Dogs Attack Horse, Leaving Severe Injuries on Bay of Plenty Beach

Two off-leash dogs attacked a man and his horse on Pāpāmoa Beach earlier this week, forcing the rider to flee into the ocean to escape the animals.

The incident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 1:30 p.m. Taiatini Nelson was riding his horse, Hero, along the Bay of Plenty coastline when two dogs approached and became aggressive. Nelson was accompanied by a friend who was learning to ride at the time.

According to Aimee Nelson, Taiatini’s wife, the dogs began barking and charging the riders, eventually attempting to bite the horse’s back legs. To protect his companion, Nelson instructed the novice rider to head for the dunes while he attempted to lead the dogs away from her.

“He was trying to protect her,” Aimee Nelson told 1News. “If he hadn’t, this situation could have ended with both of them seriously injured or worse.”

The pursuit lasted for up to half an hour as Nelson attempted to evade the animals. In a final effort to slow the dogs, he rode Hero into the sea, resulting in both the rider and the horse being submerged in the water.

“My husband and the horse went under the water,” Aimee Nelson said. “With two dogs and a horse in fight-or-flight mode, it’s a miracle they’re both alive.”

The attack was eventually brought under control when three bystanders—a man and two girls—intervened to pull the dogs off the horse and restrain them. Aimee Nelson alleged that the owners of the dogs did not step in during the encounter.

Hero, who is well-known in the local community and used for children’s rides, sustained gashes and lacerations that required immediate veterinary treatment.

Taiatini Nelson grew up on a farm near Rotorua and has been around horses his entire life. Aimee Nelson described the animals as his “absolute passion” and noted his dedication to sharing his experience with others.

The attack has prompted calls for stricter dog laws on beaches.