on the path which I maintain. I would not put a horse in my field which I thought was going to attack anyone, but this would be extremely rare. Horses are however curious and may come towards you to say hello. I would equally not be moving my horse to make you comfortable I am afraid and neither would I be fencing off the ROW- which would be quite expensive.

Yes IF they charge! The horse here wasn't charging.

His field, his horse. If it’s causing you a problem then don’t walk across it.

Can't they fence off along the footpath? Horses show aggression in a few ways ear pinning is a very noticeable one. Can you speak to your neighbour about if the horse is usually ok with dogs? If it's one horse on its own in a field sounds like a shitty horse owner but that's besides the point.

The horse is just being inquisitive but could easily lead to either being startled or getting brave and trying to play with your pup. Or it could quickly get bored and accept you coming and going.

The horse owner could be liable if something happened. If they are friendly it may be worth giving them a heads up - I've always fenced mine away from footpaths as the conflict is too much of a risk for them

@WildFlowerBees do you have any idea how expensive that would be? ££££s! Double if it's straight through the middle of the field. Not to mention the issues having your field cut in half would cause.

How do you get your car to and from your house (presuming you have one as everyone who "lives rurally" needs one by MN law 🤣) - across the field?

@takealettermsjones we need a car because there are zero bus services through/near our village and no shops in it either! That is a massive sidebar from the original topic though

@twistyizzy

I didn't say that you should let dogs off the lead if an animal wasn't charging. Dogs should be on a lead while in fields with livestock. I just said that if you do get charged by aggressive livestock and don't have the option of making a quick exit then the advice is to let the dog off the lead to give you both the best chance.

And I've said it is best to just not enter fields with cows. I live in Lake District so lots of livestock around me. I can't avoid sheep but dog is always on a lead and the sheep don't really do anything unless you act like a complete pillock, which I don't. But I never walk through fields with cows.

Horses are by nature flight not fight animals, it's extremely rare for them to be aggressive in the way you're anticipating. The horse sounds curious and is probably used to having dogs on a yard who he can nudge over the stable door etc. I wouldn't worry and would continue walking with your dog on a short lead.

Horses are flight animals, they do not normally attack unless under attack themselves. Is the horse on its own? they are herd animals so a solitary one may well come up and show curiosity.

If the horses ears are forward and its head is down it is being friendly/curious. A stressed horse would keep away. As long as your dog is calm and not running around its back legs it should be fine.

Maybe just stand or walk through the field without your dog and see what happens.

As others have said, if it’s ears are forward then I would say it’s just being nosy. Keep an eye on their ears - if they’re flat back, the horse isn’t happy.

If it were me, I’d keep my dog on a lead and just walk through the field calmly and with purpose and ignore it. My horse is fine with on lead dogs but hates off lead dogs (she’s had an off lead bite at her legs while we were out on a hack so she’s wary)

If it’s too close for comfort, my horse knows “away” and “back” and she knows that if I slightly turn away from her that she’s in my space. I don’t mean turn your back on it, but give it the cold shoulder if you see what I mean.

Oh and PLEASE don't let your dog off the lead. That's terrible advice.

Did you read the post? She’s got her dog on a lead, she goes out when she can see the horse is on the other side of the field, but the horse comes over to her. It’s a public right of way, meaning she is allowed to walk on there.
You seem rather quick to be nasty when perhaps you’ve misunderstood the situation.
What would you suggest OP does?

No it's not - it's the official advice if you feel your animal is under thread of attack livestock.

Haven’t RTFullT but read all yours op if you know who the owner is could you ask them to meet you at the field so they can explain the horses behaviour to you, what they would prefer you to do to make the horse move on, and for the horse to meet your dog where both horse and dog are under their owners control?

im sure the horse owner would prefer that to you taking ropes in to swing around to keep the horse at bay.

They can be quite curious because I suspect people feed them,

And yes, this does cause issues. Some people think they are perfectly entitled to feed other peoples horses (despite polite signage, being asked not to, etc) so horses now associate random members of the public with being fed - I’ve had to put up a second electric fence to keep mine away from the edge of her field as she kept sticking her nose in people’s pockets as they walked past.

I have horses and used to keep them in a field with a path through it. It sounds as if the horse wants to be be friendly with your dog, that’s what mine do when they like someone. If it was annoyed it would be ears back possibly charging at you, but also likely stopping before it got there. If your treat bag rustles it may also be interested in that. I would try being as uninterested / in noisy as possible and ignore it as best you can. If you feel it’s a threat then as others have said wave your arms and shoo it - I wouldn’t have minded if people did that with my horse, they are pests if they think there might be food, but will also give up quickly. It does sound like it’s a friendly inquisitive horse though, and if you Pat or interact with it you may never get rid of its attentions!!

I agree with PPs that this behaviour and body language is just inquisitiveness. The horse is probably lonely and bored. He’s seen and sniffed the dog a few times now, the pushing sounds playful, and if he had been inclined to attack he would have shown signs of aggression or irritation by now. Sniffing the pockets is definitely searching for food treats.
Just carry on, if the horse gets too pushy just gently push his shoulder, and if the encounter ever does get aggressive, let the dog off the lead.