A rider in her 60s suffered a fatal injury in a fall from a horse shortly after a dog was reported in the horse’s vicinity.
West Yorkshire Police officers are investigating the incident, in the Leeds area on Sunday morning (20 July).
“Shortly after 10am on Sunday morning, police were called by the ambulance service to a report that a woman had been injured after falling from a horse near Bullerthorpe Lane, Newsam Green, Leeds,” a West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said.
“Officers attended and the woman, aged in her 60s, was taken to hospital in a critical condition but sadly died later that day.
“It was reported that shortly before the incident, a dog had been present near to the horse. The owner of the dog remained on the scene.”
The horse ran away, the spokesperson said, but was found safe and unhurt a short time afterwards.
Officers from Leeds District CID are establishing the circumstances but the investigation is its early stages.
Senior investigating officer Superintendent Emma Winfield said: “This was a tragic incident where a woman has sadly lost her life, and our thoughts remain with her family who are being supported by specialist officers.
“We are currently working to establish the events leading up to the incident. I would ask anyone with any information to please come forward.”
Anyone with information can contact Leeds CDI online, or call 101, quoting reference number 553 of 20 July.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
