Dramatic footage shows moment rider is thrown off their horse after it is spooked by a small dog chasing it on beach
- A rider was thrown off their horse after it was spooked by a small dog circling it
- The scary incident happened on Wallasey beach in Wirral, Merseyside yesterday
- Footage was posted by horse’s owner, Debbie Gallagher, who said rider was okay
A dramatic video shows the moment a rider is thrown off their horse after it is spooked by a small dog chasing it on beach.
Debbie Gallagher, the horse’s owner has shared footage of the incident that happened yesterday online in a plea to dog owners to keep their pets under control.
Her warning comes after the rider was thrown from the pony, named Filan, on Wallasey beach in Wirral, Merseyside, on Sunday, November 22.
A dramatic video shows the moment Filan the pony is spooked by a small dog circling its hooves on Wallasey beach in Wirral, Merseyside, yesterday
As the clip begins, the rider films from atop the horse as the small dog circles the animal’s hooves.
This sends Filan into a panic and the horse begins jerking its neck and spinning around to try and avoid the dog.
Eventually, Filan makes a break for it and begins galloping away pursued by the dog.
The rider desperately tries to maintain control, however an abrupt turn shunts them off.
As the clip ends, the rider is seen clattering to the ground while the horse runs away.
The pony’s owner, Debbie Gallagher, took to Facebook to beg dog owners to keep their dogs on leads when they see horses.
Filan goes into a panic and begins jerking its neck and spinning around to try and avoid the dog and eventually begins galloping away pursued by the dog
She uploaded the footage captioned with: ‘Please, if you have dogs and they are reactive around horses please put them on leads, if you see horses on the beach until the horses have passed.
‘This happened to my pony today causing the rider to come off and causing my pony to bolt up the beach heading home.
‘Thankfully the rider was okay and Filan was caught in the car park before he got to the roads.’
The dramatic video has stunned social media users and has been watched over 15,000 times.
Janine Balson-Blythe wrote under the post: ‘Bloody hell. Hope they are both okay.’
Charley Turner added: ‘I can’t believe what happened to these was awful. And, the owner should have seen a horse and put them on a lead.’
As the clip ends, the rider is seen clattering to the ground while the horse runs away, but thankfully both were okay. Footage was posted online by horse’s owner, Debbie Gallagher, in a plea to dog owners to keep their pets on a lead if there are horses around
However, Jacqui Stephenson wrote: ‘I take my dog on the beach often. To be honest, I get pretty frustrated at the way people riding horses behave.
‘I walk in the opposite direction when I see any horses and my dog has zero interest but I have seen people with their horses directly heading towards people with kids and dogs.
‘I don’t think people realise how intimidating horses are, they are big beasts. I agree that people should keep their dogs away from horses but people with horses should stay away from dogs also.’
A Public Spaces Protection Order introduced by Wirral Council in 2018 has made Wallasey Beach in Merseyside a dog-free zone in the tourist season between the months of May and September – but it is unrestricted during the winter months.
Dog walkers on Wallasey Beach are permitted to let their dogs off the lead between October and April.