Girl and horse attacked by 3 'out of control' dogs that 'appeared from nowhere'

07 October 2023 , 16:49

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Elisa Lanzai, 16, riding her horse Smithy (Image: Daily Record)

A teenager was left screaming in terror after a pack of out-of-control English Bull Terriers attacked her horse at a Scottish country park.

Elisa Lanzai, 16, was out riding with Smithy at Mugdock Country Park, near Glasgow, when the three dogs "appeared from nowhere" and started biting her horse's nose and legs. The schoolgirl was forced to desperately cling on as Smithy started bucking and rearing in an attempt to escape.

The owners eventually caught up, but were said to have no leashes for their pets and had to drag them away by their collars. Elisa's mum, Eilidh, is now calling for others to ensure they have their dogs under control around horses and livestock.

Chunks were taken from the horse's bridle piece (Daily Record)

Pictures show the horse's bridle broken at the neckpiece (Daily Record)

The 45-year-old, from Milngavie, told the Daily Record: "Elisa was riding over a bridge at the park and out of nowhere three dogs came running towards them. When Smithy saw them coming, he turned round and ran across the bridge but the three dogs surrounded him.

"That's when Smithy began bucking and rearing. Elisa was screaming: 'Recall your dogs, they're attacking, they're attacking!' but they were nowhere to be seen." She claimed that the dog owners refused to give their names or details after the frightening incident on October 1.

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Eilidh continued: "They didn't once ask them to come back and there was no apology, they just got their dogs and left." Pictures show the horse's bridle broken at the neckpiece with chunks taken out of the straps of leather after the attack.

The owners had to drag away their pets by their collars (Daily Record)

The mum-of-two added: "Elisa escaped with a sore throat from screaming and painful muscles. She is lucky she wasn't thrown off the horse. There are bite marks all over Smithy's bridal and the nose band has snapped. To be able to break a bridal takes a massive amount of force."

Eilidh hopes sharing her daughter's story will encourage other dog owners to be more responsible and keep their pets on a leash. She said: "It was a scary incident for Elisa, dogs have predatory instincts so it can be really dangerous if your dog is off a leash.

"I would like people to understand that no matter how well trained or socialised your dog is, they can be unpredictable." scotland>Police Scotland confirmed they had received a report about the matter. A force spokesperson said: "This incident was reported to police and officers issued suitable advice."

Ruth Suter