A horse on a shared path has the harder job. Horses are prey animals with a strong flight response, a kick that reaches behind them with real force, and a rider who is reading the horse's tension long before you can see it. Your dog does not need to be aggressive to cause an accident; a bark, a sudden dash from the verge, or an approach from behind can be enough to spook a horse in a tight stretch of lane.
Give Way Early and Clearly
The walker who spots a horse first steps off the path onto the verge or into a gateway, taking the dog well clear rather than edging along the same line. The lead is shortened so the dog stands or sits close at the walker's side, facing slightly away if the dog is excitable, and the walker stays still instead of walking towards the horse. The walker speaks calmly and early, a plain greeting to the rider, since a human voice helps the horse place the still shape on the verge as a person with a dog rather than a surprise. If the rider asks you to wait, move further back or talk to the horse, follow that instruction exactly, and let the horse pass at whatever pace the rider picks, including a halt until the rider waves you on. The same courtesy runs in reverse when hooves sound behind you on a lane: the walker moves to whichever side the rider indicates, holds the dog still, and lets the horse come past under the rider's control rather than turning to face it. A wave of thanks once the horse is clear costs nothing and keeps goodwill between two groups of path users who share the same ground.
Protect the Space Behind and Around the Horse
The walker never walks in the blind spot directly behind a horse, whether on a path, in a yard or standing at a gate, since that hidden space is where a kick lands. At gates, the walker steps well clear to one side, holds the dog in close, and waits until the horse and rider are fully through and moving away before following. On narrow lanes the walker finds a passing place, a field entrance or a wide verge and waits there rather than squeezing past on the same side as the horse. Dogs that lunge or bark at horses need distance built gradually from quiet viewings at a field fence, and until that training holds, they stay on a shortened lead anywhere horses are likely to appear.
Follow Local Etiquette and Plan for a Slip
The walker checks local path etiquette before using a new route, since priority, lead rules and permitted paths vary by area, and signage at the path entrance is the version that applies where you are walking. A collar with current ID and a secure harness matter on these routes, and the walker checks lead clips and harness fit before leaving, since a dog that backs out of loose gear near a horse is in danger within seconds. In wet weather the walker also keeps to the path surface rather than cutting across grazed fields, since a short lead keeps the dog within reach of the walker's hand if livestock or a resting horse appears. Recall is never the plan around horses; the lead is. Should the lead slip from your hand despite those checks, send word out fast through the Lost Pet Alert System in KinsLe, alerting nearby owners who may be on the same lanes, and let whoever spots your dog contact you straight through that alert.