Saddles and my mad dog

The majority of dog owners will experience the craziness exhibited dogs when we pick up their leads, unless of course you have mastered the art of being the pack leader and your dog waits patiently for you to get ready to take him out, something which is still a work in progress for myself. However, for those of us with both dogs and horses we experience this craziness from our canine friend whenever we go to tack up. At least this has been the case with my little terror, yes that says terror, as soon as she suspects that I'm taking a horse out she's straight to the tack room door, tail wagging and eyeing me up as if to says, "hurry up it's time to go!!!". Luckily for me, she is not much bigger than a cat, but I have known people with the same problem with their German Shepherds!

I haven't quite figured out what it is, because it is not every time that I put my horse in the yard, that my little dog goes crazy, it's as if she picks up on some sort of vibe that tells her it's time to go riding. Not only does she wait by the tack room door, but as soon as the saddle comes out and is placed on the saddle stand in the yard, she runs around and around it whining as she goes. Now you're probably thinking that little Tess is a bit neurotic and you're right but it isn't all bad. When I have finally put on all the horses tack and managed to dodge Tess to reclaim the saddle from her, we're away and surprisingly calms down and behaves impeccably, heeling until she is told that she can run ahead.

I know that I am not alone in my experience as many equestrians have regaled me with the exploits of their dogs around the horses. Like the many other horse riders I would not change my dog for the world, and I can't think of a more wonderful way to walk the dog than to have him or her run alongside you and your horse.