Ive heard of a number of peoples dogs that have bolted up on the hill and they have returned home on there own. Often the owners are still up on the hill looking for there dog and give up and when they get home they are waiting for them at the front door.
In the early days of training chunky to carriage drive when i was still at the yard when he took off dragging the tire and lunge line just as i was leaving the yard. He could have gone anywhere. Miraculously he took a route round the roads that we hack regularly. The only bit i didnt understand was when he turned went up the main road to the hill (id only hacked up that particular bit with him a few times) then at my road junction he turned left, which is a sharp left turn off the main road. He could so easily have continued on up the main road. Why in all the routes to take did he make that sharp turn. Id rung my brother and he was on his way to the yard, but then phoned me to say he had caught chunky. Who he met as he drove down the road. My road is part of my hacking route but we very rarely in those days went near the end of it, as there is a shortcut through. Did he know to take that turn to loop back up to the hacking route, or was he heading for my house where he knew he could get help and safety, i shall never know.
Ironically now the horses are at home they do that bit of main road all the time.
I guess some horses would stop to eat. Mine didnt that day as he was on the roads, so housing estates.
My hack route also now entails a fenced in hill enclosure, so unless the horse jumped the gate or fence he would end up remaining in it if i came off in there. If i was this side of the hill or doung a road hack i think he would find his way home. If he was the otherside i dont think he would necessarily depending on the route as he'd get to the fenced hill and then couldnt get home so may turn round and after that who knows. If i was heading in the right direction, he could get home.
