Horse rider hurt after dog attack

Horse rider hurt after dog attack

10 January 2024

A WOMAN who was thrown from her horse after it was attacked by a dog at Delamont Country Park outside Killyleagh has appealed to pet owners to keep their dogs on a lead.

Pauline McAlister was on a hack with friends at the stunning country park last week when the frightening incident –  which she captured on her helmet camera – occurred.

The Ballynahinch woman was riding her Irish Cob, Georgie, along one of the trails when the out of control dog ran and lunged at her horse and injured its side.

Pauline was thrown off the back of her horse and is now on painkillers. As she recovers from her injuries, she is hoping her appeal to dog owners not to allow their pets to run free around the country park will be taken on board.

Last Thursday’s incident has been been reported to the country park’s warden, the PSNI and British Horse Society, with Pauline hoping what happened to her will not befall anyone else.

Well known in equestrian circles, Pauline is a regular visitor to the sprawling Delamont facility and has nothing but praise for the country park and the staff who manage it.

While there are signs advising pet owners to keep their dogs on a lead, some allow the animals to run free, with Pauline hoping that what happened to her will ensure that in future all dogs are kept under control.

She visits Delamont twice weekly and pays a permit to use the trail which leads to the Strangford Lough shoreline and revealed last week’s incident is not the first, with the others also reported to Newry, Mourne and Down Council.

Pauline said the British Horse Society “strongly recommends” riders to wear a head-cam when they are out on hacks.

“That is what I always do even though I have been previously told by a council official when I reported an incident involving a dog that the camera was an invasion of people’s privacy,” she said.

“Dogs in Delamont are usually well under control and there are a few signs up to remind people to keep them under control and on a lead.”

Recalling the incident, Pauline believes the dog may have been on a lead or harness and broke free and revealed she did not see the owner who was standing in a hedge when the incident happened.

“Georgie stopped when she saw something and then I saw the dog and I shouted out to the owner if they wanted to move their dog and go out the other way. The reply I got was that the, ‘Dog hated horses’.

“The next thing, the dog lunged at my horse and scraped all down her side and Georgie spun around and went under trees. I came off the back of her and landed flat on my back.”

Pauline said the dog then ran around her horse who just stood there before it ran back to its owner who claimed the horse had scared her dog and that it was having a seizure.

“I still have not seen the dog owner as they refused to come out of the hedges. My horse did not scare the dog,” she said.

After being assisted by her friends, Pauline walked to the car park with the horse.

Pauline says she has nothing but praise for the staff at Delamont which she described as a “fantastic facility.”

She added: “The staff are fabulous and always welcoming and I would appeal to dog owners to keep their pets on the lead while they are walking around the park. 

“What I experienced shows what can happen and the safety of all the country park’s users is important. This is a fabulous facility and we always encourage people to use it.”

Pauline says she hopes the incident will serve as a timely reminder of what can happen and as a “learning experience for everyone”.