Dogs on the showgrounds, time for a change?

Eventing athlete Toin Peemen questioned a habit of a lot of riders and spectators on Facebook, following a serious incident at the European Championships Eventing for ponies in Hungary. A loose dog went after an Irish combination during the cross country. Shouldn’t dogs be restricted at showgrounds? It is obviously a justified question. There will definitely be more discussion about this topic.
The dog in question bit into the pony’s tail and got hit by one of the hind-legs. As a result, the animal suffered from internal bleeding and had to be put down by the owners. The Irish combination was able to end the competition, but it speaks for itself that this could have ended dramatically.

Peemen’s message met with general support. It was shared 112 times on Facebook by now. Others suggest that dogs shouldn’t cause trouble as long as they remain on a leash when entering the showgrounds.
Unfortunately, the incident in Hungary isn’t something unique. Jumping and dressage competitions have had problems in the past as well. On top of that, dogs could cause infections with their faeces. This could be a resistance that terrain owners have when they are asked to provide there grounds for the organisation of shows.

There are already some shows that banish dogs from the grounds, even when they are on a leash. It is clear that general guidelines concerning this matter are necessary.