This is just a general reply and not directed at any of you...

I think this is why Ed and Cindy made this:

Horses and Dogs DVD

I really think it depends on the animals themselves.

I had a yellow lab that would sit in the lick tub (STICKY MESS) as a pup and pull on the forelock of my big paint horse who was a mean bassad while he was at the tub....I would also find Tank (lab) curled up against Ace when he was laying down.

The other horses did not mind him either.

I have seen good barn dogs and bad barn dogs.

My niece's Boston Terrier was charged and killed by a seemingly gentle mare. They'd had the mare for about a month with no problems and suddenly WHAM. The dog took over an hour to die and it broke Jo's heart (it was a holiday and the vet took forever to come out).

My horses are fine with MY dogs. If my neighbor's dog gets in the pasture though, the Belgian Draft will chase her out. (this is the same horse with the puppy on the web page for the DVD)

When we "adopted" the new horse, though, I watched him like a hawk when the dogs were out to make sure all would be well.

When Caterina came to live with us, she was not allowed loose with the horses for a month. Until I was SURE she would be OK with them.

As with any animal, you need to know your horses and your dogs inside and out before you should let them be together. My horses do not look at the dogs as "enemies", they look at them as herd members... same goes for my dogs. The introductions were done correctly.

I have, however, been blessed with great horses and amazing dogs

Just my experience.

I don't allow horses and dogs to interact in paddocks etc nor do I take dogs on trail rides.

My last horse, a TWH stud, was fine with dogs unless he was loose in the paddock or pasture. Him and Cajun got along fine and dandy but they were never loose around each other. Apollo(the horse) would kill dogs if given the opportunity in the paddock or pasture, I have no doubts. I was out with him in the pasture grooming his winter fluff away while he grazed and another boarders dog came charging into the pasture right for us, Apollo started and then charged the dog, he got ahold of it and tore a chunk of fur out sending the dog squeeling back to its owner. The dog was lucky it was long haired. Apollo was fine with dogs otherwise, if he was being lead anywhere he ignored dogs, but if he was loose in the paddock or pasture he chased them out of his territory.

For safety's sake I do not allow dogs in paddocks or pastures with any horse and I don't subject my horses or anyone elses horses to off lead dogs. I think it is great when the animals are introduced to each other properly and both parties are comfortable with each other but accidents occur and I just avoid them. Horses are large animals, dogs are natural predators. You can control your horse and you can control your dog, but I err on the side of caution in knowing that my attention can waver when trying to pay attention to too many critters at once.

Zor never chased Brave, but loved to run with him, he just got too close to Braves back legs and Brave ran over him. I sold Brave in January, I know I'll really miss riding him on beautiful days, I do already! Six days a wk I am sitting behind a standardbred, fun! but not quite the same as sitting on one.

Anyway, now that I am horseless at home, I don't have to worry about the same thing happening to Kujo. Thank you everyone for your replies!