Police hunt for dog that mauled horse rider

APOLICE investigation is under way after a young horse rider was mauled by a dog while on a ride on the outskirts of Bristol.

Police and the victim of the incident, riding instructor and dressage competitor Ashleigh Compton, have appealed to the public to help find the owner of the dog responsible for the attack earlier this week.

The dog made the horse, Sparks, rear up and when Ms Compton dismounted, it attacked her, mauling her arms and legs. After eventually escaping with her horse, she then suffered an asthma attack and was taken to hospital to be treated.

Ms Compton, a professional rider and horse trainer from Radstock, was riding a client’s horse along Dapwell Lane, between Whitchurch and Queen Camel on the southern edge of Bristol, on Monday at around 1.30pm.

She said she first heard a man shouting after a dog, but couldn’t see anything, and then suddenly a dog appeared and began attacking the horse.

“Before I knew it, the dog was around Sparks’ feet,” she said. “Clearly upset, and rightly so, he started dancing around and then reared up. At this point, I decided to get off before I fell off.

“As soon as my feet hit the floor the dog attacked, biting my arm and my leg multiple times. He kept coming and coming for me and there was nothing I could do but yell and try to get him off me, to no avail.

“I took hold of Sparks and started running, the dog biting at my calves as we ran, but it eventually stopped chasing.”

Bloodied and bruised, the ordeal wasn’t over then for Ms Compton.

“I am asthmatic, which although mostly controlled, is triggered by stress and strenuous exercise,” she explained.

“Once the dog was gone and I slowed to check Sparks, I realised I could not catch my breath and I was already mid-asthma attack.

“Bleeding from multiple bite wounds, me and Sparks got home and I abandoned him fully tacked in a stable while I tried desperately to get my asthma under control. A few minutes later I admitted defeat and called 999,” she added.

She was treated in hospital both for the asthma attack and the dog bites. She was bitten five times and has extensive cuts and bruises on her leg and arm.

“Physically I am OK, although battered and bruised; mentally I am still pretty shaken up,” she added.

Now Ms Compton is appealing for anyone who knows whose dog attacked her to contact the police.

“This is a bit of a desperate plea for

I took hold of Sparks and started running, the dog biting at my calves as we ran ASHLEIGH COMPTON

anyone that may know of the dog or owner to come forward as well as a warning to anyone in the local area to be vigilant for this clearly aggressive dog,” she added.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset police said they were still trying to identify the dog owner.

They described the dog as a brown and white collie-type breed.

A police spokesman said: “The dog’s owner was not seen and we’d like to hear from anyone with information that could help us identify them.”

> Ashleigh Compton, who was attacked by a dog while on horseback and, below, some of her injuries