# First time meeting a HORSE



## jaudlee (Mar 28, 2013)

So yesterday was the first time my dog has actually been around a horse.. We were walking deep in the woods and came to a field (off leash) and there was a beautiful horse. Ruger did AMAZING and did not bark or show any signs of aggression. The horse and Ruger felt eachother out and ended up prancing around the huge field side by side.. Even managed to snap some beautiful pictures!!! Anybody else ever have something like this happen, would love to hear your happy or horror stories lol










[/URL][/IMG]


----------



## Findlay (Jan 8, 2015)

Those are beautiful pics.
So nice the meeting went well.
Are dogs and horses natural friends?


----------



## jaudlee (Mar 28, 2013)

Findlay said:


> Those are beautiful pics.
> So nice the meeting went well.
> Are dogs and horses natural friends?


Thank you 

I have no idea whether or not they are natural friends, but this relationship/meeting went really well and did not have a single hiccup. Eventually he even seemed to not even notice the horse was there!


----------



## Findlay (Jan 8, 2015)

Those pictures are just so sweet.
Ruger must be a really nice dog.


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

sorry , not on the same page .
Is this the horse the dog met . A horse with rider?

You are so lucky . That horse could have spooked , reared , run off , caused some grave injury to the rider and got his head kicked in .


----------



## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

Nice pics! 

I remember when I took my one dog to expose him to horses. The state police horse stable was not far from me. My dog just kept looking past the horses as if they weren't even there. He showed zero interest in them. I was very proud of him.


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

carmspack said:


> sorry , not on the same page .
> Is this the horse the dog met . A horse with rider?
> 
> You are so lucky . That horse could have spooked , reared , run off , caused some grave injury to the rider and got his head kicked in .


Was the first thing I thought too. Never in my widest dreams would I allow that. Both horse, rider and dog took a huge risk there. I know horses way too well in that regard. It does show good temperament of the dog and horse though.


----------



## jaudlee (Mar 28, 2013)

wolfy dog said:


> Was the first thing I thought too. Never in my widest dreams would I allow that. Both horse, rider and dog took a huge risk there. I know horses way too well in that regard. It does show good temperament of the dog and horse though.


Of course I did not allow my dog to approach the horse without talking to the rider first. She actually has a German shepherd that is with her horse 24/7. I would never put my dog into a situation like that. My dog was off leash but he had his e-collar on for backup. He did not need it as he did not approach without my command anyway.


----------



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

The first time my boy Nix met a horse it was crazy. I was hiking with him and I could hear them coming. I quickly leashed him and pulled him off the trail and put him in a sit. 

They came around the corner and could see us so they slowed from a canter to a slow walk. As they approached Nix lost his doggy mind. Just went crazy. 

I paid attention to him, kept him sitting, and looked up. There were two horses and riders stopped about 30 feet up the trail. 

I told them "he is leashed, but has never seen horses before so he may go crazy" they laughed and asked if I wanted them to hang out for second so he could settle. And they did. They walked a bit closer and stood still. Nix threw a fit for a few seconds then settled, I talked calmly with the riders for a few minutes. Their horses were perfect. It could not have worked out better. I did not allow him to approach the horses, they stayed about 10 feet away. I just asked him to stop being a fool and sit nicely. Once he was they moved off. 

It was a very nice interaction. I would not allow my dog to approach nose to nose with a horse with a rider on. Even a dog I knew was fine. Horses can go from zero to crazy in a second. LOL. 

Beautiful pictures! Glad you guys had a great meeting!!


----------



## Saito (Dec 3, 2015)

Does picking up the scent of a pony count?

I often go to a nearby dog park/land reserve. The place is massive. About 12 acres of woods & trails fenced in for off leash. Then a huge area of woods & trails outside of it. One leads to a lake.
Then on the other side of the parking lot is another huge area.

Anyway, we were leaving from the main dog area one time to cross over to the other part. A handful of other dogs/owners were walking as well. And then all of a sudden...some guy has his son (7 years old?) riding on a pony heading towards the main dog area we were coming from. Every owner quickly pulled their dog close to them. Over heard him respond to a woman, "oh, he's a real cowboy, so he knows he might fall." Really, really irritating, but continued to walk away.

As we got farther away and the pony was out of sight & behind a ton of trees, the wind blew in our direction and the scent finally hit his nostrils (I don't even think he saw the pony originally, as I kept his head away and he was busy sniffing the ground & other dogs). When he caught the scent, he went into full alert mode. Hackles up, barking, and standing his ground. Nothing was in sight when he caught the scent either--defintely the mystery scent freaking him out. 

And here's my side rant: my dog could've spooked that pony, bucking the kid off and/or kick a nearby dog. Or even worse, sent it running wild. Lots of Shepherds, Collies, and other herding breeds are always at that place, too. What if instinct kicked in and one started nipping the heels?
Even outside of the fenced in area, the trails aren't really large enough for a pony while others are walking dogs....not to mention many let their dogs off leash since they behave well under normal non-pony circumstances. I don't care if that pony is okay with the dog he may or may not have back on his property. Sticking it (with your son on it) near 80 dogs not familiar with one is moronic.


----------



## viking (May 2, 2014)

jaudlee-

What a lovely experience! You must be so proud of Ruger. I love the pics!

I introduced Hans to horses at the stables. My story isn't much of a story but he and a lovely thoroughbred mare also touched noses. It was super sweet. 

For what its worth, any rider who cannot anticipate their horse spooking, maintain their seat and control of their horse has no business trail riding. So I disagree with those who are worrying that this was a near miss of a terrible tragedy.


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

I have dogs (obviously) and I have horses.

I have gone on long distance rides with a trail riders club. 
On one of the rural rides a dog came out , from a horse farm of all things , and spooked the horse which ran into a ditch and then reared throwing the rider forward . He made contact with the horses crest and then was thrown . Concussion and sprains.

Still maintain that rider took big risks --- they may have a dog and the horse may be fine with horses --- but they do not know your dog and neither do you since this is his first encounter . 

lucky .


----------



## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

viking said:


> jaudlee-
> 
> 
> For what its worth, any rider who cannot anticipate their horse spooking, maintain their seat and control of their horse has no business trail riding. So I disagree with those who are worrying that this was a near miss of a terrible tragedy.


This is ridiculous. Sorry. Plenty of very strong, very capable, very talented riders fall and are injured every day. We just lost an amazingly talented young rider when she fell on a cross country course. To say someone should never hack out if there is a possibility they could fall is ludicrous. Sorry. 

I have a friend that is now a mounted police officer. She nearly died when her horse spooked, threw her and then trampled her as it ran off. An excellent horsewoman who has ridden and trained at high levels. Even the very best and most experienced riders come off. 

Sorry. But you are wrong.


----------



## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Max was a pup when we brought him to the barn. He met our horse who is super sweet. Max would plant his but down and seem to like to keep respectable space. There are people who occasionally bring there dogs down and are loose so we keep max home. We are at the barn a few hours so it easier to keep him home. We have taken him to the barn a few times not many at night to connect the smells from us to the barn. He is leashed and just watched us take care of our horse keeping some distance. We were at the park once and there is old abandoned horse barn. The trails are still used be horses and riders. There was this loud booming sound coming behind the old barn. Someone had trailered three horses and let them gallop around the old paddock. It was quite a site as we just watched them have fun. The three horses stopped dead in their tracks and all eyes were glued to max. Max just looked at them but didn't seem concerned. I never seen horses so preoccupied by a dog before. We watch the horses play some more and walked away.


----------



## Susan_GSD_mom (Jan 7, 2014)

gsdsar said:


> This is ridiculous. Sorry. Plenty of very strong, very capable, very talented riders fall and are injured every day. We just lost an amazingly talented young rider when she fell on a cross country course. To say someone should never hack out if there is a possibility they could fall is ludicrous. Sorry.
> 
> I have a friend that is now a mounted police officer. She nearly died when her horse spooked, threw her and then trampled her as it ran off. An excellent horsewoman who has ridden and trained at high levels. Even the very best and most experienced riders come off.
> 
> Sorry. But you are wrong.


I agree absolutely. It can happen to anyone, no matter how many years' experience, no matter the number of horses a rider may have trained. When I was about 25 I rode a VERY scary horse along some VERY scary roads for about 5 miles, because this horse would not transport (according to his owner) and they wanted to move him to a barn where I worked. With the assurance of youth, I volunteered to ride him there. The scariest ride I have ever taken, and I stayed on that horse through some real tense situations when he shied at everything, with traffic in both directions. A few days later I was on the calmest, mildest Arab mare, just taking a relaxing easy ride--and she dumped me when a pheasant flew up from under her feet at a slow canter, and she jumped about 15 feet sideways. It happens.

Susan


----------



## viking (May 2, 2014)

No rider is going to lose their seat whether the horse is swerving, running down ditches, rearing or bucking, refusing fences, etc. so long as their weight is solidly in their heels. This requires training.

My point is that riders with poor equitation get thrown from horses. Riders with poor equitation should be training in arenas. Once they've mastered heels, legs, seat and hands - by all means, hit the open trail!

I started riding when I was 7. Have owned my own horses and shown hunt seat jumping and some western just for fun. EVERY rider that falls off doesn't have their heels down. Period.


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

you couldn't have more experience than Olympic levels equestrian event riders 

"As part of the Australian team's preparation for the 1960 Rome Olympics, they took part in the Badminton Horse Trials, and Roycroft was the first Australian to win the individual three-day event there.[2] At the team three-day event at the Olympics, he received a broken shoulder, a dislocated collarbone, and concussion after being thrown from his horse. He completed the cross-country section, and was then airlifted to hospital --- that was Bill Roycroft 

B.C. Olympian in hospital after equestrian fall - World - CBC News

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/11/s...-riding-horses-theyve-only-just-met.html?_r=0



a good seat?


*








*


----------



## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

viking said:


> No rider is going to lose their seat whether the horse is swerving, running down ditches, rearing or bucking, refusing fences, etc. so long as their weight is solidly in their heels. This requires training.
> 
> My point is that riders with poor equitation get thrown from horses. Riders with poor equitation should be training in arenas. Once they've mastered heels, legs, seat and hands - by all means, hit the open trail!
> 
> I started riding when I was 7. Have owned my own horses and shown hunt seat jumping and some western just for fun. EVERY rider that falls off doesn't have their heels down. Period.



I rode most of my life - galloped some race horses, showed Morgans, QH, Apps, TB, Arabs - Hunt seat - over fences, Western - trail rides - Many very very good, very expert riders go off.....horses spook, twist, buck, duck out at a fence - you ride a 17 hand, one week off the track, TB who decides to buck going downhill - no matter HOW good a rider you are - you can come off...don't make absolute statements!!!!


I pretty much try to introduce my dogs to horses very young, in the aisleways of the barn, and always used to take 1-3 dogs out with me when I rode....dogs were trained, behaved off lead and did not critter...


Lee


----------



## viking (May 2, 2014)

carmspack-

I think you are suggesting that every rider at Olympic levels has good equitation? This is not so, not only as evidenced by the hilarious gif you posted, but also by plenty of other footage that's out there. 

There's a LOT of riders at the highest levels of show jumping that have atrocious equitation. Plenty of them pitch pole over their horses head at a refusal. But this proves my point. Go look at footage of riders losing their seat. You'll see that each and every one no longer has their weight in their heels.


----------



## valb (Sep 2, 2004)

Wow, wish their was a like button for some of these posts! I don't want to get reprimanded by moderators so I reserve comment on some other things. But I would like to hark back to the old saying "Never was a horse that couldn't be rode, never was a rider that couldn't be throwed." You can de-sensitize up the ying yang, and then like someone related to me a while back... a supposedly bomb proof horse loses its' mind when a paper plate blows across the arena.


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

Viking - oh brother.

just as easily the horse could have given a cow-kick to the dog's head


----------



## viking (May 2, 2014)

Guys-
You don't have to believe me, that's okay. 

But your disbelief will not alter the absolute fact that a rider is not coming off if his/her horse if their weight is in their heels. This does take serious training. Keeping your weight in your heels requires focused strengthening and conditioning of the leg and torso muscles - this is part of training. Without training for this you will not have it, no matter how many years you've been riding.

Anyway, I think we've totally derailed the thread which was supposed to be about cute stories of GSDs meeting horses. My apologies to the OP.


----------



## viking (May 2, 2014)

Carmspack-
A kick to the dog? Well yeah, that's entirely true.


----------



## cloudpump (Oct 20, 2015)

viking said:


> Guys-
> You don't have to believe me, that's okay.
> 
> But your disbelief will not alter the absolute fact that a rider is not coming off if his/her horse if their weight is in their heels. This does take serious training. Keeping your weight in your heels requires focused strengthening and conditioning of the leg and torso muscles - this is part of training. Without training for this you will not have it, no matter how many years you've been riding.


Not trying to be funny, but how come saddle bronc riders know this?


----------



## viking (May 2, 2014)

cloudpump said:


> Not trying to be funny, but how come saddle bronc riders know this?


I don't know, I suspect its just such a different discipline from hunt seat jumping. 

But even within that hsj there's different styles/theories. There was a whole school that taught keeping your weight in your arse, sitting back in the saddle and using a heavily knee-padded saddle. Terrible.


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

There is always a horse you cannot ride. Viking, you just haven't met that one yet. I once bought a horse that evidently was drugged at the sale. After a week he threw me really bad. A professional cowboy couldn't stay on either.


----------



## viking (May 2, 2014)

wolfy dog said:


> There is always a horse you cannot ride. Viking, you just haven't met that one yet. I once bought a horse that evidently was drugged at the sale. After a week he threw me really bad. A professional cowboy couldn't stay on either.


wolfy dog-

I mean no disrespect to you or anyone else here. But I also know what I'm talking about and we just disagree.

Interestingly, my second horse was the exact same situation as yours - drugged at sale. 3 yr old gelding, green broke. Put me in the hospital twice. We went through 4 trainers with him. He was rogue. My dad finally sold him after all the other parents came to him in a group and said something to the effect of sell this horse or see your daughter killed. That got through.

The only place I was safe with that horse was when I was on him. It was when I was on the ground that I was vulnerable and boy did he know it.

But this story is just an anecdote anyway. Anyone who is seriously trained close contact hsj can attest to this. There may be a horse you cannot reliably train but that is a different thing. I'm saying a rider can't be thrown if they're trained to keep their weight in their heels.


----------



## Susan_GSD_mom (Jan 7, 2014)

wolfstraum said:


> I rode most of my life - galloped some race horses, showed Morgans, QH, Apps, TB, Arabs - Hunt seat - over fences, Western - trail rides - Many very very good, very expert riders go off.....horses spook, twist, buck, duck out at a fence - you ride a 17 hand, one week off the track, TB who decides to buck going downhill - no matter HOW good a rider you are - you can come off...don't make absolute statements!!!!..............Lee


YES.

Susan


----------



## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Keeping the weight in my heel managed to keep be on a bucking horse but It is easy for things to become undone. I fell of twice riding my horse as I'm sure my weight was not in my heel for a split second. Most people who ride have fallen off at least once or twice. The most experienced riders much more. The more you are in it the more chances of mishaps. Horse rear and can flip over, jump in the air and turn, take off like a loon and part of you can get slammed intova tree. You have to know what you are doing every second and not react. You have to be a incredible rider to do this and they to can still fall. Most horses I know like dogs and barely pay attention to them. The owner at the barn has a Sheltland sheepdog who was kicked by some a horse and almost died. It was trying to herd a group of horses. The dog is now always in the house and leashed walked around the barn. I would prefer my dog to ignore them and not interact with the horses. This horse rider new her horse liked dogs she saw the dogs were good dogs albeit taking a big risk and put a lot of trust in the dog owner. The rider probably took situation as a desensitizing exercise for her horse running into loose dogs in a trail and maybe help these dogs gets used to horses if they ran into anyone else on a trail. It must be her strong suit. No trail riders I know would like running into loose dogs on a trail either would I. This however was quite an experience for all involved.


----------



## DTS (Oct 19, 2010)

You can have your weight in your heel all you want. But when a horse rears and falls on top of you, or rolls over on top of you, there isn't much you can do. Sure you're still in the saddle... With a broken pelvis.


----------



## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

I know of a person who got paralyzed because her horse flipped over on her. She was a barn owner and experienced rider. There are many risks riding a horse you do not want to voluntarily add to them.


----------



## jaudlee (Mar 28, 2013)

gsdsar said:


> The first time my boy Nix met a horse it was crazy. I was hiking with him and I could hear them coming. I quickly leashed him and pulled him off the trail and put him in a sit.
> 
> They came around the corner and could see us so they slowed from a canter to a slow walk. As they approached Nix lost his doggy mind. Just went crazy.
> 
> ...




awesome story! yeah, thinking about it now I would have probably handled it a bit differently, but it was such a fast thing I did not have time to think as I would have never imagined this meeting lol thankfully they were both awesome


----------



## jaudlee (Mar 28, 2013)

viking said:


> jaudlee-
> 
> What a lovely experience! You must be so proud of Ruger. I love the pics!
> 
> ...


Thanks for the words of kindness  This was perhaps as well as the meeting could have possibly went lol I do not know much about horses nor controlling them but as I talked to the woman I was reassured as she calmed my anxious doggy-dad self down haha


----------



## jaudlee (Mar 28, 2013)

Jenny720 said:


> Max was a pup when we brought him to the barn. He met our horse who is super sweet. Max would plant his but down and seem to like to keep respectable space. There are people who occasionally bring there dogs down and are loose so we keep max home. We are at the barn a few hours so it easier to keep him home. We have taken him to the barn a few times not many at night to connect the smells from us to the barn. He is leashed and just watched us take care of our horse keeping some distance. We were at the park once and there is old abandoned horse barn. The trails are still used be horses and riders. There was this loud booming sound coming behind the old barn. Someone had trailered three horses and let them gallop around the old paddock. It was quite a site as we just watched them have fun. The three horses stopped dead in their tracks and all eyes were glued to max. Max just looked at them but didn't seem concerned. I never seen horses so preoccupied by a dog before. We watch the horses play some more and walked away.



NICE story  I love how dogs react so differently in similar situations! To hear that the horses were the ones who were hyper-aware is intriguing!


----------



## jaudlee (Mar 28, 2013)

viking said:


> Guys-
> 
> Anyway, I think we've totally derailed the thread which was supposed to be about cute stories of GSDs meeting horses. My apologies to the OP.


NO PROBLEM!!! as much as I want to hear stories I also want to hear possible things I could do if this ever happens randomly again. I know I can control my dog around the horse and he will not go over unless I allow, but I can only control my dog and not the horse


----------



## jaudlee (Mar 28, 2013)

Jenny720 said:


> The rider probably took situation as a desensitizing exercise for her horse running into loose dogs in a trail and maybe help these dogs gets used to horses if they ran into anyone else on a trail. It must be her strong suit. No trail riders I know would like running into loose dogs on a trail either would I. This however was quite an experience for all involved.


I did not think of the rider using this as a training exercise.. very interesting POV


----------



## MagicHorse (Feb 3, 2016)

Horses have a flight or fight response. Some horses just look for an excuse to be silly. I grew up on a horse farm & a pack of wild dogs killed one of our foals. Everything depends on their disposition, experiences (good or bad), & exposure. 

I had a large pony when I was growing up & a medium sized dog that got along great. The dog would gently jump her front paws up on the pony in order for me to pet her when I was riding. We did it all the time. No problems. Then I got my 1st actual, full-size, young, horse. Being a kid & not thinking, I leaned over so I could pet the dog & she put her paws on the horse & the horse went crazy, I fell off, broke my arm. The horse was nuzzling my hair as if she was trying to figure out why I was crying. She has HATED dogs ever since. If any dog is loose in her pasture, she will charge & try to trample it. All our family's dogs have learned not to go near her or her "areas". 

I work on a horse farm & my service dog comes with me every day. When I 1st got him, he wouldn't even try to move out of their way. I had to teach him to move so not to get stepped on. 

I had 1 loose dog that belonged to a neighbor that would nip at my horse's back legs whenever we walked by. I only ever rode the horse that I knew hated dogs past that neighbor. She eventually did kick that dog & while the dog did still follow us past the property, he never tried to bite at her again. 

It was very nice of the horse lady to stop & have a nice interaction.
Some horses love dogs, some hate them, & some are just unsure or scared and some dogs love horses, some are aggressive towards them, & some just want to know what the heck it is.


----------



## viking (May 2, 2014)

jaudlee said:


> NO PROBLEM!!! as much as I want to hear stories I also want to hear possible things I could do if this ever happens randomly again. I know I can control my dog around the horse and he will not go over unless I allow, but I can only control my dog and not the horse


Thanks and you've got a good perspective. Controlling Ruger is the beginning and end of your role in these types of things and you've got that well in hand. Kudos!


----------

