Neighbors dogs chasing mare...advice please?

I am just guessing but maybe the OP hasn't posted again because some of the ideas here are useless at best and sick at their worst. T op has every right to have a horse and there is no reason to get rid of it because the neighbor wants to let his dogs run loose.
If you can hit the dogs a few times with rock salt, bb's or an paintball gun, you can teach them to stay out of the pasture and leave the horse alone. If you have or can borrow a paintball gun the neighbor gets a mess when he lets the dog in his house as well.

In the meantime a neighbors kid "trespasses" and gets themselves severely injured or killed by this ever so gentle 1500 lb beast? Then the ops problem is not quite as easily solved. They Need to get their horse either under control or out of sight of predators and innocent victims.

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

I agree, a few of the ideas are downright ridiculous and those advocating poison and traps are obscene.

There is no reason to get rid of the mare, the issue at hand would be resolved if the neighbor kept his dog under control.

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People say I can't multi-task. Well, I can tick you off and amuse myself at the same time.

How do you know the horse is paranoid of dogs? How do you know it will react badly to a dog while under saddle?

Have you ever been near a horse? To state that "horses are dangerous to begin with" is foolish. Horses can be dangerous, but it's simply not true to state horses are dangerous.

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People say I can't multi-task. Well, I can tick you off and amuse myself at the same time.

And an asteroid might strike the planet...

Until you interjected with hypothetical children, the discussion had nothing to do with them. By your logic, people should be allowed to let their dogs run wherever and do whatever they want on other peoples property.

Personally I think it would be more appropriate if the law allowed one to shoot the owners of the dogs rather than the dogs. I say that as someone who has had dogs much of my life. I had to educate my wife about letting our siberian husky run loose. He was a great dog but he would kill any small animal he could get his jaws on. If one of the folks from neighboring farms had shot him for going after their livestock it would have been our fault not theirs. It really is that simple.

To sum up good(IMO) advice given on here:

1. The neighbor with the dog has already been put on notice about the problem with his dog. If the dog is disposed of the op will be blamed.

2. There will be other dogs that come around. If they once see that they can chase the horse they may pack up. A lot of small livestock is killed by neighborhood pets packing up at night, or daytime either.

3. The best solution is to build a dog proof fence. This will also keep coyotes out when they come around.

4. The easiest and cheapest way to accomplish this is to add an electric fence to the existing fence, using the directions given above.

I would like to know what the op dedides to do about his problem.

COWS

It seems to me that the OP *may* have missed a factor that anyone considering pasturing a horse (and many other livestock) on their property should consider, ie, unforeseen additional expenses. Perhaps the OP has robust finances and can just shift a few thou$$ out of savings for a really secure electric fence, and/or donkey companion, or whatever. Perhaps the immediate expenses for the horse are already stretching the budget? Is it possible for the horse to be professionally stabled somewhere nearby, at least until the fencing problem is remedied? That might be the bottom line cost of making sure it's a safe animal for the daughter to ride. Offhand, it sounds to me like taking a SSS policy as a full solution, given the proximity to various other small-town neighbors, will *not* result in a reliable horse to ride for the daughter, and that should be the prime directive, I'd think.

Around here at least, the donkey might be free. A horse that hates dogs is a possibility as well. We have always had one of those, just by accident. Dog's aren't so brave when they are getting chased.

I have found just talking to the neighbor helps the most. If necessary, explain your brother, the lawyer will be asking for damages if the dogs come back. I've never had to even follow that up with a letter from a lawyer, but that is much cheaper than "dog proof fencing".

Well - I think the OP has gotten enough suggestions on how to handle the problem - wouldn't you say - the only one nobody mentioned was --- shooting the horse -

Those would also be illegal within city limits and he is more likely to catch a small child than a dog. Not to mention they are very cruel.

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"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." C S Lewis

No one has suggested a potato gun.

Ergo. Potato gun.