A MOTHER was “horrified” when her young daughter was thrown off her pony after a dog tried to attack it.

Stacy Collier was walking alongside her two daughters, Grace and Jess, who were riding their ponies on bridleway eight on the Telscombe Tye last Friday, January 15.

But the 38-year-old said she felt powerless when a dog suddenly chased the ponies and “tried to bite their legs”, causing the animals to “take off”.

She said: “All of a sudden a dog came running up from behind.

The Argus: Jess and GraceJess and Grace

“I was shouting at my daughters to pull the reins as they were literally holding on and being taken off into the distance.

“I was horrified as I was on foot and there was nothing I could do. The owner did not even call his dog.”

Stacy managed to get hold of her nine-year-old daughter Jess and her Shetland pony, but Grace’s bigger pony went charging towards a cattle grid.

The 12-year-old was then hurled off and hit a wooden post as she fell.

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Stacy said: “Grace is bruised and sore - and it could have been a lot worse.

"Both my children are now scared in case they meet this dog or others of the same nature again.

“I tried to talk to the dog’s owner but he would not converse. I’ve been riding on the Tye for 34 years and nothing like this has happened before. It was just traumatic for everyone.”

Stacy reported the incident to Telscombe Town Council, but was shocked when she was advised to use “alternative bridleways that are not on the Tye”.

She said: “People just need to respect one another and everyone should be able to enjoy the Tye, but that’s not how the council or some dog walkers see it.

“Some people have set up a Facebook group called ‘Guardians of the Tye’ and they were all commenting how children on ponies shouldn’t be allowed there.

The Argus: Stacy CollierStacy Collier

“After all these years I can’t believe the council response – it’s irresponsible.

"If anyone else goes through anything like this, they can contact the British Horse Society, who support horse riders. But I would not wish this on anyone."

A spokesman for Telscombe Town Council said: “Telscombe Tye is registered common land and members of the public have a right to access the land to walk or ride on.

“The council encourages members of the public to follow the countryside code and control their dogs around other animals.”

Stacy also reported the incident to the police. A spokesman for the force said: "We received a report of an incident involving an out-of-control dog on a bridle path at Telscombe Tye, close to South Coast Road, Peacehaven, on January 15.

"The dog was reported to have chased two horses ridden by children, aged nine and 12, causing one of them to fall, sustaining bruising.

"The incident took place at approximately 10.20am. Anyone with any information should report online or call 101, in both cases quoting 519 of 15/1."