Mare survives dog attack
A relaxing hack turned into a nightmare for two friends when dogs attacked their horses
Two friends out riding their horses across a stubble field near Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire, have been attacked by dogs leaving one horse critically injured.
The attack happened the day before 22-year-old Joanne Lassan’s birthday.
Joanne said: “I have been riding for 17 years and I have never experienced anything like it.
“The two dogs zig-zagged behind Sky, an ex-racehorse, and then started to bite and attack her. They just pounced on her.
“She reared in terror and I fell off, landing on my feet. I held on to the reins, but let go when thedogs’ owner shouted that he could not control them.
“I told Sky to run away – I had no other option.”
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Sky, a six-year-old Thoroughbred chestnut mare was later found heavily bleeding in Fulbourn and was looked after until veterinary help arrived.
Vet David Bartram of Greenwood, Ellis and Partners in Newmarket said: “Sky has been very, very lucky. She has suffered a nasty wound on her buttock and over her right stifle joint.
“During the attack she fell over and was also wounded on her leg. Our main worry has been that there would be an infection of the joints. Sky has been treated aggressively with antibiotics and is doing very well.
“When I attended her, she was quite distressed and in a state of shock. We needed to hospitalise her because of the close proximity of the wounds to joints and were worried about the depth of the wound.
“We are considering discharging her very soon.”
PC Tim Kirkby from Sawstonpolice, said: “It was a very ferocious attack. The two “Cane Corso” dogs [an Italian breed] have since been traced and seized and there will be a court case.”
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