# Riding equines with one's companion dog safely.



## jonbailey (May 7, 2018)

How does one ride on a trail with their dog along for companionship or security safely? 

This question assumes that dogs are not outlawed on any particular equestrian route or other area where equines may be ridden to begin with. 

Some places may have rules that require the dog to be on a lead or the dog's safety may dictate he be prudently be on a lead in areas near motor vehicles or wild animals as snakes and porcupines which are injurious to dogs. How can the dog be safely under lead control by an equestrian in the saddle whether the equine animal is a horse, mule or donkey? 

I figure a donkey might be the safest mount in which to control a dog on lead due to their relatively docile and slow-moving nature. I would never have a dog near an equine that wasn't well-trained, obedience trained and accustomed to being around such hoofed animals and I would want my equines sacked out well to canines to boot. 

I am considering going deer hunting in Idaho on donkey-back in the future and due to state game regulations, I would prudently have my dog under lead control while pursuing such game as the dog is prohibited from being directly involved in the big-game hunt and is subject to being put to death by the authorities if caught pursuing wild animals. 

I understand you don't want the dog tied to the lead or saddle equine like a string of other equines being lead as that is very unsafe for the dog if the hoofed animal should bolt. I figure the dog's lead will have to be in the hand of the rider and be held so it can be dropped in a hurry. I figure the lead should also be so long. 

The dog should be trained to maintain a proper interval from the horse, etc. while under way, and not pull on the lead and be to close to the animal's feet, I would think. 

There are many reasons an equestrian might want his canine friend present on the trail:

1. security and/or companionship on the trail or in camp
2. he doesn't like to leave his pooch cooped up at home or in a boarding kennel while he is out riding
3. the dog is involved in a hunting expedition (if the dog may be legally involved in the pursuit of game)
4. it is good exercise for dogs if the person needs a saddled hoofed animal as a mobility aid on longer treks out of doors
5. the dog needs to always be near his master for care


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I have trail ridden with dogs for many years, but only on a dead end road and lonely bush trails, no restrictions. The dogs will chase off grouse and deer but only a little ways then come back to me which I want. If I see a bear or a moose, we turn around and leave! As far as using a leash on horseback, I have never seen this done, nor would I personally try it but others might have and hopefully will respond.


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## jonbailey (May 7, 2018)

waresbear said:


> I have trail ridden with dogs for many years, but only on a dead end road and lonely bush trails, no restrictions. The dogs will chase off grouse and deer but only a little ways then come back to me which I want. If I see a bear or a moose, we turn around and leave! As far as using a leash on horseback, I have never seen this done, nor would I personally try it but others might have and hopefully will respond.


I would still think the dog lead might work better on a slower-moving mount like a mammoth donkey than a faster-stepping horse or mule.

I have seen bicycle riders control leashed dogs quite well in my town. A riding *** or pack burro generally is slower than a bicycle. 

A bicycle seems even more awkward with a leash in hand since you need both hands to work the brakes and gear shift levers. 

Western riders customarily have the reins in one hand while the other hand is free to use a rope if one is a mounted cowboy. 

I figure a donkey rider will control his mount with one hand and have the other hand free as for a dog leash when necessary.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

I used to lead a dog of mine, an Alaskan Malamute. First of all he was well trained to lead and I started him with a super dependable mare that had done a lot of ponying horses. She was a dominant mare and when we went down the road the dog was coming along just fine but had a tendency at the trot to get ahead and cut in front of her, his tail waving gaily under her nose, she would just reach down and bite him on the tail. He quickly learned to stay at her shoulder where I wanted him to be.
The main reason I kept him on a lead is if we met any people he would run up to them in a friendly fashion but him looking like a wolf and weighing over 100 lbs it would scare them so he had to be on a lead.
He learned to keep clear of the feet and stay beside me no problem even when I was riding one of my other horses. 

Your dog has to be well trained to lead and you should have no problems as long as the horse is used to dogs.

I remember one time I was passing a place that had several German Shepherds and these dogs came running out barking so I decided to move on quickly to get by them and went into a canter, dog coming along until he stopped to take a look at the dogs and darn near jerked me right out of the saddle. Other than that one incident he was really good to take with me on the lead.


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## tim62988 (Aug 30, 2012)

in your case I would wonder about and ask the idaho fish & game: can your dog be un-tethered while riding since that is generally just a means of getting to/from a glassing location, hiking location, ect... then when you dismount to do the actual hunting you put a leash on your dog and leave it with the horses or at your side.


I just started taking my border collie trail riding last year. The desire was there before that but she wasn't as reliable on her recall at that point. Local Dog-Watch (brand) people got me hooked up with an electronic collar to help with her recall, now when she sees that collar come out of the closet she sits at the door ready for some sort of adventure. Also threw a small cow bell on the e-collar so I'm not constantly looking for the dog you can hear if she's stopped for some reason. This spring thew a basket muzzle in the mix just to be safe since we do come upon other dogs while riding and I don't 100% trust her or them not to do something stupid if someone gets the wrong idea so with a basket muzzle one can be sure my dog won't be inflicting the damage (covering my own butt) Now I have been extremely lucky that Jenni likes to be dead last in line, so she generally stays on the trail following the last horse at 1-10 horse lengths. When we come upon others we move off to the side and she sits & waits until I release her, when we get to the parking/camping areas I dismount and use a leadrope as a leash.

Have ridden with the dogs that have 0 manners, bust in/out of the brush keeping some horses on alert.

but as I said in your case I'd ask the IDF&G "can my dog be untied while traveling in/out of the hunting area" knowing if you see something you will need to dismount tie the horse, tie the dog, then shoot...


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## DustBuster11 (May 22, 2018)

I just put my dog on a leash, held it tight, and made sure he was to the side of my horse and not in front. Both my dog and my horse are very well behaved, so just make sure they're used to each other first, and they'll be alright


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

I think the problem with dogs on the trail in general, have more to do with people riding green horses who's horses aren't familiar with dogs. 

I've never seen anyone on horseback lead a dog along side.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

In the U.K. it is illegal to lead a dog from a horse, a bicycle or a motorised vehicle. 

My dogs all would exercise with the horses, they were trained to be obedient, they knew 'come in' meant to get behind the horse as well as heel, sit, wait and stay. 

They knew not to chase stock or wild animals unless told they could. 

Luckily we do not have such strict leash laws. 

As for snakes I watch Cesar Milan where he had a rattle snake in a box, he did use and e collar if thendogs went near it, just to teach them to avoid snakes.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

When I ride with the dogs, the dogs wear e-collars. They don't go with us until they are trained to stay close, and with a reliable 'come' and 'down' command, no matter what. Chasing a spooked deer? They will call off and come to me. I don't think I've had to push the shock button in years-- the vibrate gets their attention if they're sniffing off after some animal and I need them to check back in for a command. They usually stay within about 30 feet. I do carry a leash for each dog on my saddle in case we stop and I need to tether them, and I make sure the areas we ride will have minimal, if any, motor vehicle traffic. They know that when another rider, hunter, person on an ATV, etc. approaches, they need to get behind my horse and stay there. I will not have my dogs frighten someone or scare someone else's horse. 

The key to successful and humane use of an e-collar is that it is not used to teach a command, but instead used to enforce a command that the dog already knows 100% but is choosing to disobey. When the collars come out, the dogs dance around in excitement because they know they're going to go do something fun.


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## jonbailey (May 7, 2018)

SilverMaple said:


> When I ride with the dogs, the dogs wear e-collars. They don't go with us until they are trained to stay close, and with a reliable 'come' and 'down' command, no matter what. Chasing a spooked deer? They will call off and come to me. I don't think I've had to push the shock button in years-- the vibrate gets their attention if they're sniffing off after some animal and I need them to check back in for a command. They usually stay within about 30 feet. I do carry a leash for each dog on my saddle in case we stop and I need to tether them, and I make sure the areas we ride will have minimal, if any, motor vehicle traffic. They know that when another rider, hunter, person on an ATV, etc. approaches, they need to get behind my horse and stay there. I will not have my dogs frighten someone or scare someone else's horse.
> 
> The key to successful and humane use of an e-collar is that it is not used to teach a command, but instead used to enforce a command that the dog already knows 100% but is choosing to disobey. When the collars come out, the dogs dance around in excitement because they know they're going to go do something fun.



Some of the dangers in the boonies of my home state of Idaho are porcupines and rattlesnakes for dogs. I am considering a pair of German shepherd pups in the near future and don't want them to be porcupine-quilled like my black Lab was 15 years ago in this state's woods. I used to be careless with dogs out of doors when I was younger and naive and sometimes this would lead to trouble. Labrador retrievers and hounds both are hunting dogs that are highly nosy and have strong prey-drive instincts. They are lousy dog breeds to play out of doors with wild animals around unless they are hunting the proper game and in the proper place they are supposed to be hunting as the law allows. I still want to play out of doors with my dogs BUT keep them safe and proper under the rules of dog laws. The shepherds are to be raised and trained as both companion and watch dogs and must learn to stay away from all wild critters, period. It may still be prudent to put them on lead sometimes while in the woods even where the law allows off leash.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I didn’t know Idaho had such strict dog laws. I almost always have dogs with me when I ride. That being said I’ve never ridden with one on a leash, although I’ve threatened to rope a dog that I was mad at once. lol. It was more to scare the dog than to actually have it on a rope. I’m pretty confident they’d run right back up the rope and could likely end up under your horse creating a big wreck. That just doesn’t sound fun to me.

I think that as long as your dog listens and you have a semblance of control of your horse you are fine. 

On a side note; I don’t think a donkey would be any better for it than a horse. That being said, if you want a donkey you should get one! I’m sure it would be fun, and you don’t need an excuse to want to ride one over a horse. If that’s what you want, I say go for it.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Just to add; I’ve been lucky and never had a dog bitten by a rattle snake. I don’t micromanage them either. I know it does happen, but I take my chances as does everyone else I know. Many many people have cow dogs doing their job. I’ve never even heard of any of their dogs being bitten.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I would not even consider leading a dog off of a horse. The chance of the lead getting tangled up around the horses legs is too great. The horse can fall. Dog, horse and you can be injured. If your dog won't come when you call him, he is not ready to take on trails.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

Celeste said:


> I would not even consider leading a dog off of a horse. The chance of the lead getting tangled up around the horses legs is too great. The horse can fall. Dog, horse and you can be injured. If your dog won't come when you call him, he is not ready to take on trails.



That's what I was thinking. It's a wreck waiting to happen as all it takes is the dog to make one wrong move and they are wrapped around the horse's legs. At best that is a tripping hazard. At worst, that could REALLY panic some horses. Maybe most horses.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Most trails in my area are one-animal-wide so a dog on a leash would be a disaster. I miss not having a dog trail companion. Years ago I had the perfect one. On foot or on a horse she took her job of getting me down the trail very seriously. She always lead the way, never ventured far off the trail, and recall was never an issue. And I never taught her any of this. She was a PitX. I would have a 100 of her! I have access to timberland so I do not need to haul out to ride. Personally, I would not take a dog out on public trails as there are so many factors that you have little control over.
I guess the main things you need to consider are the local laws and the training and safety of your dogs and the animal you are riding.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

I take my dog riding with me all the time. My horse was raised with polite dogs, and Hope is careful around horses so they never interfere with each other. When we encounter another trail user I just call her in. I've called her off porcupines and off deer. I wouldn't ride with a dog I could not call off anything. 

When I was a kid I always took my dog riding with me too. Like my Hope dog now, Gretel was the perfect inobtrusive companion, always kept up, never got in trouble, and never got in the way. 

I didn't spend a huge amount of time training them to be that way, it's just natural. I've had plenty of dogs I wouldn't take trail riding, too. I'd guess the majority of dogs would be a liability on the trail.

I have never heard of leading a dog from horseback. Seems like a recipe for big trouble.


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

jonbailey said:


> I am considering a pair of German shepherd pups in the near future and don't want them to be porcupine-quilled like my black Lab was 15 years ago in this state's woods.



The dog of my childhood was a pure-bred German Shepherd. She constantly went after skunks, porcupines, raccoons, whole packs of coyotes, and once even a wolverine. I lost track of how many times we pulled quills out of her mouth. Dogs are individuals, regardless of breed.


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## Dixiesmom (May 26, 2013)

Most of my dog experiences on trails haven't been great. Had a horse who wasn't fond of dogs and when one insists on periodically darting right under his nose, I had my hands full trying to keep my horse from grabbing him with his teeth or stomping them. Really don't want to listen to folks yelling for their dogs over and over. Trying to be one with nature here, not your screaming - it's like being on the beach listening to the waves and smelling the salt air and someone comes out with their radio blaring and 3 gallons of perfume or cologne on.

Having said that, I have also run into folks whose dogs stays very close and a simple "Fido" at normal conversation volume brings the dog immediately to the side of their horse to sit quietly as you pass. THOSE DOGS can be out any time I am, the rest, stay home. Yes, I am a dog owner, but a chihuahua and 2 Beagles are NOT trustworthy trail dogs. Besides, my trail time is Dixie only time.


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

I am a dog lover. I think dogs and horses don't mix. One mistake by a dog could cost another rider serious injury, and it has happened many times. Even good dogs make mistakes. It isn't worth the risk.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

When I was a child, my sister and I weren't allowed to ride unless our GSD was with us. He was our babysitter and guardian. He warned us of bear, coyote, puma and snakes and would actually herd the horses away if we didn't listen to him. He never wandered off. He knew his job although I don't recall anyone ever teaching him. 

As a teen, my keeshond would come with me on rides. We'd ride on 4 lane roads and I'd say "upside" and he'd stay on the sidewalk (we rode in the street). If we came to an intersection, or a place we had to cross, "wait" meant sit still until I say "come." Keeshonds aren't big dogs, and they aren't designed for Arizona heat, so when he'd start tiring, or if a loose aggressive dog was in the area, I'd say, "Ride!" and he'd bounce from the ground to my foot to my lap and ride. Again, I don't really recall training him to do these things, except 'ride,' but he learned. Even out in the desert he rarely wandered off although he might lag behind on a canter.


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