Rider's horror after horses were panicked by dogs

Maria Elliott, from Hailsham, and Sarah Batchelor, from Herstmonceux, took their horses Bob and Harry out for a trot down a hill near Lower Road in Herstmonceux.

But as reported in the Express last week two dogs started barking and ran after the horses which bolted down the road.

This week Mrs Elliott told the Express: 'When both of the horses ran we just couldn't stop them.

'My saddle flipped which made me come off and I landed on my back.

'Then I saw Sarah lying unconscious in the road.

'She wasn't moving.'

Both horses galloped off without their riders.

Mrs Elliot heard a horrible thud as Harry, Sarah's horse, crashed into a car driving around a bend.

She added: 'It made me feel sick.

'I was in the situation where my friend was unconscious in the road and around the corner I knew something dreadful had happened.'

Fortunately Sarah Batchelor regained consciousness, although she suffered head injuries and some short term memory loss.

Harry was pulled out of a ditch and Bob was caught by friends of Mrs Elliot.

Georgina Robins and her family, narrowly escaped unhurt when the horse ran into their car.

Workers in nearby farming land pulled the family to safety as police, ambulance and fire fighters arrived.

Marianne Pettigrew, Mrs Elliott's mother, arriving at the scene, saw the emergency services and passers-by working together to make sure

everyone was safe.

She thanked those who helped. She said: 'They were all very reassuring.

'Our thanks seems inadequate after watching how wonderfully well all

the emergency services worked.

'But thank you anyway.'

Bob is now riding again but Harry is still recovering after skin was cut away from his shoulder.

Mrs Elliott said they were all lucky to be alive.

She added: 'When it happened adrenaline kicked in and it is only now I have thought about what could have been.

'We feel apprehensive about riding again but we have definitely got guardian angels.'