California Riding Magazine • September, 2010

Letters to the Editor
Last month’s dog attack story stirs emotions for readers.

Dear Riding Magazine,

Great magazine you have! I read the last issue about the dog attack. I remember reading an almost exact account posted on a telephone pole at the crossing at Singer Road, Rancho San Diego – same author?

I just wanted to point out that many “riders” (I won’t use the term “horsemen” – that’s a higher caliber) are very inconsiderate to walkers and dog walkers/pedestrians. My dogs were in a game area with me (with Game Officer’s permission). They are controlled by electronic collars. A rider came up and with nothing but open field on every side he plowed into my dogs and began herding them like cattle! Totally dumbstruck that anyone would be so rude I only said “Hey Cowboy! That one is blind – do ya mind not running her over?” He just muttered something about us being on “his” trail and since I was near my truck I just put the dogs in. They pay no mind to horses as I own several. I’d seen this guy before out at sundown getting his horse lathered and I figured he’s too stupid to know better.

It did happen again when I was in a less than accommodating mood. One evening I grabbed his reins, held his horse and said “Please do not do that! It is bad manners and leave me alone and go away!” When I turned the horse loose he continued the same game! I caught the horse again and this time un-bridled it, barely resisting the urge to send him on the ride of his life back to the barn! I kept in mind the horse was only doing what it was told. I called the barn where he boards and the owner, who is a friend and an old Missouri horse trader, said he would speak to him. The next time I saw him he was more polite still riding out of his way to come over but he just said “nice dogs” and I nodded.

It seems many people, not just the aforementioned fellow, don’t give other people their space but insist on an “outta my way I’m bigger than you” attitude. I’ve also seen riders who shouldn’t be out at all scream and curse bicycle riders, skateboarders and walkers for scaring their horse.

Whatever became of horse etiquette or at least common sense?

-Yvonne Reese, Potrero, CA

Dear Riding Magazine,

This letter is in response to your article written in the August 2010 Riding Magazine regarding dog attacks. I too have experienced a dog attack on horseback and it is the most traumatic thing to
go through.

I live in a rural horse town about 45 miles north of Los Angeles and we have access to all types of trails, both populated and unpopulated. It is a common occurrence to see neighbors riding their horses out and about at all times of the day in and around the neighborhood. So I chose a weekday afternoon when it would be less busy with traffic and commotion to take my young niece out on a trail ride right from my backyard. I figured this would be a safe, close and uneventful choice as she is a non-horsey person.

We set out at about 4:00 p.m., myself on Lacy, my Missouri Foxtrotter mare and my niece, Nicole, on my other horse, a paint mare named Nikki. Things were going well, both horses were behaving wonderfully and we were enjoying a quiet afternoon when we came onto a dirt road past some homes. Seeing one of the homes had a couple of pit bulls running the fence line we chose to go down another street, which would be less confrontational. We passed along another home with two bulldogs that were also barking and running along the fence and so I started talking to them to set the tone. “It’s okay, lets be calm, it’s all good” and so forth. Ha!

All of a sudden one of the bulldogs came rushing out from the yard, the driveway gate being open, and rushed towards us barking. Now, my horse has never been afraid of dogs and so she knows to stop and quietly face them until I tell her otherwise. However this situation quickly escalated to the point that the dog was now snarling and lunging for her, making contact with her at legs and chest. We had never expected a dog to continue pursuing us rather than backing down. Needless to say, upon being bitten on the chest, my frightened mare abruptly leapt straight up into the air and then bucked like a bronc catching me off guard so that I lost my stirrups.

Fortunately I was able to regain my seat and then promptly began yelling at the dog: “Bad dog, No, Go home,” etc. all to no avail. He did not even acknowledge me. The dog just kept lunging at her and biting her legs. My niece, who had stayed back a bit, was now watching in horror and yelling at the dog and owner, who, to her amazement, was complacently watching this all from the safety of his driveway. Fortunately Nikki, my paint, was doing her job despite all the yelling and screaming and remained calm, keeping my niece at a
safe distance.
Meanwhile, back at my rodeo, I am trying to keep my horse focused, safe and listening to me, and at the same time making sure Nicole keeps away. My mind was reeling and I was trying to think quickly of how to get both of us out of there safely. I thought about dismounting and trying to handle the dog myself, but then thought better of it and decided to try having my horse face the dog down and more or less push it away from us like pushing cows, which neither of us knows how to do. It didn’t work. Yet my mare was heroic through it all in that she listened to all my cues and ridiculous requests that I asked of her, despite the yelling and biting. “Go forward, back up, side pass, hips over,” etc., anything to move us away from the lunging dog and still keep our heads about us.

Unfortunately nothing was working. Finally I gave her over to her instincts and let her know that she could take care of it herself. I turned her butt to the dog, backed her up to it and then told her to deal with him. And that she did. She kicked out furiously several times, eventually making contact. I heard a hollow thud and saw that she had made contact once, right to the dog’s head. That stunned the dog long enough for a reprieve to quickly and calmly take our leave. We slowly moved off sideways so that I could keep an eye on the dog and not just take the flight/chase mode. Plus, I didn’t want my horse to check out and just start running wildly with Nikki watching and then get the same bright idea of “let’s run for our lives” all the while with Nicole hanging on for dear life.

Needless to say we did get away safely and fairly unscathed, albeit the emotional damage that was caused both to the horses and to myself. My mare had some cuts and puncture wounds on her legs and was no doubt shaken up a bit. As for myself, well, my legs were literally noodles. Lacy seemed to bounce back relatively quickly, but I kept reliving the whole episode for days to come. What could I have done differently? I was even concerned if the dog was okay from the
head trauma.

I am not one who is aggressive towards animals; actually I am the one who is usually out there saving and rescuing anything that even looks a little hungry. However, when I am put in charge of the safety and welfare of my horses, when they look to me for answers and direction, they must come first. Unfortunately, there are some dog owners out there who are not as responsible as we would expect. They do not have the same values and moral codes that we would like and therefore often put us into difficult and dangerous situations. Can’t we all get along? Unfortunately that is not the reality of this world. So then it is up to us to give some forethought ahead of time and then take whatever precautions are necessary in order for us all to return home safely from whatever journey it is that we are on.

-Cari Gustafson, Agua Dulce, CA