A SHOWJUMPER’S competitive season has been left in tatters after two of her prized horses were savaged by an English bull terrier on the loose.

Helen Swailes, 29, who has enjoyed a winning streak over several years, said she had been left devastated after the attack at a livery yard in Shadforth, near Durham, on Tuesday March 10.

She said: “I am furious. The injuries caused to the horses could potentially end their careers as showjumpers.

“It will certainly prevent me taking part in the prestigious Horse of the Year show qualifiers which are due to start next month.”

Chestnut mare With Pleasure and dark bay mare Lux Jazzy were in a paddock at the livery yard when the dog, which had got out of a property in the village, struck.

Helen’s mother Jan said: “I saw English bull terrier in amongst the horses at their back legs and ran across and chased it.

“When my daughter daughter checked the horses over she had blood all over her hands."

With Pleasure – whose grandfather For Pleasure won Olympic gold medals in Atlanta and Sydney – suffered a series of puncture wounds to her back leg, while Lux Jazzy suffered deep puncture to her hock.

Last year both horses qualified for the semi-finals of the Horse of the Year Show competition by being in the top 20 points winners in the region - stretches from Cumbria and Northumberland down to the Midlands.

Helen, who lived in nearby Haswell, also competes in the National Amateur classes in British showjumping and aimed to qualify for those finals at Aintree, where she has previously been a prize-winner.

Both horses also won National Cashjumping titles in 2014 and were well placed to qualify for these finals again in 2015.

Helen said: “Frustratingly, as they will not now be able to continue in these leagues for many months it is doubtful that they will retain qualifying positions.”

She added: “Quite apart the distress has caused the horses I am now facing a vet's bill of nearly £1,000.

People should be more responsible for their animals, It does not bear thinking about what could have happened if it had happened upon a child with a pet dog for instance.

“Legislation must be put in force to ensure dog owners have adequate third party insurance in the event of incidents such as this.”

Durham Police are investigating the incident.