Dogs attack Swedish women on horseback

Three female horseback riders were attacked by a pair of loose dogs while out for a ride on Sunday afternoon in eastern Sweden, with one woman suffering severe bites in the face and neck.

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The incident took place northwest of Norrtälje when two women, ages 28 and 67, were out for a horseback ride with a 12-year-old girl near Rekinde, outside of Edsbro.

"Two dogs that were running loose showed up and started to chase the horses, which then galloped off," Håkan Brolin of the Norrtälje police told the TT news agency.

After being chased a few hundred metres, the 12-year-old girl jumped from her horse.

Shortly thereafter the 67-year-old woman attempted to dismount from her out-of-control horse, at which point she tumbled violently to the ground, injuring her back.

Meanwhile the two dogs, Alaskan Malamutes, continued their pursuit of the 28-year-old woman and her horse.

"Then the 28-year-old jumped or fell off. Then the dogs attacked, biting her badly in the face, as well as in the neck and the rest of her head," said Brolin.

At the same time, Jan-Erik Hägglund was out on his terrace having coffee when he heard the galloping horses and went to investigate.

"I ran over and saw a woman in the ditch with two dogs on top of her. She didn't call for help, I just heard cries," he told the Expressen newspaper.

Hägglund was eventually able to chase the dogs away before attending to the injured woman and calling emergency number 112.

The 28-year-old was taken to Karolinksa University Hospital in Stockholm via helicopter, while the 67-year-old was taken to hospital in Norrtälje.

While the 12-year-old girl was physically unharmed, she was left exhausted and traumatized by the dramatic dog chase.

The dogs were put down late Sunday evening, while their owner is now suspected of violating Sweden's laws regarding the oversight of cats and dogs, as well as for causing bodily harm to another.

"He's very upset about what has happened. He said that his dogs have never shown behaviour like this before," Brolin told Expressen.

TT/The Local/dl
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