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Best dog breed for trial riding?

44K views 105 replies 65 participants last post by  AnnaHalford  
#1 · (Edited)
I am looking to buy a puppy within the next couple months, and would like to hear your opinions on the best breed for trail riding. I want a dog that is big enough to keep up and not get stepped on by my horse, but that is small enough to comfortably fit in my trailers living quarters. I was told that the dalmatian is a "horsey" breed, but they are almost too big for me. I've also heard that the border collie is a great trail companion, but correct me if I'm wrong, it seems like they would get REALLY hot in that thick black coat. I am usually riding in 95 to 105 degree weather (in the woods though, so it's a little cooler) and am crossing mud, creeks, steep hills, rocks, thick brush, etc. I think a dog with long hair will only be maintenance. i am very interested in the Brittany, but since they are a bird dog, will I have a problem with them running off the trail after a bird? And do they cross water willingly? I was also looking at the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, but I really don't know much about them. Currently, I have a male Cocker spaniel, and though he has a winning personality, he won't cross a creek for his life, and he doesn't have enough energy to last on a trail ride. I would be willing to look into mix breeds, but their characteristics seem to be random, and when I buy my puppy, I have to know that it will be able to last long distances, follow me through any terrain, and not overheat. I live in a neighborhood, but my yard is about 7 acres. 1 acre of open yard, and 6 acres of woods. If you count the farm where I board my horse, the dog would have about 12 acres overall to roam, so space shouldn't be a problem. I also go trail riding every weekend, and ride everyday. A high energy dog is great, and I do have the space and time for one. Any help is great, and to anyone who owns any of the dogs mentioned, if I said anything about the breed that you find false, please know that it is a general assumption, or something I heard from somebody else. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks!
 
#3 ·
I can only speak of Border Collies, since that's what I breed/raise/train. They can make wonderful trail companions and they handle the heat very well. Ours work all summer long in pretty consistent 100+ degree temps and the only thing we really take care to do is let them jump in a creek or a water tank after each session of working cattle, where they have to run full out. As for just plodding along with the horses for 6-8 hours at 3 gaits, they don't have a problem at all.

However, BC's are very high energy dogs and most have a very high prey drive. So long as you have a good call-back that they answer to every time, then being out on the trail isn't the actual problem, it's the downtime that they have issues with. Because they are high energy, if they are understimulated, they will find ways to amuse themselves, which often includes being destructive by digging or chewing. If they are to be outside dogs, then they almost always have to be penned up or chained. If they are allowed to run free, they will often seek out animals to satisfy their prey drive; cattle, horses, goats, sheep, fowl, even deer.

Here is another thread that has a lot of good information
http://www.horseforum.com/general-off-topic-discussion/best-dog-breed-horse-people-113164/
 
#4 ·
If I was going to ride a dog on the trail, I suppose it would be a great Dane....
Sorry... Couldn't resist. Border collies are INSANE. As in *whatsmyjobwhatsmyjobwhatsmyjob* 24/7!!!
My bf's parents have one, and I always get 'herded' through the house. I think a border collie would be an awesome trail dog, They certainly have the energy for it! I think they're annoying, but i think it's only because the one I'm around doesn't have a *job*. They are incredibly smart though.
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#9 ·
That is what I want when I can move out of my apartment! I know a lot of horse people have them because I see them at shows all the time :lol:
I've also met one or two in person they seemed like great dogs.
The breed goes by several different names: Australian Cattle Dog and Blue or Red heeler depending on the color.

I absolutely love my Boston Terrier, but she makes me nervous around the horses because of her size. I'm afraid she'll get smooshed.

They make Mini Australian Shepherds now too if you're wanting something slightly smaller.
 
#8 ·
A pointer! We have a pointer named Sam who is just full of energy and wants to play all the time. He think any and every dog is his best friend and wants to play with them. They're also fast learners, loyal, and affectionate. Sam loves going out to the horses.

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#10 ·
i usually see border collies, australian shephers, labs, retreivers, heelers, and cattle dogs of all sorts lol.. it all depends on what you are looking for. i am actually trying to break a beagle reputation of being fat and lazy by training my little girl beagle/border mix (looks pure beagle) to be a trail dog...

i think really any dog can be a trail dog it all just depends on the training...someone on here even had a malamute i think it was as a trail dog and taught them to jump in the saddle with them when others were approaching...
but again its all really in the training :p
 
#11 ·
I would recommend a Border Collie or a BC cross too! But the most important thing is not the breed it is how you train your dog! I have a Border Collie x black lab and she is perfect for trail riding, right energy, listening very well and has respect of the horses! Make sure that your dog is perfectly listening off leash to avoid any trouble out on the trails! Let us know your decision :0)
 
#12 ·
I've owned 2 Border Collies. One wasn't above trying to herd flies if she was bored, but what she really wanted was to be with her people. She could sit for hours watching us. The Border Collie I have now has short, coarse hair. He can go for hours if there is a reason, or relax contently for an entire day - IF he is with his people.

If anyone does want to get a Border Collie, get one bred for herding. If the parents haven't been used for herding or trials, pass them up. People who breed for shows or for games don't understand what a Border Collie really is. Pass them up also if your lifestyle doesn't allow you to spend a LOT of time with the dog.

Long hair doesn't stop a dog in hot weather. They don't have sweat glands, so the long hair doesn't make them hot. I don't think there is a breed that is good for trails, but any dog bred for outdoor work (hunting, herding, etc) should have potential.

If someone is interested in Border Collies, I'd recommend starting here:

Living With Border Collies

I normally try to steer folks away from Border Collies because too much popularity can ruin a breed fast. And unhappily, there are a lot of Border Collie breeders who breed for sport, or color, or all sorts of other things irrelevant to being a good Border Collie.
 
#13 ·
The best trail riding dog that I ever had was a dalmatian. He stayed right with the horse. He kept the road clear of scary rabbits and snakes and such.

The biggest problem with some dogs is that they wander off into the woods, chase deer or rabbits, get in the road, or generally get in trouble. Somebody mentioned a beagle. They are super sweet dogs, but the ones that I have known will get off on a rabbit trail and they might not come back.

My sister had a blue heeler that was an awesome horse dog. If he had a problem it was staying too close to the horse. Sometimes I worried that she would get stepped on.
 
#14 ·
Bsms, that is a great website!

I adore the BC breed and will likely never go to another because they work perfectly for what I do and where I live. I am able to spend a lot of time with them and they get to work their little butts off in the summer. Because they are working dogs, they learn very young to stick with the horses until they hear the magic words "get out", which cues them to go herd the cattle that we want them to. Plus, they have a very solid call-back, so either a particular whistle or a spoken "That'll do" will immediately bring them all right back to us.

So long as a person has the dog knowledge and time to handle their high energy-high drive personality, a BC can be the very best dog for them.

When I go out on a trail ride, I usually have anywhere from 2 to 10 dogs with me at a given time. Other than the occasional wandering of a very young dog, they all stay right there with my horse, regardless of the speed I'm going
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Once they figure out where the water is at and that it feels good when they're hot, a simple command of "Get in the water" will send them sprinting to jump in the nearest tank/pond/lake
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But, as I said, the prey drive is very high and they will attempt to herd whatever they have access to. Some of them will herd fearlessly with absolutely no regard to their own health
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Even though what they decide to herd can sometimes be, as the old saying goes, "as difficult as herding cats"
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But once they bond to you, they are some of the most loyal and devoted dogs I've ever seen. They will protect your family and your property to their dying breath.
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Anyway, sorry for the picture overload LOL. I would recommend the breed to everyone so long as they would go into the ownership prepared and educated about what they were getting themselves into. So many people get a working breed dog because they are "pretty" and don't realize how much work it can be to keep them happy and well-adjusted.
 
#15 ·
LABRADOR! Preferably a black one. I'm biased towards them. I have not introduced Orson to my horses yet (I am afraid of the barn owners' current dogs bothering him) but he comes hiking with me to a local state park, he LOVES water. I can't keep him out of it for the most part.
 
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#16 · (Edited)
I adore the breed. Hopefully they won't be ruined by breeding for looks.

When I wanted another one, I saw the name of a guy who did trials with them & I emailed, explained about our previous dog, and asked if he could help. He directed me to a woman who bred dogs for trials, and my agreement with her was that she would pick the dog most likely to fit in a non-herding home. A year later, the guy I emailed out of the blue won the National Open competition...

Jack believes his role in life is to bring order to the universe, which he defines as where we live. Unless asked, he won't go past the fence line. He's decided I need extra help, and is lying on my foot as I type. He was bitten on the nose by a rattlesnake last year. $2000 in bills later, I brought him home. His whole face was swollen. I made him a bed in a quiet place and left him to rest. Not a minute later, he crawled over to me, put his swollen face on my foot, sighed...and went to sleep.

Jack after he came home:

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The first one we had was a constant companion to our baby. Some say Border Collies aren't good with babies, but no one told her:

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If our youngest strayed too far, Leila would lie down on top of her and bark for help. With the older kids, play could get rougher:

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#17 ·
I also love border collies. They do make wonderful companions and they love to be out and about around the farm and with the horses. The first 2 pictures are of my first border collie, who passed away last summer, he was 13 years old. The rest of the pictures are of my new little companion, who just turned 1 year old end of March. These pictures were taken last summer when he was just a puppy.
 

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#18 ·
I have had several labs and they were excellent dogs. I have always loved labs.

Do you have any problem with your border collies chasing the horses? Our neighbor had one that chased horses and cows and came close to killing them. He had to keep that dog confined 24/7 to prevent disaster.
 
#23 ·
Do you have any problem with your border collies chasing the horses? Our neighbor had one that chased horses and cows and came close to killing them. He had to keep that dog confined 24/7 to prevent disaster.
Yes and no. If ours get loose and there is no person around, they will often try to herd the horses from the pasture or the front paddock. They will occasionally nip at the horses and sometimes bark, but they've never shown any inclination of being aggressive enough to actually hurt the horse.

However, when one of the family is at the barn, the loose dogs are perfectly content to follow us around and completely ignore the horses.
 
#19 · (Edited)
I had a choc. lab that I took with me on trail. She was the perfect dog, always stayed right by my horse and listened well when on trail, never left our side. I never trained her to stay near me, it was just her personality-she just wanted to be with me. Unfortunately, my current labs don't have that type of instinct to stay as close so I don't take them with. On the other hand, I have a client with a border collie cross who is totally clued in to me, I believe that this boy would stick right by me no matter where I was or what I was doing!

And I love all the pics everyone's included of their dogs!
 
#20 ·
Most of the trail dogs I know are Cattle dog types, Heelers, etc. They have the stamina to keep up over distance and are small enough to carry in the saddle if they do get worn out.

Having said that, I had a Rottweiler who was an amazing trail dog. He absolutely would not leave my horse's side unless I instructed him to "sit" and "stay" somewhere. Never paid a moment's notice to other horses, riders, hikers, dogs, or wildlife we encountered.

Having said that, his coat color made it difficult for him in hot, sunny weather if we were on trail without much shade. I usually left him at home during mid-summer rides unless we did an early morning or evening ride when it was cooler. I don't think he minded staying in the air conditioning all day. :lol:

In the spring, fall and winter he would go with me the whole time and not have a problem.

I've often wondered about Dalmatians, since the breed has origins as carriage dogs. I know the popularity boom they experienced really created problems for the breed, and I don't know much about their standard temperament. They'd certainly be an easy dog to see out in the woods.

As with any dog, it is really important to train (and be consistent about) obedience work so that your dog is reliable off-lead, and well-socialized to be around horses, other dogs, and people. Keep in mind that many areas have leash laws, and though many park rangers are willing to overlook a "trail dog" that is off-leash, if your dog causes trouble for other trail users you ARE at fault.
 
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#21 ·
I'd go with the Duck Toller. They have a more even personality. Eager to please but know when it's time to chill out. Some times border collies and other herding dogs have a hard time shutting down. They need a job to do pretty much all of the time. Duck Tollers are super smart and catch on to anything pretty quick.
 
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#24 ·
While I love BCs and have owned two, I just wanted to add my twopence-worth in support of the many awesome mixes around... and also suggest maybe looking to get a young dog from a shelter? Many adolescent dogs are given up because their owners simply didn't pick the right breed - what everyone has been saying about working dogs needing a job. At a shelter you can find purebreds or mixes that have already gone through the puppy stuff, are already housetrained, and in many cases who have already settled down through the adolescent crises. Lots of shelters even work on their training. Plus, you can find one where you already know s/he's suited to trail running in terms of health, ability, and likes/dislikes.

Just an idea.

My trail / travel dog Delta is a two-year old example of that famous breed, the mid-size tan dog. She's from the Congo. I've had her since she was six weeks old and she is easily capable of 15 miles and up for more. ***photo overload warning***

Possibly not impressed with her photo position:
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Wondering if there's a chance of a morsel of sugar lump falling out of Minina's mouth (no, there wasn't)
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This was the end of a 16-mile day
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Not agreeing on the need for hi-vis gear
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Modelling her rucksack (she normally carries about 2.5kg but then she weighs only 17...)
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OK, I'll stop there :D
 
#28 ·
I have an Aussie and she's great to take along. You have to start training, for any dog, at a young age so they dont go herd the horse or run off to chase something else. I can be out there all day and my dog keeps up.
 
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