The following article was written by Donna, who has extensive experience in pet behavior and pet health.
If you’re a dog owner, chances are you know that with proper introductions and training, they can pretty much coexist with other types of animals. From small animals such as birds to larger animals such as horses, dogs can easily forge a strong bond with them. However, for equestrians and horse owners, you may have a few reservations, especially since dogs can easily become overzealous and cause horses to panic. .
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Why Horses May Panic Around Dogs
While panic is an ordinary reaction to new animals, because of their difference in size, it may pose dangerous situations and threats to the much smaller dog. Horses may also react negatively to certain dog breeds, especially the ones that are genetically trained to herd cattle and sheep, like the German Shepherd or even Border Collie and Kelpie cross mixes. Since these dogs are bred to herd and round-up animals, they may try to encircle horses and nibble on their feet to move them along. For unfamiliar horses, unfortunately, this may cause confusion and agitation.
4 Tips For Getting Your Horse Used To Your Pet Dog
Fortunately, there are things you can do to better familiarize horses with dogs and keep them calm when both of them are in the same vicinity.
I’ve listed my tips and recommendations on keeping your horses calm around pet dogs and some warning signs to watch out for so you can avoid any dangerous situations.
1. Make sure your dog can follow commands.
Before introducing your dog to your horses, ensure that they know how to follow commands and that they know how to listen to you. As you’re gradually socializing your dog, ensure that you’re equipped with treats so you can reinforce their calmness. Ensure that they know basic commands, such as sit, stay, and heel, giving you confidence they’ll be able to stay still when asked to do so.
2. Introduce your dogs and horses gradually.
The key to introducing your horses to dogs is desensitization. With a gradual exposure process, you can help horses stay calm while around dogs. The first thing you need to do is introduce your dogs and horses to each other at a distance. Ensure that your dog behaves when around horses, and reward them with treats when they don’t react in an overzealous way to your horse.
As your dog starts to get the hang of being around horses, gradually lessen the distance between them until your dog and horse come within close proximity to each other.
3. Keep your dog on a lead and your horse behind a fence.
While your goal may be to keep horses and dogs near each other without any fences or barriers, it’s best to exercise caution first. Use leads and harnesses to easily control your dog and pull them away if you sense any danger. Initially, keep your horses behind a fence to avoid any untoward situations that may cause harm to you or your dog.
4. Understand behavior cues and body language.
When it comes to horses and dogs, both these animals have different types of body language and use varying behavior cues that can help you determine what they’re planning to do or how they’re feeling at a specific time.
If you want to keep your horse as calm as possible and your dog to behave, you need to know how to read telltale signs that they’re feeling uncomfortable before they act on their discomfort.
Cues for horse body language:
For horses, you need to look out for the movement of their ears and tail and the appearance of their nostrils and mouth.
The warning signs you need to be wary of are:
Ear movement – When your horse’s ears are rapidly flicking back and forth, it may indicate that they’re nervous or stressed.
Tail movement – If your horse’s tail is swishing fast, either in an up and down or side to side fashion. This movement typically means that they’re getting ready to either bolt or kick.
Facial movements – As for their mouths and noses, horses will flare their noses and bare their teeth when they’re nervous or angry. If you, in any way, see these reactions from your horse, maintain distance and, as much as possible, try not to do anything that might provoke them further.
Cues for dog body language:
For dogs, their body language is easier to read.
Watch out for their tail position and movement, the position of their ears, their overall stature, and their mouths.
Tail movements – Stressed out and anxious dogs typically lower their tails or hang their tails between their hind legs. If they are getting excited or ready to pounce, they will have their tails up or pointing straight out.
Ear movements – Angry dogs will fold their ears down and back, sometimes even fully folding them down. while excited dogs or ones getting ready to run will have their ears up.
General body movements – When they’re angry, dogs will shift their weight to their hind legs in a position that allows them to launch themselves off the ground if needed. This is one of the most telling signs that your dog may be feeling aggressive towards your horse. They may also bark and bare their teeth when they feel threatened.
When they are excited or in chase mode, they will be fidgety, and there is no way that you will miss those cues.
Conclusion
Heed these warning signs and use the tips provided to maintain control of the situation and know when to act before the situation gets out of hand. If you successfully introduce your horses and dogs to each other gradually, the more time they spend around each other, the calmer they will be.
Ensure that you always supervise them until they are entirely accustomed to each other to avoid any risks of potential injury to your horse or dog.
Author Bio
Donna is a writer with extensive experience in pet behavior and pet health – with a specific focus on large animal wellness. As a dedicated advocate to providing small and large animals with proper support, she's written hundreds of articles to help owners better understand the animals in their care - from horses to cats.