Elderly lady injured in mishap with pony-drawn wheelchair

An 87-year-old woman was injured on Tuesday after hitching her wheelchair to the back of a pony in Bavaria, Germany.



The owner of the pony, a 52-year-old acquaintance of the injured woman is now facing legal proceedings after the illegal tour of Schwarzenbach am Wald, police said on Wednesday. The woman in the wheelchair had been hitched up to the pony using a standard carriage harness, but instead of a carriage, it was hooked on to the wheelchair.

The trio of pony owner, senior and pony then toured the Bavarian town without incident until they stopped to take a photo. It was then that the pony spooked, took off, dragging the hapless octogenarian behind it. The terrifying ride came to an end when the animal jumped a kerb, throwing the woman out of her wheelchair. She was taken to hospital and discharged after being given treatment for a head injury.



Police spokesman Harald Schnabel said that the incident is now before the courts, as it is considered a traffic accident, "with, of course, an unusual sort of vehicle". It has not been decided yet what action will be taken against the pony owner for the illegal carriage ride. The woman is now back at home recovering. Schnabel added: "She will probably stay away from the back end of horses for the rest of her life." The pony was uninjured in the incident.