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Dog attack on horses

6K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  Jaliibean 
#1 · (Edited)
hi my name is lauren and i am currently studding equine managment at craven college as part of my second year i am undertaking a investigation project for this i have chosen to investigate into the incresing number of dog attacks on horses. so i would like to ask if anyone has been involved in or has witnessed a dog attack on horses, whether ridden, in hand, stabled or turned out.
If you have knoweldge of a dog attack which has happened to you or others i would be grateful of your help.
I am looking for information on the attack;
the time of day
the area
weither ridden or other
at a show or out hacking
**HOW DID THE POLICE / COMMUNITY REACT**
any information you can give would help me greatly
i am also looking for any images of injuries caused due to the dog attack also.
I also have a questioner which if you would be willing to fill in would be a great help as i would also like to try and increase publicity into the dangers of dog attack on horses and the police's response to these attacks

so if you are able to please do
i have a email which i am willing to give out if you have a story which would help, and any piece of information no matter how small will help me
thankyou
lauren.
 
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#2 ·
We've had dogs run out and bark at our horses when we were riding by, but other than nip at their heals, you really couldn't call it an attack. Owner was furious when my mare kicked his dog in the head, though. (Dog was NOT hurt badly, but he did have an ugly hematoma behind his ear and probably had a headache) That owner did call the sheriff out, but the RO just laughed at him and told him to keep the dog on his property or he (the dog) could get shot. (We live in the boonies, but there IS a state leash law!)

The only time that a dog ever really attacked the horses in the pasture, the horses killed the dog. My mare is not one to put up with annoyances with anything approaching good grace. She kicked him and he dropped dead. Almost felt sorry for the dog - and his owner's little boy who was too young to understand, but the dog shouldn't have been allowed to run loose. (Pit bulls should NEVER be allowed to run loose - then again, neither should any other dog.) Owner was a real jerk about it, and called the sheriff's office. Got the wrong RO - the deputy was also a horse owner. Deputy made the guy pick up his dead dog and remove it from our pasture and carry the thing all the way home. YUCK! Those people decided that country life wasn't for them, and moved back to town.

We did have another neighbor's dog get in the pen with the horses. He ran around them barking like crazy. He nipped a bit at DJ's heels, but DJ just pinned his ears and kicked out at the dog. The dog tried to get the horses to run, but they weren't interested. That dog was just a pup, and only wanted to play. The owner ran over as soon as he realized that his dog was in our pen. He was very apologetic, and chained the dog with a strong chain until he could build a better run. No harm was done at all.
 
#4 ·
I didn't witness this, so I'm not sure how useful this will be. We used to take care of a small shetland pony, Angel, that belonged to the owners of the property where we board our horses. Before we started boarding there, a previous boarder had a dog, I believe it was a pit bull that for some reason she let off the leash one day. Well Angel liked one of the horses that was at the property and would bet upset when it was taken out, so she was running around neighing for the other horse. I think this set the dog off: seeing an animal in a somewhat panic mode tends to trigger the attack response in most predators. The dog attacked Angel, and ripped her. The vet came out and stitched her up. She didn't think Angel would live, but she did live to about 38 years old. Here's a shot of her the year before she died.

 
#5 ·
dog attack

Hi there
I have ridden and owned horses for forty years and I am a very competent rider. I did have a pit bull cross dog off leash with its clueless owner circle my horse in a local forested park and jump onto its back. The horse reared, fell on his back while I was riding and took off. The dog followed the horse. The horse sustained a huge bite on a foreleg. I sustained a back injury.

These are different times and the dog owners took no responsibility despite the fact the horse bled out and was in a hospital stall for nearly five weeks. The dog owners hid behind their insurance lawyers and actually left town. I was able to track the owners, who lied in court saying that I could not prove their dog had bitten the horse. I spent thousands of dollars tracking these people and ended up getting my horse's medical bills paid, but little else. And no apology. The dog attacked a deer and another horse after my horse was attacked. These people and their dogs are in another state working as property developers.

I would be happy to fill out your survey. What I do now know is that horse owners have to be absolutely proactive at all times. Do not expect bad dog owners to take responsibility for their dog's actions. This nearly cost me my horse's life.
 
#7 ·
Ok my father use to raise AKC labradors and in the winter they were kept loose in the barn. Well I've had riding horses for years stalled in there and no problems. Well then one year I bought a mini mare and stud and the mare was already bred. Let me describe my stalls a little here for you. They are plank maybe two inch gap between boards going up to the ceiling about six foot or a little taller then there is probably about a two foot space between the top board and ceiling. Well the morning I went down to feed and found my dads dog he kept from a litter who was about a year old in the stall. Apparently the mare had foaled that night and he climbed the stall wall and completely mutilated the foalas it was born. He had it shredded into atleast five different pieces. It was a gruesome sight something I will never forget. Never once touched the mare though. So my dad gave the dog away to people that lived in a town rather than country life. So the next year rolls around and I have bred the mare again. I have a seperate room with stalls in that is completely sealed in. I double checked everything added extra precautions. The only way in was through a solid wood door. Well about two weeks before I thought she was due I went down to feed in the morning. I found my fathers prize stud dog had actually chewed through the wood door eating the whole corner off enough to get into the back stalls. I walked in as he was dragging the newly born foal over the waist high gate by it's throat. Again they never touched the mare. These dogs have been around horses there whole lives and have never once tried to bite or harass one before. Whether it be full size horse or a miniature horse. I don't know why they would do this. There is no rational reasoning I can come to. I sold my minis. This was years ago but I've recently acquired a mini mare and have plans of breeding her in the future. No fear though the dogs are very old and arthritic and are being kept int he basement for the winter.
 
#8 · (Edited)
^ That is why I NEVER, EVER house a dog in with my livestock...I have considered Livestock Gaurdian dogs for my herds in the past, but decided to go with llamas, simply because they don't have that prey drive in them, like a dog would.

OP, I have never had a horse attacked by dogs (sheep and goats though)...but I have a friend who had a dog who would pull horses through the stock panels...didn't matter if it was an adult, or foal...if it's legs were close enough to the panel, he would grab it. I never understood why they just didn't get rid of the dog (they lost alot of stock, including some foals), as he was great with people, he just could not handle being around livestock...
 
#10 ·
If I had a say so in the matter things would have been different too. But unfortunately my parents own the farm I only work it for my horses. The dogs are my dad's passion and it is his property. He is kind enough to let me have run of the place I can't tell him he can't leave his dogs in out of the cold into his own barn though. I am quite glad they are all old and retired and going to the basement this winter to be warmer. I don't know if there was something I could have done different that could have changed the out come. I never thought they would have done anything so vicious.After the first dog attack happened I thought it was just that dog in general. He was a nice enough pup but just thought something snapped in him. But for another dog to snap the same way. And I've known these dogs all my life. Never a mean bone in there body. Never would hurt a fly. They could chase a duck down grab it gently in there mouths and take it back to the pond and release it without hurting a feather. Is there something in the smell of birth that would trigger some deep down instinct? I don't know. These are two little graves that are marked down in the back pasture that I always glance at and wonder why.
 
#11 ·
Fancypanzy:I've never been a big fan of dogs either though. I won't have dogs when I'm older. We have three now only cause my family wanted dogs. And one of them bit my horse in the nose and scratched it nothing major, but I taught that dog a lesson and he hasn't done it since.
 
#12 ·
I have been almost attacked by a dog twice while horseback riding. The first time was while I was trail riding with my friend, just a few days after I had gotten my horse. Me and my friend rode down the road a little ways to this baseball field where my parents are, so I could show my uncles and whatnot my horse. Well, someone had their dog off the leash, which is illegal here, and he made a run for my horse. He started circling the horse while growling and my horse just pinned his ears back. Luckily his owner grabbed a hold of him before he could do any damage.

The second time was while trail riding again. I was riding down this dirt road and there's one person that drives up and down the dirt road all the time with their dog hanging half way out of the window and it barks nonstop. Well this car drove by when we were riding and the dog just so happened to jump out of the window (the car wasn't driving fast because we were riding) and my horse spooked, throwing me. The dog chased my horse up the road back to the barn and bit my horse's foreleg, but it wasn't very big.
 
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