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.

@cinnamonfrenchtoast

It is the advice if an attack is definitely coming. You shouldn't let a dog off the lead on the off chance cows/horses etc might decide to attack.

Yes well aware @needtonamechangeforthis1 obviously if the path were in the middle of the field you wouldn't but if it were on the edge I'd rather fencing tape and posts to keep my horse from harm than let others roam all over.

Nobody has said you should, have they?

They've said if the horse becomes aggressive then the best thing to do is let your dog off the lead so they can run to safety.

Perhaps the thing to do would be to talk to the landowner in a friendly way about the horse, tell him your a regular passer through, ask them what it's name is/ about its personality/ how much is handled/ if it likes dogs/ how to deal with the situation.

Tame horses are naturally curious about people and following you across the field is an innate behaviour. Shoving with the nose is a playful gesture. All of these behaviours can become problematic though and if you're unfamiliar with handling horses can easily become dangerous. All animals are unpredictable.

@cinnamonfrenchtoast

Actually, someone on here said if the dog is well behaved, you should just leave it off the lead when in a field with livestock so it can run away if animals attack. Which is wrong.

Ah, I missed that, sorry!

Well, if that's the case, the best thing would be not to leave the horse alone with the bag of grain...

You sound a thoughtful and considerate neighbour OP, I hope you can communicate with the land/horse owner to work out the best way forward. You're not some random inconsiderate walker and it would be in their interest that you are all safe as you walk through respectfully.

I would be inclined to let him off the lead just to cross the field with the horse in

Please don't ever do this.
I hope you are not a dog owner.

That sounds really annoying but I’m not sure if the owner has to listen to your concerns?

We have lots of fields with rights of way nearby, even when bulls are present a warning sign is all that seems to be required.

No I know, I was just being daft re. why I was assuming she has one (lest I get people asking me why I would assume that... 🤣)

But it's relevant - if there is a road coming away from her house, for her to get a car in and out, she should use that instead of the horse field. Or drive to somewhere suitable and then walk dog.

Totally get you being uncomfortable OP, I have been followed by horses many times when on footpaths and it is unnerving. I do like horses but am unsure about ones I don't know, especially when I'm worried the presence of my dog might be winding them up.

But as this horse is immediately next to your home, I'm wondering if it won't be too long before you all become familiar and more comfortable with each other and it won't feel like such a thing anymore 🤞

So basically just treat it like the chicken? (although less likely to be eaten by the fox and an absolute bastard to row across the river with!)

(edited because I didn't know that it was an option, fancy!)

If you let the horse swim across the river then it couldn’t bother the dog.

If I wanted to warn off a horse that was getting too close, my ideal choice would be a solid rope, like the kind they make horse lead ropes from. Not to bash the horse with, that would be unkind. But slap the end of the rope on the ground between you and the horse. The sound it makes is often enough to make them take a step back of their own accord. You can repeat as necessary. Thin ropes don't make the same kind of noise.

Impossible to say. I've got horses who would totally ignore a dog. One who would chase the dog and kick it as it hates dogs and will attack. Never feed horses if you're walking though them, don't use umbrellas or run. If other people start feeding the horse it will get more muggy and could be more of a problem.

One who would chase the dog and kick it as it hates dogs and will attack.

I presume that horse would never be allowed to roam in an area with a public footpath? Dogs on leads are allowed on such paths I believe.

It's worth mentioning that if a farmer or landowner knows their animal is aggressive/dangerous and continues to keep it in a field with public access, they can be held liable for any incidents that occur as a result.

So if you do feel scared or in danger, please report it to the landowner. They do have a duty to keep the public safe if they've been told their animals are presenting a danger.

https://www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walking-hub/rules-around-keeping-animals-fields-paths

The landowner and/or horse owner if they are renting the field need to fence it off. The pathway must be protected for people to use safely. Just say if there were cows on that field it would be dangerous to not have a fence to protect the public.

Our horses do this, they're just nosy and hoping you might have food. One of our ponies is very friendly with our dog and nudges her similarly to get her to run so he can canter along with her, so he might just be wondering if the dog will play?

We did put a fence in going around the permiter of the field so people could hop over the stile and walk around the fenced bit to the other stile... People just jump over the fence and walk across the middle of the field anyway, so the horses continue to plod along behind them hoping treats might materialise. No one has ever been attacked!

I would suggest just carry on regularly, every day if you can, simply walk through calmly and confidently with your dog on his lead. Speak to the horse and greet him by all means but don't pet him (in case he likes it and wants his face rubbed - he might take your petting him as an invitation to rub you, even to the extent of knocking you over). Once the horse is used to you, and realises you and your dog are no threat but equally no benefit to him, he'll leave you alone.
Do not offer any treats, do not pet him, and just simply acknowledge in a calm voice eg 'Hello horse, we are just walking through', but stride confidently on past, so he can tell from your confident demeanour you mean him no harm, and equally you're not frightened of him and won't run (giving him something to chase).

(And yes some horses love chasing dogs, our old New Forest pony was one, great sport to be had, but then no dog should have been in our field.....!)

This isn't the case in England unless the landowner has been made aware that their animals are causing a danger to people.

I walk through fields of cows, sheep and horses daily and none of the paths are fenced off. You use the fields at your own risk.

Good to know and makes sense. (Refers to the post informing me that the landowner needs to be informed of danger @cinnamonfrenchtoast ).

I think that poster is alluding to those stories where someone has to transport a fox, a hen and a bag of grain across a river without any of them consuming the other...😀

It depends on how you word it. If you say it’s causing an issue (as you wrote there) he will have his back up, if you just explain diplomatically that the horse seems to be nervous of the dog hopefully you can sort it out. Total sympathy OP I wouldn’t like a flight horse around me when I’m trying to walk my dog!!