BESIDES my dogs Piper and Zumi my other big animal love is almost 1,100 pounds.
That would be my five-yearold quarter horse Tex.
As prey animals, horses are instinctually aware of animals that are predatory, such as dogs. They recognize the stereotypical behaviours such as a low head, staring eyes and the crouched stance or stalking behaviour in all predatory animals. When they see a dog expressing those behaviours, even in play, a horse can react in ways that could not only endanger the dog, but also the rider who is mounted on its back, regardless of how wellsocialized the horse is to a dog.
When approaching a horse and rider on a trail there are some basic things all dog owners should do, out of common courtesy to the rider mounted upon an animal weighing over 1,000 pounds.
First, please don't take your dog and hide behind a tree or in the bushes. The horse knows you are there - you're now acting suspicious and to a flight animal like a horse, you have become a predatory animal hiding in the bushes . . . not good.
Instead, calmly place your dog on-leash. Then, if your dog is capable of walking in a proper heel, simply carry on in the direction you were going, but in a controlled heel. If your dog glances back at the horse, allow it, but do not let it linger. The less you look like a stalking pack of wolves the better. If your dog cannot walk in a proper heel then sit at the side of the trail in full view, do not crouch down beside your dog because you have just turned yourself and your dog into crouching tigers.
Say hello to the horse and rider, this lets the horse know you are of the human kind and relaxes the rider. Do your best to prevent your dog from crouching down or staring intently at the horse - break the dog's staring gaze, even if it means to abruptly turn and walk in the opposite direction of the approaching horse. You are trying to break the stalking thought process in your dog's mind. If you have treats or a ball that you can use to focus your dog's attention then do so.
Claim the space. This means that you step into the dog's personal space and use your physical body as pressure to get the dog to take a step or two backwards away from you and out of the space you just claimed. This draws a dog's attention off the distraction and onto you. Once the rider has passed then carry on with your walk.
Don't let your dog offleash immediately, especially if it was highly stimulated by the horse, as it will likely ignore you and rush back to the horse to investigate. This may cause the horse to feel threatened.
Horses typically respond to a threat by fleeing. Most people have trouble controlling a 60-pound dog, imagine how a rider must feel trying to control a 1,000-pound fleeing horse. If unable to flee, a horse will fight. When this happens a horse will stomp with their front hooves or kick with their back to protect themselves if they feel threatened. If they make contact with your dog with either end there are surely going to be severe injuries or even death.
Most riders try to avoid dogs by crossing to the other side of a trail but sometimes the two meet. It is safest for all, if dog owners act with common sense and courtesy by taking responsibility for their dogs.
PET PAUSE
Human's name: Janet Stock. Pet: Shih-tzu-Tibetan terrier cross Harley, nine months old. Favourite treat: California rolls.
Favourite activities: Splashing in the water and playing with puppy friends.
If you would like to appear in Pet Pause, send information to [email protected].
