Another thing we dog owners have to remember is that many States have laws on the books the favor the livestock owner if there is a confrontation between dogs and hooved animals (like horses, sheep, goats, pigs, etc).

The dog owner is responsible for any damages or injuries to the livestock if the dog chases, nips or bites, or even "worries" the horse, goat, etc. Biting or attacking can lead to fines, damage assessments, or even a forced "put down" of the dog if the livestock owner presses the point.

We live with two horse corrals along our back property line, with lots of horsey critters on "their side" of the fence. Cinder & Smokey don't often recieve physical punishment, but jumping through the horses' fence or barking at them from "our side" is grounds for an immediate *butt smack* and more nasty words than they usually hear in a whole week! When Smokey first arrived, he and Cinder would think there was safety in numbers, all two of them, and tried ganging-up on a herd of sometimes six or more horses. Only happen twice (that I know of) before they got the message that the horse pastures were totally off-limits.

Most horses will run away from a dog, but that just encourages the dog to take up the chase and continue the "game". The horse looks at most dogs as a predator to be feared and will flee without too much regard for fences or other obstacles in the way. If cornered, the horse will lash out with possibly lethal hoof strikes at the dog. If the horse doesn't maim or kill the dog, the dog warden probably will!



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/s/ Cinder & Smokey
the Rescued & Adopted
FurKids of *Phred*