Bulldogs on horses?

[Deleted]

@hardcastle
I know Ambulls catch horses but have found nothing on it.

[Hardcastle]

I actually haven't heard about ambulls. The most recent I have heard about is Australian brumby catching which was big in the 70s and 80s but died out about 1988. It's quite rare to hear about it even historically, some organised fights in the middle ages between horse and dog, and then some talk in ancient civilisations of hunting horses with dogs. But there's not a lot. Despite this I have a theory, or strong suspicion, that "bulldogs" actually started originally as "horse dogs". This is because the lineage of gripping dogs originates from the Alans, who were horse-obsessed people and they actually descend from the very same people who domesticated the horse. It makes sense that such people would favour dogs that go straight for the head-hold, rather than go through "weakening" stages like wolves where legs and flanks are targeted, because they want the horses to still be in good ride-able condition. I have a hunch that this is why gripping dogs evolved, and then later proved useful as bull dogs and boar dogs etc.

But yeah, overall clues are scant about catch dogs on horses.

[Deleted]

Nov 18, 2022 2:28:49 GMT Hardcastle said:

I actually haven't heard about ambulls. The most recent I have heard about is Australian brumby catching which was big in the 70s and 80s but died out about 1988. It's quite rare to hear about it even historically, some organised fights in the middle ages between horse and dog, and then some talk in ancient civilisations of hunting horses with dogs. But there's not a lot. Despite this I have a theory, or strong suspicion, that "bulldogs" actually started originally as "horse dogs". This is because the lineage of gripping dogs originates from the Alans, who were horse-obsessed people and they actually descend from the very same people who domesticated the horse. It makes sense that such people would favour dogs that go straight for the head-hold, rather than go through "weakening" stages like wolves where legs and flanks are targeted, because they want the horses to still be in good ride-able condition. I have a hunch that this is why gripping dogs evolved, and then later proved useful as bull dogs and boar dogs etc.

But yeah, overall clues are scant about catch dogs on horses.

According to Brogan Ambulls catch horses on the ''back 40''. Wish there were pictures or more testimony about that.

[Hardcastle]

Could well be true. Anywhere an animal is hunted at least some of the people involved will use dogs, whether those people are active on the internet is another matter.