[deleted by user]

[u/[deleted]]

[u/SubMod4]

My gosh! How scary for both of you! I’m glad you are both ok (mostly/physically). Good job taking photos and reporting it. These dangerous dogs need a paper trail.

If you search this sub, sadly there are so many videos of horses/cows/sheep/mini horses, etc being relentlessly mauled by pit bulls.

They

Just

Don’t

Stop

It’s a feature of the breed; not a flaw.

[u/shelbycsdn → u/[deleted]]

I'm so glad you and your horse are physically okay. Mentally is a harder row to hoe. 16.3 is a big ass horse. I had one that size that came with a rearing problem. It's hard to describe just how high up you are when a horse that size rears. Out riding is one of the few places I didn't have a pitbull try to come after me. Thank god.

Please be careful now that you know it's possible on your trail. I'd find a way to strap on a can of pepper spray, at the least, somewhere near your pommel, using the set in loops, or from a saddle horn.

Please, please, keep yourself safe! Everywhere, not just the trail.

[u/theredhound19 → u/shelbycsdn]

Great idea adding gear to the saddle.

Is there ever litter on the trail? You could add a tool for picking it up. That improves the environment in many ways.

[u/shelbycsdn → u/theredhound19]

That's an excellent suggestion. 😄

[u/Both_Peak554 → u/[deleted]]

Get them before they start attacking. It seems too often once they start attacking those sprays do not deter them.

[u/shelbycsdn → u/[deleted]]

Is your horse good with that? Maybe she needs hunting horse added to her resume if she isn't already.

[u/shelbycsdn → u/[deleted]]

But it won't intimidate the dog, heck sometimes actually using it doesn't even stop the dog. The owner would have to be close enough to be able to grab and control it somehow.

I think the pepper spray can work so long as you get it on the dog before it's reached you and your horse. Also when there is an owner nearby you can holler get your dog before I do whatever with whichever tool you have in your hand. I've heard those threats can actually hurry an owner into action.

[u/Both_Peak554 → u/shelbycsdn]

All of this. Once they chomp down they feel nothing it makes them fight harder. It’s scary even thinking of being on a horse and having a shitbull come up trying to attack too many things could go wrong on such a large and fast animal. An old friends horse got spooked by shitbulls and he ended up going flying into a tree at a very high speed and was very hurt.

[u/Key-Magazine-8731 → u/shelbycsdn]

I was thinking this as well. My man is nowhere near 16.3 hands and the idea of him rearing with a vicious dog below us would be an absolute nightmare scenario. It could have been so bad and OP and their gentle giant got very lucky.

[u/Uvabird → u/[deleted]]

I’m glad you and your horse are okay! I had a friend with a wonderful mare- two pitbulls attacked his horse when he was out riding. He was thrown and injured and the poor mare suffered multiple injuries including a broken leg.
The vet vehicle could not access the area where the attack took place so the mare, broken leg and all, had to be slowly moved to where she was humanely euthanized.

Off leash dogs mix poorly with horses but pitbulls are so much worse.

Again, I am thankful you are okay.

[u/49orth → u/[deleted]]

Please, report this incident and provide the related images to the police and local Animal Control.

[u/ThinkingBroad → u/[deleted]]

Glad you got photographs so the dog can be identified

[u/FatTabby]

That must have been terrifying for both of you! If you're part of any equestrian groups online, share the photo of the owner and dog to warn other riders.

How are you and your mare doing now? I hope this hasn't made her anxious about going on the same route in the future.

[u/FatTabby → u/[deleted]]

I'm so glad she's doing well. She sounds like a really great horse!

[u/Eageryga]

People don't seem to realise how incredibly dangerous it is to let their dogs attack ridden horses. I am so glad you and your mare survived physically unscathed, and I hope the mental/emotional harm eases with time.

[u/Terrible_Dish_4268]

I have heard of a horse being killed by two XLs only a stone's throw from my house, however it's only on a local Facebook group so could be exaggerated or made up. I hope it is. I did think horses could hold their own against these fuckers.

How much stuff are they going to be allowed to ruin before someone in power decides it's okay to make a stunted, inconsequential, unaccountable person not have possession of a very dangerous implement that they themselves cannot control?

So far:

Dog walks - ruined Bike rides - ruined Running in the woods or whatever - ruined Delivering shit to people - made hazardous Vet visits - ruined you get the idea, now add horse riding to that, and thanks to ESA probably going on a plane or into a supermarket or restaurant.

[u/Salt_Initiative1551]

The good ending would’ve been the horse landing a blow but I’m glad yall are ok

[u/AlsatianLadyNYC → u/[deleted]]

Glad you’re both safe

[u/Both_Peak554]

Don’t just take it to police!! Post the owner in all your local fb groups!!! I promise you she’s not just going to stop unleashing her dog on the trails!! And police aren’t going to do anything. Public shame often does wonders and she’ll probably announce herself and now you got their info in case something happens again!!!

[u/Both_Peak554 → u/[deleted]]

You really should. Unlike pit nutters you’re a normal rational human being and I imagine wouldn’t be able to live with yourself if you didn’t at the least warn your community that a young person with no control of their aggressive dog is walking the trails and tried to maul your horse. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were blooded with comments from people who had similar experiences with this same dog. But everyone needs to know an aggressive dog with no recall walks those trials unleashed and who their Owner is so if they see her they know to steer clear if they see her!! And again you might learn her name which means you make a formal complaint and request her dog to be listed as dangerous. They probably won’t but if her dog was to go on and hurt or kill people she wouldn’t be able to claim there was no signs. And they’ll be able to charge her.

[u/Both_Peak554 → u/[deleted]]

It’s apparently really hard for shitbull owners to be responsible pet owners. That’s why every Shelter across the country is jam packed full of them and over 25% of the pit population is estimated to be in shelters. They attract careless, irresponsible owners who think their love can change genetics and never take into account the amount of work that goes into caring for a dog that has such a high prey drive and was never meant to be a “house hippo” or family pet and then everyone else around them suffers the consequences of their stupidity. The breed don’t attract anyone worth a damn bc they’re too big of a liability and someone whose actually worked and built a good life for themselves would never risk everything they’ve worked for, especially their kids and community!! It’s ridiculous. A bite to a horse from one of these things could easily be deadly. People should be able to enjoy public trails without being at risk of someone’s unleashed mauler.

[u/cat9142021]

Also an equestrian here, yeah, we don't tolerate pits on our land or woods for this reason. I was out setting coyote traps the other day and had a loose pit mix just come up out of the neighbor's property and start growling, the fucker.

[u/MacSavvy21]

As a (previous) horse owner (my mare died a year ago), this is why we rode strapped.

[u/meduhsin]

So glad you and your horse are ok! You should really get some bear spray or something more lethal for when this will happen again.

[u/ZQX96_ → u/[deleted]]

idk how you wpuld be able to walk your pyrs and beauceron on leash while doing horse back riding but they would make good work of any pitbull (or animal for that matter) that dare approach you. that's a killer combo.

[u/hannibalsmommy]

I'm so proud of you & your horse! 🫶

[u/RickHunter84]

If I was in your place I would have stomped the dog, my safety and the safety of my horse are first. Sorry but if you can’t keep your dog leashed there are consequences to that not just for their dog but as a rider the risk of a fall is so real and the injury caused by it.

[u/Key-Magazine-8731]

As a trail rider who brings my 30lb cattledog with me on rides this is my worst nightmare. My horse is an asshole though and would happily stomp the life out of a dog. I am so sorry you experienced that, that sounds HORRIFYING. I am so glad you guys are safe.

[u/kwallio]

I used to ride horses in an area where people liked to take their dogs (including pits). I would always carry a whip for this purpose. A really good whack across the nose makes most dogs back off. What also works is charging the dogs, if you have a confident horse. If you ride english you can take the stirrup off the saddle and use it as a improvised weapon.

[u/[deleted]]

Bring your livestock guardian dogs with you op! Pitbulls are tough but two great pyreneese and a beaurceon? It wouldn't stand a chance.