Word of caution on horses mules and dogs.

[Mike Leonard]

I am sure this has been discussed before but it doesn't hurt to bring it up again for the many aspiring horse and mule dog hunters.

Make very sure you horses or mules are use to dogs being around them close before just jumping out there with a bunch of dogs and hoping for the best. First it can get you bucked off the first time some hound pup goes running between the legs of old Dobbin and he is not use to it. Also it can get a dog kicked and hurt by a horse or kicked and killed by a mule. ( Note: mules aim better than horses) LOL!

Another big problem can be well your dogs are so use to your horses and mules they just about live with them or sleep with them as some of mine do. Well throw a stranger's horse or mule into the mix and the dogs think he knows all about them too but he may not.

My dogs are so trusting of horses they could be an easy target for a saddle animal that doesn't like little animals very much.

So just watch it and make sure they get aqauinted in a safe or as safe as possible setting that you can create.

Some dogs like my old Blue dog just love horses and he preferes to go lay outside by the horses than be with the other hounds. I think he is afraid I am going to slip in there and grab a horse and go hunting without him. LOL!


Just lay the groundwork and it will save you some head aches and maybe some doctor bills.

[liontracker]

Dogs that are used to horses and mules have a tendancy to get under foot too much. Teach those dogs to stay out from under foot. The last thing you need is to be scrambling up a icey cliff face and have those dogs get underfoot at the worst time.

[Cowboyvon]

Yeah and remember if you hunt with someone else and your mules aren't use to those damm bells watch out

[waylon]

Good advise guys, but your taking all the fun out of it Nothing better than the look on a know it all grabbing for the saddle horn 5 seconds to late

[Arkansas Frog]

Waylon you are MEAN.

[waylon]

No Frog i aint mean i just think a fella ought to sit back and let nature take its course once in awhile

[Bdog]

I'm with you Waylon as I had to learn on my own.

Thats funny I dont care who you are:)

[FullCryHounds]

Good one Waylon, that made me laugh.

[Tom White]

Good advise and ya might want to take off any stuff that a limb can grab hold of , like leashes over the shoulder , or you will be hanging in mid air on a limb someday.

[waylon]

I had to learn this same way, I lived through it and learned how to shut up and listen when your green as grass. I still have to learn everything else that way so maybe it didnt help that much after all. now days if a horse even looks like a bucker i'll just saddle up the kawasaki it aint thrown me yet!

Good advise though really and for sure if ya got young riders along.

[Coyote]

[Catman]

Amen to the be careful of somethin over your shoulder. Went elk huntin this year with a friend and his son. Took my backback and had my spottin scope and tripod loaded in it. Well the tripod stuck up about 6" out of the top of the backpack. We were headed up the trail and a tree lay across just low enough you had to duck to go under. It was a green sapling and I ducked, went under lifted back up...and bammo off I went backward with a thud. Blacked both eyes and bruised me from him to knee on two big ol tree roots sticking up outta the dirt. Was kinda like a bungee cord jerking me off that horse. My buddy asked if I was okay as there was quite a bit of blood and the swelling really started to show. LOL I said only thing that really hurt was my pride.

[liontracker]

Catman, I'd of liked to seen that!LOL

I had the opposite effect with a backpack on. I was on my brothers horse, which is a little highstrung. We had been fighting the thick oakbrush and Pinions all day. Well my trusty steed was out of patience and tired of busting that brush. He reared up on his hind legs and at the top of his reach I felt something hit me in the back. Next thing I knew, the horse was on the ground trying to scramble to it's feet and I was hanging in a tree by the shoulder straps of my pack like a christmas tree ornament! I had to work my arms out to let myself down. Softest landing I ever had from a horse wreck. I thought it was my lucky day until a couple of hours later. Same horse slipped on the ice and went down so fast I hit my sternum on the saddle horn and busted a rib. The ride back to the truck wasn't so funny anymore...

Gotta love/hate a horse.

[Stubby]

Not a dogs/horses response but in the hang up, pulled off area..
My young son was out with me and we had to ride under a large deadfall that was hung up on another tree. There was plenty of room to ride under if you ducked and my son being shorter merely had to bob his head. Well he forgot he had a helmet on and never cleared the tree and it kind of punched him down in the saddle a bit and rattled the old coconut Scared me after I thought about it cause I don't think it would have taken much to just snap his neck if everything was lined up wrong.

As for a horse going down on ice, you'd kinda think it might take some time, maybe a guy could react a bit. Not so, boom,down,ouch.

[Clarka57]

You know you can never be too careful, even a well thought out plan can turn sour.
This was just one of those lessons.