Bright white fluffy dog- how do I stop frightening horses?

[Newfluff]

I have a large very fluffy and very white dog. He is well trained and is at heel/sat whenever we meet horses. He does not bark or interact.

We've had a few issues with horses spooking when seeing him, if the horse seems spooked I stop, put him in sit and wait for the horse to pass.

Today a horse rider shouted that I needed to learn how to pass horses, so I am here asking.

I step to the side of the road, dog sat at heel, I couldn't get further away as ground off road is bog and I don't see this as a reasonable option. Rider said that my dog was spooking her horse.

Is there anything I can do to stop this? I don't want to spook horses but I can't walk elsewhere and these are rural roads/bridleways.

Thanks.

The same thing happens when horses see my mini Shetland. I keep alert for horse riders & make sure I stop well away from them where they can see us. Speaking to the rider also helps.

All you can do is keep doing what you are doing. Keep the dog on a lead and safe distance from the horse & let the rider sort the horse out. If the horse is napping (refusing to go forwards) then ask if you want you to go past them .

The rider that had a go at you was probably out of order but most likely acting out of fear. If the horse has been chased or frightened by an out of control dog it's very hard for them to completely get over it. The rider might also be frightened of dogs. I can think of several horse owners that have had nasty accidents due to dogs & now have to avoid a lot of public bridleways as a result.

I very often have to ask dog owners to recall their dog/put it on a lead as it's zig-zagging across a bridleway. I nearly always get a mouthful of abuse even though I'm polite & reasonable. We all have to share the paths & it's everyone's responsibility to do that safely & without causing distress to other users.

I do agree the rider sounds stressed and is proobaly reacting from fear through bad experience. Our bridleway networks are pretty fundamentally flawed really. So many unsafe passing places, road crossings and increased use. Horses only need one bad experience caused by vehicles, dogs, joggers or cyclists for them to be considerably affected and then you're inches away from them being deemed unsafe. If you have to stop using public networks you're then in trouble from a welfare perspective, and being able to give a horse the exercise they need. Then what do you do? Put them down? It's no wonder there's an obesity/insulin disregulation/laminitis epidemic. It's reallly stressful. I wish we created more safe, circular riding routes with surfaces suitable for horses to be properly exercised on (not just limited to walking on stony surfaces as all bridleways seem to be becoming). Ideally with seperate stretches for each user type. Public gallops would be a dream I'd pay to use! We seem to fund a lot of facilities for other sports, why are there no public facilities for horses? Total pipedream maybe, but I decided some time ago to never have another horse after I seen my current one through, unless I have a lottery win and can hide on a private estate somewhere. Sorry OP, hijacked for a rant there.

@Conkered i completely agree - the lack of suitable and accessible bridleways is terrible. Burleigh is the single biggest sporting event in this country in terms of attendance whilst the numbers who ride are huge. The importance of the equestrian related industry to the rural economy is pretty much ignored.

I’m sure the fact that it is female dominated and perceived as a rich person’s pastime are factors .

Definitely a horse issue

Mine was fine with the loudest traffic, I once rode down an A road with traffic lights and stopped to get ice cream
Bikes also fine, motorway bridges, leaf blowers. Pretty much bomb proof

Person stood by a bike? Absolutely not human, they should be ON the bike, not just standing there looking terrifying
She was also scared of blue plastic. No other plastic, just blue

Horse are great. Dog..child..car..horse..funny looking black and white horse (cow)..sheep..lorry..MAMIL..tractor..ramblers..dog.. OH MY GOD A LEAF I'M GOING TO DIE response.

Maybe take the big white wolf through a few muddy puddles first?

Yes, most people have no idea how many of us are just normal run of the mill people, busting a gut to their best for their animals (literally in my case 🙄) around full time work, sacrificing every spare penny, hour and social occasion - and you can't do right for doing wrong! The closest thing we had was riding schools who gave good opportunies to young people to learn and help out in exchange for riding and they're all closing down, or charging an absolute fortune. It really is becoming what people think it is already - just for the elite. It's very sad and it's the horses that ultimately suffer with only lower standard livery yards in anyone's grasp.

Dog on a lead and you and dog at side of path in sight.

Our biggest issue is persuading people not to hide in bushes or behind trees as our horses then see MONSTERS! Ours are totally fine as long they can see you and your dog/dogs/children/prams etc. Even if your dog is barking

The amount of time we spend repeating the mantra "please come out from the bush/behind the tree" most people are trying to do the right thing and are normally a bit scared themselves especially when the brick toilet of a Highland pony walks calmly by giving the barking dog the filthiest of looks 😂Only time I get a wee big niggly is people who have no recall at all of their dog and that's only because if they get kicked its probably curtains.

😂 Nothing like a Highland for a dour look when they want to.

Edited to say I meant to quote @MrsLumsden

I’ve just remembered that the one time I nearly lost control on the road what when someone was raking hedge trimmings off the the top of their 6ft hedge from inside their garden. All my horse could see was the rake coming over again and again like a giant claw. I had to bellow at them to stop.

Sounds like the rider is getting in a tizzy at the horse getting out of control and potentially embarrassed OR trying to let you know what this issue is and has come across a bit more aggy than is due. You have just as much right to use the path. Keep walking at a good distance and try and pass as quick as poss. Mine spooks at: bins being out, goats, cows, sheep, coffee cup litter, flytipping, birds jumping out of bushes but is perfectly happy with cars and a convoy of motorbikes ! Does get more upset when cars stop to let past rather than just going past - stop = something is wrong in her mind i think

EDIT: Just to say as I also have a dog, if we see a horse I do put back on lead for a few mins or hold on to collar just incase.. But my dog is VERY friendly and thinks everyone is his friend so needs restraining sometimes

When I met a horse with my dog for the first time, I just made him sit next to me at the side of the road until they went by (he was only a puppy so still on the lead at all times). I was bit unsure what to do, as my first time in the situation, so I just asked the rider, she was really lovely and said to do exactly as I had done. I have never had any bother with any other horses or riders, they all just walk by with a smile and thank you, or some stop for a quick chat (mostly those riders with dogs themselves).

I've yet to meet a rude horse rider, so I think you have been really unlucky.

Indeed 😂

Could the dog wear something thin like a hi-vis vest?

Oh he’s lovely 🥰 He looks very pesky.

Some horses are just odd!

I remember having to explain to an extremely apologetic man that his dog, jumping up and down on the end of its lead and barking at the top of its voice, was not in fact what my horse was shitting himself about. The problem was his perfectly well behaved child, sitting quietly in the pushchair. That horse just has a thing about small children.

very embarrassing!

Some horses are just odd!

They really are I look after a 29 year old retired horse who is terrified of money spiders. If there's one anywhere near his stable he won't come in for his dinner - I have to get rid of it first!

I think it’s them.
I have horses as well as a majestic cloud like floof of a Samoyed and none of them have ever reacted any differently to her.

I’ve met a fair number of horses out walking her and never had an issue. It sounds like you’re doing everything right.

Although I marvel at how well behaved your Sammy is! I thought mine was good as I can generally trust her off lead (I do catch her when we pass people/dogs/horses as she’s too friendly for her own good) as I know loads that never come off the lead as their recall is so poor!

Your dog should be on a lead anywhere near horses. That's the problem.

No he shouldn't. Under the same rhetoric these uncontrollable beasts shouldn't be on public roads if leaves frighten them.
There are very few places were actual leads are required. However dogs need to be under control at all times.
I'm fed up with this idea that leads = control. The amount of dogs that are jumping, twisting, dragging and generally being completely uncontrollable at the end of a lead is staggering.

Anyway if it was the lead it would happen when I walked other no lead dogs

Your dog should be on a lead around horses out of basic consideration for both horse and rider, even if it doesn't actually make a difference to the horses' behaviour.

I walk multiple dogs who are bombproof around horses and every single one of them gets put back on the lead if we see one - because the riders don't know me or my dogs and don't know how they'll behave.

If your dog is as well trained as you say it is, then it shouldn't be an issue to clip a lead on for a few minutes.

Thank you for all the funny chat on horses and helpful points.

I think stopping has been my undoing, and I have since this thread just walked on slowly dog at heel. Haven't seen the rider that prompted this message yet, so will see how that goes.

To answer a few questions - a jacket does help, but poor dog is so fluffy he can't cope in the warmer weather- and mud definitely does but I don't always have time for a wash after.

@Pamcakey I can not really take any credit for how well trained he is. My mum and step dad are dog trainers, and I couldn't have done it without them. I'm more than capable of training a gun dog but he has been a whole different challenge, but definitely worth the effort.
Ignoring horses was easy, teaching him to ignore squirrels was possibly the most time intensive thing I have ever done in my life.

@fieldsofbutterflies what is it with this passive aggressive as you say ?

I don't carry a lead, it is nothing to do with how well trained or otherwise my dog is. Of course he wouldn't mind, how odd.

It isn't at all unusual to see dogs without leads who are under control in the droves and lanes where I live, sheep dogs, gun dogs, farm dogs.
I have only had an issue with my very white dog.

As long as you aren't hidden by hedge sounds fine to me. It would be better to put the dog on a lead though as the rider doesn't know your dog isn't going to jump up or chase at the last moment and if the rider feels nervous the horse will too (what's in the brain goes down the reins). The lead is a visual signal to the rider that you are in control.

@Newfluff I wasn't intending to be passive aggressive 🤷‍♀️

But as a rider and a dog walker, I just think it's basic common courtesy to put a lead on your dog around horses, just as I would do around livestock or other on lead dogs.

All dog walkers should also carry leads with them at all times, you never know when you might need it.

What other people do or don't do wouldn't come into it for me.