Carriage Driver Trampled as Pit Bull Attacks Horse in Wild Video

A carriage driver in North Carolina was seriously injured after an unleashed pit bull attacked her horse.

The wild fight between the two animals was caught on camera in Cane Creek Park on Saturday — the very first day the park had reopened to horse rides this year.

The distressing clip, shot from atop the carriage, shows the pit bull rather unwisely attempting to savage the horse, several times its size, leaping and snapping at its face.

The horse kicks the dog several times, but somehow it keeps coming back for more. The dog's owner fruitlessly tries to calm the pit bull; amid the chaotic scenes a park vendor can even be seen uselessly swatting at it with a spatula.

Terrified children on board scream in fear as the horse attempts to back away, still coupled to the reversing carriage. One of the drivers remains remarkably calm, steadily holding the reins the whole time as the horse threatens to bolt at any second. The child's parent can be heard, equally impressive in her calmness, telling the child not to jump off the carriage until she knows it is safe to do so.

Warning: Graphic Content

Again and again the dog, now covered in blood, continues to snap at the horse, even clamping its jaws around its hind leg, allowing the horse to locate it unseen beneath its belly and land a devastating kick that sends the dog flying backwards.

Finally, two people manage to dive on and subdue the dog, pinning it to the ground. The parent aboard manages to hand off the child before abandoning the carriage herself.

Travis Medlin, whose sister Amanda was one of the carriage drivers, told Fox 46 she was badly trampled trying to break up the fight, suffering multiple head wounds that had to be stapled and a broken foot that will require surgery.

"It was bad," he said "I mean it was horrific."

"The horse trampled my sister four different times throughout that event. And each time she came back and continued to fight with the dog and protect the client."

Their horse, Queen Charlotte, was also badly wounded in the unprovoked attack, he said; she suffered at least 15 bite wounds, including to her throat were the dog had jumped up and latched on at one point.

"Its face was pretty mangled," he added. "As well as its lips were pretty well shredded by the dog."

While park rules state all dogs must be kept on a leash or controlled at all times, Union County itself does not have a leash law.

Both the police and Union County management are investigating the incident.

According to Travis, the dog was put down. The family are considering suing the owner.

A GoFundMe for Amanda, who is self-employed and uninsured, has raised $5k so far.