Wazzup with the show managers turning a blind eye?
Or criminy! I was planning on bringing my dog to a local show this weekend! HOwever I specifically consulted the prizelist rules to see if dogs were permitted. no mention was made so I’m assuming it’s safe for my a;ways-leashed pooch.
That said i was at SEVERAL shows last year where unleashed doggies were just running around. Tre’s uncool. Worse than that were the leashed ones that would growl and snap everytime my horse walked by.
I was at a show several years ago with a nervous mare I was trying to acclimate. My daughter was riding her in the childrens walk-trot. After we unloaded, a big rig pulled in next to me with a farm name written all over everything. Unloaded two very hot horses and one disgrunted pony. Then they unloaded 3 aussie shepards. No leashes. I moved my mare to the other side, said nothing. I went to sign up for classes, when I came back my mare was whirling around on the end of her lead (she had no problems tying) dtr said 3 dogs were nipping at her heels. I told the Mom, she made a face and said to her two dtrs, “I guess we will have to put the dogs in the tack room, apparently these people are AFRAID of dogs”
We showed, and oddly enough her daughters were in the ring on two of the most psycho horses I have ever seen. One spent most of the time on his back feet, the other whirling in circles. I finally got tired of it, went to the in gate and opened it. Crew told me I could not do that, I said watch me. Whistled to my kid, she came and we exited the class. I said very loudly “That is dangerous and its BULLSHIT!” Total silence fell.
Went to the trailer to untack, one of the show organizers came to me and said that any horse can act up, and I should have been patient. Bullshit again. It was not 3 seconds of acting up, it was 5 minutes! These are little kids riding very big horses, and had no control whatsoever. My daughter is more important to me than anything in this world, and I didn’t want my horse hurt either. Think there is any connection between the fact that she had no control over her horses, dogs or children? This woman is a name trainer around here, don’t ask me how. I know I’ve made a enemy, and don’t care. Friend told me later that this trainer donates all of the prizes for this show, and considers it ‘her’ show. People have to stand up and say something. There were probably 30 juniors there with their horses behaving perfectly, all ruined by two little weenies. Maybe the teens could police the kids,
one of them gives them all a bad name.
Why am I calling them weenies? Because before I left, I checked my hitch as I always do. They had disconnected my plug (we were in the restroom) and left it hang so it looked like it was hooked up. Left some air out of both trailer tires as well. I’m surprised they didn’t think of cutting the brake line to my truck as well.
And every single shows’ prize list clearly stated, “NO DOGS,” but the mutts still came. My trainer’s mom went around and asked people to either take the dog home or lock it in the trailer so she didn’t have to look at it.
We (trainer and I) went to a dog show last week. It was SO tempting to show up with a horse, take him off lead, and let him run through the rings squealing and chasing squirrels in a sick kind of payback. 
We even have a horse who’ll chase dogs if sufficiently motivated, so we could recreate some horse show hell for all of those dog owners out there.
(no, we weren’t ever really going to do the above… but it sure cracked us up planning it! 
)
Delighted Studios - I’m not too proud to beg.
I don’t know if management actually followed through, but at Tucson week 5, there was an announcement for a certain person to come to the back gate of the Jumper ring with a leash and $100 to get their dog.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Why am I calling them weenies? Because before I left, I checked my hitch as I always do. They had disconnected my plug (we were in the restroom) and left it hang so it looked like it was hooked up. Left some air out of both trailer tires as well. I’m surprised they didn’t think of cutting the brake line to my truck as well. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Are you SURE it was these people? That borders on endangering lives and should certainly be addressed accordingly - IF you’re POSITIVE it was they.
I hate to tell you but you’d be aiming your revenge at the wrong target. I showed dogs for many years and believe me, the people who engage in that activity would be the last ones to let their dogs run loose at horse shows.
For one thing, their dogs are worth too much. For another, in order to be showable, they have to be really well trained. They do not roam at will.
By the way, I live with five retired show champions. None of them has ever been to a horse show.
At an certain facility several years ago, the loose dog problem was so bad during a series of shows that management authorized jump crew members to capture any loose dogs and secure them in empty stalls, and for each one they caught, that jump crew member would receive $25. This worked well until the crew was caught grabbing tied up dogs out of the tack rooms!!!
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jr:
That said, you folks need to get over it. We’re animal people. If I going to travel to shows for weeks on end and the facility allows them, the cardigan is coming with me. I personally find the children running lose at the horseshows much more dangerous and irritating - with or without golf carts. I’d like to lock some of them up and make their parents pay to get them back – but I’m afraid they wouldn’t and I’d be stuck with them.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well, I have always been an advocate of crate training dogs AND children, but people keep telling me, “That’s Awful!”. Hey, if it is good enough for a pampered show dog, why isn’t it good enough for some little brat? 
~~Come on, try a little.
Nothing is forever
There’s got to be somewhere
Better than In the middle…~~
I know. We were just being ironic - it was a backyard “bring your dog and show him off” kind of show (the Hunt was taking hounds for experience) and we were just laughing at the thought of it. Like, “Wouldn’t it be funny if people carted Dutch Warmbloods around like they do Jack Russels?”
My best friend breeds and shows labs up in Virginia, and they’re always on their best behavior. She also trains companion dogs for wheelchair bound individuals - now, that’s the kind of dog I’d like to have at a show. Imagine sending a lab back to the barn to get your forgotten gloves… But, that might be my own sloth coming through again.
Delighted Studios - I’m not too proud to beg.
There are just some people who are too stuck on their own self-importance and think that the rules don’t apply to them. 
Just call animal control and get the mutts locked up!
~~Come on, try a little.
Nothing is forever
There’s got to be somewhere
Better than In the middle…~~
when they are allowed to go to shows, and even then, I’m always running interference between them and the unleashed hounds. (Hey, I realize the littlest JRT is a royal pain, but at least I take responsibility for it. )
Frankly, I’ve found the WORST offenders to be the very people who should be the ones demanding that all dogs be leashed: show managers and their employees. My scariest run-in with an unleashed dog was with a pitbull-mix (I’m NOT passing judgment here, just describing the dog – I happen to LIKE most pitbulls ) that wanted to take on my leashed JRT (no damage: I snatched the little guy up in the air and onto my shoulder via his harness and leash ). When I complained – loudly – to the show manager, I was told that the dog belonged to the jump crew manager and if he wanted to let his dogs run loose, oh well. 
Needless to say, I called animal control. The dogs were soon corraled back at the barn and stayed there for the rest of the weekend.
I see trees of green, red roses too. I watch 'em bloom for me and for you. And I think to myself … what a wonderful world. Yes, what a wonderful world." – Louie Armstrong.
When I was riding in California, I heard a story about a show held a a lovely private farm that had kennels for the family’s dogs. Any dogs caught off leash were immediately escorted to the kennels and the owner was charged $100 to get the dog back.
The $100 was not the issue. The problem was, the lady of the farm was the guardian of the kennels and one had to meet her and pay her directly to be reunited with your pooch. That encounter was far more terrifying that a simple fine of $100.00. Grown men were known to quake in their Vogels on their way to get Fido… Years later, it was still being talked about.
If there had been, I certainly would have been the first to do something about it. I dread showing at this facility now because I know they will be there. Conflict makes my stomach churn, but when it comes to my kids or my horses I will open my mouth. If it was just me, I probably wouldn’t! But I won’t let her and her unruly children, dogs and horses keep me from that showgounds. But I will be verrry careful. (and I carry a small spray bottle of diluted amonia for the dogs)
Don’t you know those owners of said horse show dogs think of them as “people in fur”.
“The older I get, the better I used to be, but who the heck cares!”
I want to know why people think that just because your dog stays in the barn area it is ok to leave it running loose. They are annoying to the other people around. I get very annoyed by the dogs hunting around for snacks and begging for part of my much desired food.
If shows would actually capture the loose dogs the problem would disappear, but it will take someone getting hurt by someone elses dog for that to happen widespread.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat & drink beer all day.
once at a show, I saw a dog chase a horse through a course! (as the horse went over the jumps, the dog would run under it if there was enough room, or around it!) The horse was great though, didn’t seem to mind… But everyone watching was holding their breath lol!
Ah yes Lord Helpus, quite true!! And it seems the only way one can stop the dog rampage. Actually thought someone should hire her for every show.
At WEF, and you WEFin’s can attest to this, was told by someone there are many dogs gone missing. You see them frolicing around the water ponds, and dashing in & out. Said these guys end up gator lunches, and the bigger ones lose limbs. Not what I would want for my precious pet.
No one disputes the pups need to be on leashes --anyone breaking those rules needs to fined. For those who break that rule near the rings – lock up the pooches and make their parents pay to get them back.
That said, you folks need to get over it. We’re animal people. If I going to travel to shows for weeks on end and the facility allows them, the cardigan is coming with me. I personally find the children running lose at the horseshows much more dangerous and irritating - with or without golf carts. I’d like to lock some of them up and make their parents pay to get them back – but I’m afraid they wouldn’t and I’d be stuck with them.
Wazzup with the show managers turning a blind eye?
