Should dogs be banned from Badminton

Actually at Belton HT one year I spotted a chap with a toddler and the best all terrain pushchair ever.........a shetland! They were just walking round the sj and dressage rings and tradestand area with the little kid on board.
 
As we live in a health and safety society I'm surprised they haven't been banned. I stayed at blenheim last yesr on the caravan park and there were lots of loose dogs on the parkland opposite. This is the area set aside for the competitors to excersise, dressage practise arenas and gallops. Dog owners ignored the fact there was horses being excersised. The welcome pack says dogs on leads at all times, there was a sign at the caravan park and signs all around the park. We are privileged to stay at such s beautiful place and should respect the rules. There is also lots of dog mess left.
 
Luci07 said:
When you think about banning dogs, how about extending it to screaming children and ban those horrible big buggies? I didn't take mine as now have 3 and would not be able to cope or carry all their stuff but friends took their dogs who had a lovely day. I do miss out the shopping if I have dogs though as XC day is heaving and it's too much.
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The difference, to me at least, is that children and buggies don't have a continual track record of chasing horses on the xc and coming very close to causing serious accidents. Dog poo, extendable leads, buggies, litter, etc are all annoying... but its only the dogs themselves that come close to causing serious accidents year on year
 
Thing I find funniest is that most of the loose dogs you will ever see at a comp will be in the horsebox park and around the stables, some riders/owners/grooms don't know dog leads exist I think! :)
 
Tbh children are as much of a hazard on course as some dogs are nowadays. I was astonished to see pretty late on in the day a 4yr old boy wander onto the course just after a horse had jumped and then proceed to climb onto the fence! No mum or dad to rescue him, in the end before I got up to do something a photographer ran over to him and removed him from the jump. Had a horse been on its way that could of caused a bad accident. This was at the houses (fence 25) if anyone else saw it?
 
I don't think they should be banned but it sounds as though Badminton needs to get much stricter with dog owners (I am one btw!) and stop those causing a nuisance. Leaving dog mess around the place is totally unpleasant esp as they provide all the bins etc. Luckily most horses are pretty cool with dogs running around, they often have it all the time on yards and out on hacks. I think Avebury was v good considering what happened. But its still dangerous to have them loose on the course and in my view there should be hefty fines for not picking up poo or letting them run loose.

Maybe they should ask for voluntary dog wardens to scout around and keep a watch on them? Just their presence would help if they think they might get a fine or better still asked to leave.
 
I've also going to moan, people were dragging there poor dogs round the busy shopping, we kept tripping over them....and worse still we saw many owners letting there dogs foul and not pick it up, round the course and also in the car park!!

I do have a dog so know its sometimes difficult to get someone to look after them, but from a spectator point of view, yes ban them!
 
I do love dogs but have to agree with some other posters that at Badminton they can be nothing but a nuisance. When the trade stands are crowded, especially the craft marquees and such like the times I got tangled up in dogs and dog leads was causing me to swear more than once and I'm sure the poor dogs don't exactly enjoy hours of being dragged around shops and seeing nothing but human legs! However I suppose as so many places and events these days do exclude dogs it's obvious people are going to jump at the chance to take their dog out with them for the day. When all is said and done I do enjoy watching them have a high old time at the end of the day messing about in the lake.
 
SNORKEY said:
I've never taken mine incase it barked as a horse was riding past, I think maybe they should have a rule of dogs maybe wearing a harness so they can't slip their collar.
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The dog that nearly went under AN came complete with collar and extendable lead.
 
We took my old dog to Carlton horse trials and she was fab. She's always been so good around horses and apart from when we first got her (age 2), she never really had to urge to chase anything bigger than a rabbit. We all had a great day watching the horses with her.

However, even in her younger days I wouldn't have taken her! Too hot, too long, too many people who might step on her!
 
I used to work on the show circuit during summers away from uni, my favourite show was Yorkshire because there were no dogs allowed apart from in the lorry parks.

Badminton about three years ago, we were working in the festival of food tent and it was XC day so absolutely crammed full of people shoving past eachother, yet people insisted on dragging their poor dogs around, getting tangled about with other people, yelping when someone stood on them and fighting with other p!ssed off dogs.

I honestly think they should be banned at all big events like that, ours would far rather be at home than being around all those people and that noise. And to those who have said banning dogs will just encourage dogs to be left in the car - sorry but how completely ridiculous. No responsible dog owner will a) not check the event welcomes dogs and b) leave their dog in a car all day.
 
I went to badminton yesterday, it was hot and busy and I really cannot see that it would rate highly as a good day out from a dogs point of view!!

It also really grates that despite requests that dogs should be kept on leads there is a percentage of people who feel that the rule does not apply to them. I sat by the lake in the late afternoon an watched while a loose dog ran into the lake, and then shook itself all over someone else's picnic, the owner seemed to think that we should all be amused and delighted by this!! What an idiot.

At the end of the day it is Badminton HORSE trials, dogs need not feature.
 
Fully support the message above from RuntoEarth.

The large events should look towards the large shows. The Great Yorkshire Show has presently a clear and enforced 'no dogs' policy, and it is a far better experience for doing so and should be used as an example.

They have learnt from bitter experience though.... there were few years in 2000s with dogs left in cars on hot summer days which was widely condemned and of which the organisers/ police tried desperately to assist with. For the GYS their original crowd catchment had evolved over the years (farmers were widely known to have an attitude to give their working collies a much needed day (or few days) off in between harvest duties, for the GYS! :). The 'no dogs' policy does take a bit of doing though to get the message across - a well clear campaign, parking attendants on the lookout (much praise here as the majority a volunteers!)/ big disclaimer boards in car parks, local news coverage - and reminder to the public on the coverage if you do go, no dog etc. For this reason, I think the GYS has done a SUBERB job of getting the 'no dogs' event message out over the years and doing away with the 'have dog, must drag it around the crowds/ trade stands to show I'm country-fied' attitude/ create a death risk to dogs left in hot cars.

Maybe these events have to address that their original crowd catchment has evolved.....
 
Evelynsalt said:
Fully support the message above from RuntoEarth.

The large events should look towards the large shows. The Great Yorkshire Show has presently a clear and enforced 'no dogs' policy, and it is a far better experience for doing so and should be used as an example.

They have learnt from bitter experience though.... there were few years in 2000s with dogs left in cars on hot summer days which was widely condemned and of which the organisers/ police tried desperately to assist with. For the GYS their original crowd catchment had evolved over the years (farmers were widely known to have an attitude to give their working collies a much needed day (or few days) off in between harvest duties, for the GYS! :). The 'no dogs' policy does take a bit of doing though to get the message across - a well clear campaign, parking attendants on the lookout (much praise here as the majority a volunteers!)/ big disclaimer boards in car parks, local news coverage - and reminder to the public on the coverage if you do go, no dog etc. For this reason, I think the GYS has done a SUBERB job of getting the 'no dogs' event message out over the years and doing away with the 'have dog, must drag it around the crowds/ trade stands to show I'm country-fied' attitude/ create a death risk to dogs left in hot cars.

Maybe these events have to address that their original crowd catchment has evolved.....
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Welcome to HHO - and what a very sensible, well-reasoned first post :).

P
 
b1ackhorse said:
Tbh children are as much of a hazard on course as some dogs are nowadays. I was astonished to see pretty late on in the day a 4yr old boy wander onto the course just after a horse had jumped and then proceed to climb onto the fence! No mum or dad to rescue him, in the end before I got up to do something a photographer ran over to him and removed him from the jump. Had a horse been on its way that could of caused a bad accident. This was at the houses (fence 25) if anyone else saw it?
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Ha ha!! It seems a lot of people are willing to jump immediately on the band wagon - oh badly behaving dog, ban all of them. I was being slightly facetious about the children but there is a point to be made. I hate the facts that the crowds have grown so big, I hate that I trip up over families with screaming unhappy small children and I loathe the lengthy queues to get home, I accept it as part and parcel of being at such a big event.

I would prefer a more adult and reasoned approach. So educate, dog wardens are a good idea with say, instant fines for those whose dog fouls and they leave it.. that could cover the costs of someones time and hopefully the threat would make people think twice..and actually, I like the idea of the threat of being booted off if you either let your dog loose or it gets free. I KNOW my youngest stafford would slip a collar when excited, hence she wears a padded harness. I accept that I want my dogs there, then shopping is not really on the agenda so easy answer for Badminton... dogs are not allowed in the trade stands.
 
Evelynsalt said:
Fully support the message above from RuntoEarth.

The large events should look towards the large shows. The Great Yorkshire Show has presently a clear and enforced 'no dogs' policy, and it is a far better experience for doing so and should be used as an example.

They have learnt from bitter experience though.... there were few years in 2000s with dogs left in cars on hot summer days which was widely condemned and of which the organisers/ police tried desperately to assist with. For the GYS their original crowd catchment had evolved over the years (farmers were widely known to have an attitude to give their working collies a much needed day (or few days) off in between harvest duties, for the GYS! :). The 'no dogs' policy does take a bit of doing though to get the message across - a well clear campaign, parking attendants on the lookout (much praise here as the majority a volunteers!)/ big disclaimer boards in car parks, local news coverage - and reminder to the public on the coverage if you do go, no dog etc. For this reason, I think the GYS has done a SUBERB job of getting the 'no dogs' event message out over the years and doing away with the 'have dog, must drag it around the crowds/ trade stands to show I'm country-fied' attitude/ create a death risk to dogs left in hot cars.

Maybe these events have to address that their original crowd catchment has evolved.....
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The majority of Horse Trials here in NZ ban dogs as the competition is often held over farm land where in adjoining paddocks there may be stock grazing.

HOY in Hastings has a total dog ban. The information is given in a light hearted way, at the top of the information to competitors it states, "no dogs allowed" and then at the bottom it states "Still no dogs allowed"! :D

Penalty - if you are caught with a dog you are evicted immediately. One of the local private schools runs an equestrian program with competitions open to the public - they have a total dog ban - everyone respects it.

My dog loves going out with me and can leave me feeling terrible with the face he puts on when I leave him behind - but I know that being stood on by everyone is not an enjoyable day.
 
The Great Yorkshire is different though. I wouldn't want to take my dogs there, there is nowhere else to go but the crowded areas, whereas at Badminton you go off round the park and there is space.. Plus at the GY there are animals that would be frightened by dogs. All the CLA game fairs welcome dogs too.. I am bored to death of the Great Yorkshire though, with or without the dogs! Same old same old every year (as in displays and attractions), and soooo expensive!

At Badminton half the riders have the obligatory Jack Russell when they walk the course!

Seriously, if I couldn't take my dogs I wouldn't bother, I would fly off and watch Tattersalls in Ireland or Pau in the south of France - cheaper to get in and a holiday too. Taking a dog is part of the attraction for me.
 
Honey08 said:
The Great Yorkshire is different though. I wouldn't want to take my dogs there, there is nowhere else to go but the crowded areas, whereas at Badminton you go off round the park and there is space.. Plus at the GY there are animals that would be frightened by dogs. All the CLA game fairs welcome dogs too.. I am bored to death of the Great Yorkshire though, with or without the dogs! Same old same old every year (as in displays and attractions), and soooo expensive!

At Badminton half the riders have the obligatory Jack Russell when they walk the course!

Seriously, if I couldn't take my dogs I wouldn't bother, I would fly off and watch Tattersalls in Ireland or Pau in the south of France - cheaper to get in and a holiday too. Taking a dog is part of the attraction for me.
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... and that's fine Honey08... the point I was making; the example of where larger show exhibitors have succeeded in the 'dog free' policy due to their increase and changing crowd catchment and the lessons they have learnt, largely went amiss there on you!

Oh, and thanks for the insult to those whom make it great for those who do attend the GYS year after year after year....With approx 135,086 visitors to the 153th GYS in 2011, I would ever so slightly disagree with your GYS opinion :)

Back to Badminton .... saw the re-runs on H&C, omg, how close was that dog underneath AN horses legs!
 
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