Why Controlling Your Dog Around Horses Matters and Why Recall Should Never Be Optional

There are plenty of things in dog training that are optional. Your dog does not need to roll over or walk perfectly to heel the entire time you are out. But there is one thing that is absolutely not negotiable. That is control around livestock. And for me personally, the biggest area of risk I see is dogs that are out of control around horses.

I work with dogs professionally. I also own and ride horses, so I have seen the problem from both sides. I have been the rider on the receiving end of a loose dog barrelling up behind me. I have also supported clients who have had to carry their injured dog away from a field after it chased a horse. Neither side is any less devastating. Both are preventable.

This is not a guilt trip or a blame post. But if you walk your dog in the countryside, at the beach, on bridle paths or even on parkland where horses might be ridden, you have a responsibility. It is not just about keeping your dog safe. It is not just about being polite. It is about understanding the sheer weight of what can go wrong when dogs are out of control near horses.

What can actually happen?

Let us get very clear. If your dog runs up to a horse and barks, jumps, chases or even just startles it, there is a real risk that someone will get seriously hurt. It might be your dog. It might be the rider. It might be the horse. Horses are not cars. They do not have brakes. They are prey animals and they react quickly. That reaction can be bolting, rearing, spinning or kicking.

I have seen riders thrown. I have seen dogs kicked. I have seen horses panic and crash into fencing. These are not freak occurrences. They happen more often than most people realise. And every single time, it starts the same way. A loose dog and a handler who thought it would be fine.

“He only wants to play”

One of the most common things we hear when a dog runs up to a horse is, “He is friendly” or “She just wants to say hello.” The issue is that horses do not know that. They do not understand the difference between play and threat when it comes from behind or at speed. Your dog’s wagging tail and joyful energy mean nothing to an animal whose instinct tells them that anything rushing towards them might be a predator.

Even if your dog is not chasing or barking, their presence can be enough to spook a horse. And once a horse panics, you are no longer in control of the situation.

This is not about whether your dog is a good dog. It is about whether they are under control in a context that can be unpredictable and dangerous.

Good recall is not optional

Control does not just mean “my dog walks nicely on lead.” It means your dog will come back to you instantly, no matter what they see. That includes horses. That includes other dogs. That includes things that move, smell and sound exciting. And that sort of recall is not just a habit. It is a trained response built through repetition and consistency.

If you have even a flicker of doubt about whether your dog would come back to you if they saw a horse, then they should not be off the lead. It really is that simple. Use a long line. Stay alert. Do not assume that because they came back yesterday, they will come back tomorrow.

Until you have proof that your dog can ignore horses completely and return to you without hesitation, they are not ready to be off lead around them.

What proper recall looks like

Good recall is immediate. It is not “eventually.” It is not “once they have finished sniffing.” It is a dog turning mid-run and coming straight back to you when called, even if they are in full chase mode. That kind of reliability takes work.

It means building value in coming back. It means practising in boring places and then gradually adding distraction. It means not calling your dog over just to clip the lead on and end the fun. It means rewarding generously and being someone your dog wants to run back to.

If your dog only comes back when nothing is happening, they do not have recall. They have a suggestion.

You will not always see the horse first

One of the scariest moments as a rider is when you are quietly hacking along a track and a dog comes flying out of the bushes towards you. No warning. No handler in sight. No chance to prepare your horse.

Sometimes the dog gets there before the owner even notices. And if that dog barks or gives chase, all control is lost.

Dogs move quickly. They are often out ahead. You might not see the horse until it is too late. That is why situational awareness matters, but training matters even more. You cannot rely on seeing the horse before your dog does. You have to rely on your ability to call your dog back the second it counts.

The wider impact

When a dog causes a horse to panic, the damage can extend far beyond that moment. Horses are sensitive animals. One bad incident with a dog can ruin their confidence. I have seen horses that would never go down certain trails again. I have worked with owners whose horses would no longer hack out safely after a dog encounter. These are not just stories. They are the lived experiences of people who did nothing wrong other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Then there is the human cost. Riders get injured. Dogs get killed. Emotions run high. And all of it could have been avoided by keeping the dog on lead, or by putting in proper recall training before allowing off-lead freedom.

If your dog is not ready, that is OK

You are not a bad owner if your dog is not perfect yet. But you do have a choice. Keep working on your recall, but do it safely. Use a long line so your dog gets freedom without being a risk. Practise calling them away from distractions. Build that habit every single day. It takes time. But it is worth it.

You do not need to be perfect. You just need to be responsible. And when you get there, when your dog comes back to you on a dime no matter what they are doing, you can let them off lead with confidence.

The bare minimum

Let us sum this up in real terms.

• If your dog cannot recall away from a fast-moving distraction, do not let them off lead around horses.

• If you see a horse, recall your dog immediately and clip the lead on.

• If your dog is off lead, keep them close and under control.

• If something goes wrong, apologise. Learn. Do better next time.

Saying “he has never done that before” or “she is usually good” does not help the person who just came off their horse. It does not change the fact that your dog scared something that could have caused a serious accident.

Final words from someone who rides

I get it. I really do. I love seeing dogs off lead, running free and enjoying themselves. It is one of the best parts of dog ownership. But I also know how quickly things can go wrong when a dog runs at a horse. I have felt my horse’s heart race underneath me. I have seen the whites of his eyes as he panics. And I have been lucky that I have not ended up in hospital because of it.

So this comes from experience on both sides. You do not need to be perfect. But if your dog does not have solid recall, they need to stay on the lead around horses. Not forever. Just until you can say with confidence that you have trained for that situation.

Train recall like it matters. Because it absolutely does.

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