Land & Trail
The Reason for "No Dogs"
While riding on the trails, I sometimes run into riders with dogs. When I
ask the rider not to trail ride with their dog, I start to feel like I
should be wearing a sign that says "dog hater." It's not true; I love dogs!
So, I thought I would try to explain why dogs shouldn't be on the trails.
Most of the time they are either right in front of the riders or right
behind, but other times the dogs are running through the woods out of sight
of the rider.
The out of sight dogs can be a big problem. They wander off the trail and
onto the "no rider, no dog" part of a landowners property. The dogs can't
read signs and landowners don't want them there-
In the recent past, I have gotten complaints from landowners about dogs
coming off the trail and starting trouble with their dogs, and dogs running
into paddocks to chase horses. Dogs don't realize that horses don't need to
be rounded up in the field or that they don't want to play with them. And
horse people don't want dogs running their horses around. It is dangerous
for the dog and the horse.
Another problem is with timid riders or horses new to the trails. Very often
the loose dog will come running out of nowhere to playful- ly attack the
horse on the trail. Horses don't always realize they are just playing until
it is too late, and the horse already spooked. So please, no dogs on the
trails. We love our landowners and want to keep them happy and we want to
keep horses happy on the trails.
Linda Van Kooy (September 30, 2002)
