# Does anyone take their dogs on rides?



## Oreos Girl (May 24, 2011)

I take my dog, she has learned to stay out of the way of the horses and typically watches for where we are. You want a good come and leave it to have your dog out on the trail.


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## nikelodeon79 (Mar 3, 2008)

When I worked for a riding stable, we trained her dogs to range out front and flush any wildlife before the horses got there. The dogs wore bells on their collars so the horses knew where they were.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Always - I don't think I've ever been out riding without at least a couple.

There should be some not-too-old threads about riding with dogs, like this: http://www.horseforum.com/trail-riding/trail-riding-dog-help-338697/

Best advice, I think, for a dog that's new to riding is to take hm/her along on a ride with several other experienced dogs, so the new dog can see what's proper behavior. And of course it's a good idea to get your horse used to dogs other than your own, because you never know when you'll meet them on the trails.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I don't own a dog, but several of my friends do, and they always bring them along. Never been a problem

From little dogs 


To bigger dogs.




Shorts to all days rides like those in the photos above. The dogs have a great time


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Painted Horse...it took me a bit to find the small dog in the first photo. My eyes must be going... Great photos as usual!

I love having a dog along. Haven't had a trail dog in a few years and I miss it.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Dustbunny said:


> Painted Horse...it took me a bit to find the small dog in the first photo. My eyes must be going...


Not just yours. I think it must be a MilSpec stealth dog


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## Roux (Aug 23, 2013)

I think it really depends on the dog.

I love to take dogs when they are good trail dogs but when they aren't it is waaaay more trouble then it is worth. 

I have had dogs that have been great trail dogs but my current dog is a real pain. He won't stay out of the what of the horses and he barks at horses that don't stay in line. He is a border collie from working stock so I think its mostly is instinct so I can't blame him too much I just leave him home. 

One of the best trail dogs I know is a shih tzu believe it or not, that little guy could go and go and go!


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

When I went riding in Canyon de Chelley, one of the riders had his dog along. When the dog got tired, he would ride behind his owner.





He was such a cool, well behaved dog, too.


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## Customcanines (Jun 17, 2012)

Yep, always take mine
She does know "come", "leave it" and "stay" very well


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

The lady that owned that little stealth dog, drove me crazy worrying about the dog all day. About 3/4 of the way through the ride, She scoupped it up and stuffed it in a doggy carry pack tied on the back of her horse.
'


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

My dogs would have heart attacks if they were not allowed to come along when I left the yard with the horse.


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## Indiana2 (Mar 30, 2014)

I would like to take mine but they're just so crazy,...they'd LOVE it but I'm afraid I would be concentrating on them and not the ride. However once they got tired....I must try it one time and see how it goes


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## Atomicodyssey (Apr 13, 2014)

Thanks everyone, this is all good info to know! Unfortunately I think I'll have a hard enough time finding someone to go along on trails with me period, let alone ones with trail experienced dogs. Mine has never been but she is good around horses, however on normal off leash walks she likes to dawdle around and wait til we are so far away then come flying! Hopefully she won't do that with the horses. I think I would start just riding around the barn with her and go from there seeing how she is. Of course being in Florida it's already getting too hot for her so I will have to wait til it gets cool again. She's a 50 lbs dog so she better suck it up because I don't see her comin up with me lol!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

If your horse is rope broke (if not, don't try this as it could easily get you bucked off), then you could put the dog on a long rope and take it along for the ride. That way, it couldn't dawdle too far behind or run away from you. That's how we sometimes handle our young dogs, especially if they show a tendency to run off after rabbits/cows/birds/etc as soon as there isn't a human standing nearby.

Anyway, after the initial training is done and you know she'll come to your call as soon as you call, then there's no reason to not take her.

We often take anywhere from 3 to 8 dogs with us at a time.






















And, I met a couple of friends a few years ago that were crossing the country on horseback. They have a red heeler that made the entire trip with them.
https://www.facebook.com/DisciplesofJesusHorseman.TimLynnTuggle


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

I am taking my dog on a normal length leash until he's trust worthy off leash. We also practice on the trails on a 50 ft long line when no horses are involved. He likes to herd the horses, so no long line while riding 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

My dog's kind of a little bit psycho.

Totally adorable, totally an awesome dog. Totally crazy excited about life. I'd take him but I don't think he'd stay with the horse, if you know what I mean.


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## GracielaGata (Jan 14, 2012)

SMRobs, the dog swimming in the horse trough is awesome!
we only take our dogs when we ride right near the house on private property. And not every ride recently, as our older dog is getting arthritic and gets really sore for a few days.
This last ride, we actually also took 2 of the barn cats! Dang things... we forgot to put up a puzzle/door block to stop them from following (a temporary block to the door, takes them about 10 minutes to puzzle out and knock down, enough time to get away, lol)... they ended up following after us, crying and mewling for us to wait up... so we did when we realized... then we looked like nut balls calling for them in the woods, trees, etc... But they kept up. Or horses could have cared less... the dogs always run around them as well. All are good for flushing out deer and such.  I *really* wanted to get one of the cats up on a horse, but wasn't sure how to go about doing that... lol


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Thanks LOL. When it's 100+ degrees and they just finished herding cattle, that's the one place they enjoy more than anything.

This one is so goofy. He's really tall and long so he'll sit on the bottom of the tank with his hind end but instead of standing on his front, he'll dog-paddle. :lol:


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Looks like the horses are drinking Doggy soup to me.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Atomicodyssey said:


> Mine has never been but she is good around horses, however on normal off leash walks she likes to dawdle around and wait til we are so far away then come flying!


Sometimes they can change their personality when you're on a horse. My younger dog is usually a real runner: out hiking I can look away for a few seconds, and he's a quarter mile up the mountainside, then a minute or two later I'll see him up the other side. Get me on a horse, though, and he stays right by the stirrup the whole time.


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## RhondaLynn (Jan 26, 2010)

I would LOVE to take my dog.. He is a Brittany and loves to GO, GO, GO! But, he is a working, bird dog. If we took him on a ride he would hunt! Once on point he might get lost from us because he would stay on point for a long time!!

Rhonda


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## Bellasmom (Jun 22, 2011)

Depends on the dog and the horse. I have friends that INSIST on taking their two dogs on EVERY ride, and sometimes it's a pain. The dogs are good trail dogs and my horse could care less when they come crashing thru the underbrush right underneath her. However, when we road ride the dogs tend to saunter down the center of the road & the owner flags down traffic to accommodate them. They also are never leashed, even when we're camping somewhere that requires it. These folks are members of the same trail club that I am, so not riding with them is not really an option. I get a little tired of people that assume everyone loves their dogs (or kids) like they do.


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## GracielaGata (Jan 14, 2012)

Bellasmom said:


> Depends on the dog and the horse. I have friends that INSIST on taking their two dogs on EVERY ride, and sometimes it's a pain. The dogs are good trail dogs and my horse could care less when they come crashing thru the underbrush right underneath her. However, when we road ride the dogs tend to saunter down the center of the road & the owner flags down traffic to accommodate them. They also are never leashed, even when we're camping somewhere that requires it. These folks are members of the same trail club that I am, so not riding with them is not really an option. I get a little tired of people that assume everyone loves their dogs (or kids) like they do.


Yeah that way of being on the road would peeve me as well! Our dogs do not go at all if there is potential to meet other dogs. Too many factors i can't control. Just foot hiking we have come across several people who seemed to see fit to have their super dog aggressive dogs loose out on a trail, I guess they hoped no one was there and the toothy pooch needs his exercise too.


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

I simplt cannot imagine riding without my dog


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## Bajacookiedough (May 1, 2014)

Atomicodyssey said:


> My dog absolutely loves coming out to the barn and is very good with horses (she gives them kisses). It's getting too hot now but I think she would love to come along on rides when it's cool again. Yay or nay?


I take my dogs on all my rides and they are good at staying close. We sometimes pick up neighbor dogs too for a little ways. But anyways I think it's great for your dogs to get exercise but it might be a struggle for older dogs so maybe a short ride for them. If its really hot there is usually water around somewhere that my dogs will find but if it is too hot you shouldn't go on a long hard ride anyways.  but yeah I think it's great to have dogs come along!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Atomicodyssey (Apr 13, 2014)

I've been bringing her out to the barn lately just so she's calmer, she's sweet with the horses but has no regard as far as running up on them. She's starting to mellow out more and soon I hope to try her out on a short ride. It's cool enough in the evenings and there's a creek not too far away!


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

This is our dog:










She is a young working dog and go, go, go all day, so would be insulted and protesting if I didn't take her riding. She sticks closer to me on a horse than on a mountain bike because of the "herding" thing. Once she worked out a horse can go fast, she started nagging us whenever we were just walking: Jumping up and down in front of us barking etc, "Please go faster!" I told my horse she was on L-plates and would need educating. We don't speed up until she behaves, and she's really settling. We used to have a borrowed dog along and my horse likes having a dog along as we ride solo most of the time. Also the dog spots the wildlife before the horse, so the horse is less inclined to have a spooking moment. We ride in isolated forest away from traffic, and on the rare occasions the dog bounds off after a kangaroo, I can call her back by this sound I make blowing into cupped hands. I don't know what that's called, but you can make really loud hoots that carry a long way like that, and you can change pitch and ululate and all sorts, and it brings the dog back really fast!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Sue, you mean something like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsDP2ZxZMu8


Have you tried a whistle like this? This is what we use and once you get the hang of it, you can hit any pitch from deep to piercing, it's super loud, and hands free:wink:.
WildWest Whistles Gifts for Owners of Herding and Working Dogs - Working Dog Whistles


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Yep, exactly like that, but with far more volume! The sound really carries. They don't say what it's called even on that clip!

Thanks for the whistle link. I think I'll pass because I love the hand-hooting thing. My horse expects me to call the dog when she isn't close by, and stands nicely for me to do it. Also the sound is loud and echoes far and wide but doesn't grate on the ears.

I love the photos of your dogs "in the drink" etc. So few dogs get to live like that now!  My dog is forever jumping into any farm dam or creek we pass, which has helped cure my horse of his initial dislike of water in any other form than his drinking trough. :rofl:


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