Recently we met a horse wandering free about. Slippie was quite excited and pulled. I knew I was already over the threshold, I tried to make an about turn, but in this moment I didn't hold the leash strong enough, it slipped and Slippie ran to this horse. I was shocked as I didn't know how Slippie and the horse would react.

But Slippie only sniffed and the horse reacted calmly, only looked at that dog a bit. I made a recall and Slippie came!! Great surprise for me and great reward for her. If the horse would have been scared it could have reacted completely differently. I actualy don't know what could have happend.

After this I had Slippie again on the leash, continued the walk away from the horse. But that darned horse followed us continuously. I then turned into the next road, hoping the horse wouldn't follow us any more, but it did and Slippie always looked back and also tried to pull. Gladly the horse then went to the board of the way, didn't follow us any more, but stayed there grazing.

I'm not afraid of horses, but of imprevisivle reactions of animals who aren't familiar with each other. I followed my way, but then saw, we couldn't go on, because there was an immense waterpool from the rain we couldn't pass. On the opposite way was also a whole lake and a big dog behind it watching us.

I thought, the horse now is more interested in grazing and we could take the chance to pass it and go home. But at the other end of the road I had to take, I saw the two huge and territorial dogs, the Filas Brasileiros of my neighbour, who lets them often out of their yard without being with them. So I made an about turn again, passed the horse again and again, because I was trapped. I had no other choice.

Finally I couldn't see the dogs any more and took my way home.
One positive result: Slippie got slowly used to the horse we had to pass so many times, she seemed to be a quite desensitized, though not completely.

How should I react if we meet a less calm horse? They are individuals too. Should I think more out of box and look at this as a chance to desensitize my dogs?
How would you solve the problem? Am I taking it too seriously? I was at first really scared. I cannot know how other animals will react on mine and how then my own will react on the horse. I want to prevent any possible fight.

As a lifetime horse owner -- well, up until I lost my last horse two years ago -- I would strongly caution you about allowing any interaction between your dogs and loose horses.

Horses, being prey animals, have evolved to have a strong defensive attitude toward anything new or suspicious in their environment. A 1,000 pound horse can wheel and kick in the blink of an eye -- or strike out with a front foot, or bite. Some horses do have a calm demeanor and some are used to dogs and not bothered by them, but other horses can be very unpredictable and can be startled or spooked by a dog approaching them. Unless it's a horse you know well, I would always treat them with an abundance of caution.

It sounds like Slippie handled herself quite nicely, though. All your training is paying off. But the best advice I can give you -- especially since encountering horses is going to be pretty rare for your dogs. It's not like you live on a farm or ranch -- is to avoid allowing your dogs to be too close to them, period. Go out of your way to avoid them.

The Filas, on the other hand -- wow. Those dogs scare the living daylights out of me, and the idea that somebody just lets them run loose is terrifying. Faced with a choice, I'll take my chances with the strange horse.

 Quote: Cheri Grissom

As a lifetime horse owner -- well, up until I lost my last horse two years ago -- I would strongly caution you about allowing any interaction between your dogs and loose horses.

Horses, being prey animals, have evolved to have a strong defensive attitude toward anything new or suspicious in their environment. A 1,000 pound horse can wheel and kick in the blink of an eye -- or strike out with a front foot, or bite. Some horses do have a calm demeanor and some are used to dogs and not bothered by them, but other horses can be very unpredictable and can be startled or spooked by a dog approaching them. Unless it's a horse you know well, I would always treat them with an abundance of caution.

It sounds like Slippie handled herself quite nicely, though. All your training is paying off. But the best advice I can give you -- especially since encountering horses is going to be pretty rare for your dogs. It's not like you live on a farm or ranch -- is to avoid allowing your dogs to be too close to them, period. Go out of your way to avoid them.

The Filas, on the other hand -- wow. Those dogs scare the living daylights out of me, and the idea that somebody just lets them run loose is terrifying. Faced with a choice, I'll take my chances with the strange horse.

Yes, a seriously Displeased Horse can easily KILL a dog that foolishly gets too close, without question -- And I also AGREE with you about encountering ANY loose Fila Brasileiros ... Like the Tosa Inu of Japanese origin, they can be very dangerous in the wrong hands (or God forbid, NO hands).

For ME a horse is just another distraction where I was a neutral reaction. I don't want my dogs to have any reaction past a quick notice and then neutral.

The dog has no "need' to interact with them for the reasons mentions above.

Are there any leash laws where your at?

I would carry some bear spray for the Filas.

Cheri and Candi thanks for your explanation and warning. I'd never go near to a horse with my dogs and the incident with Slippie happened without my intention, but out of a certain negligence on my part holding the leash not good enough. It seems I've had great luck.

What concerns passing to and fro I did it only because I was trapped. Fortunately the way there is broad enough so I could remain at a good distance from the horse.

Bob, no there are no leash laws here. They are discussing this, but it would be only for certain breeds like Pits, Dobies, Rotts etc. I've heard that Sao Paolo, Rio and some other big towns have laws and roaming dogs are captured. But this doesn't help me much here.

My neighbour doesn't see any reason why he shouldn't allow his Filas to have some liberty from time to time, His argument: They are humanfriendly. In fact they are. I was in his yard several times and the dogs are very tame and I can pet them without problem. I'm not afraid of them if I walk alone, yet it is another chapter when I am walking one of my dogs.
I don't know how the dog to dog reaction would be and I wouldn't like to try to find it out.

Once our house made forgot to close a door. Slippie escaped, what she normally doesn't do. But we were on that neighbor's veranda and she had heard our voices. Neigbor's door was open and the filas loose. Slippie came in, saw the filas and came crouching "deep in her knees" to us. The filas didn't attack, perhaps because she was in that very submisse posture. Gladly the neighbor immediately tethered them and we put Slippie back in our yard. I had nearly a heart attack imagining what could have happened.

The neighbor interprets it as a proof, that his dogs would never attack an other dog. I see this completely different. He certainly knows his dogs better than I, but on other occasions he himself said that they are very territorial!

Beer spray? I couldn't find this in the brasilian internet. Is it something like pepper spray? This I found in some online shops. But a policeman told me once that this is forbidden in Brazil. So I don't understand why they are allowed to sell it.

I at that time had also considered to buy a taser, not only as defense against aggressive dogs, primarily because my husband once was threatened by a burgler with a pistol. That guy then took off because he heard the dogs barking. For a pistol we can get a permission, but then it is only allowed to use within the house. If he entered the yard and threatened us with his pistol, it would not be allowed to defend us with our weapon.

Well, on the whole I see all those adventures as a stroke of luck.

I have 2 horses at the moment that are known to charge and kill dogs. They go in field with very strong electric fences with low wire so a dog could get zap. Better keep them out.

most horses will leave if you make a lot of movements like swinging a rope. (stallion and mare with foal are more prone to attack in general)

Ariane thanks for your message. I'm glad to recieve warnings and advices from people, who have experience with horses.
We don't meat many on our walks, but it already happened a few times before.
Strange thing is, that Slippie ran to that horse, I would have expected she'd be scared.

It happens from time to time that people let big animals like cows or pigs roaming around free. Last time we met a huge pig wandering about. I thought Slippie would start pulling to it and prepared myself for making an about tun in the other direction. But Slippie suddenly turned and pulled full of fear strongly away from that "monster". She almost knocked me over.

Love your Picture of Lucifer. Very funny guy. I'd love to cuddle him. Has a very mischievous expression on his face.