Unleashed Dog Spooks Horse, Rider Hurt At Goddard

An unleashed dog on the bridle paths at Goddard Park spooked a horse Saturday morning, landing the horse's rider in the emergency room. Dogs are required to be on leash at Goddard. 

The rider was Celia Schnacky, a popular chemistry teacher at East Greenwich High School. According to the Paul Hoffman, her husband, Schnacky is stable but has extensive injuries: compound fracture of clavicle, pneumothorax, fractured ribs, fractured mandible, and fractured scapula. After surgery Saturday, she remained in trauma intensive care. 

The owner of the dog – a pit bull mix – left the scene after the incident, which took place at around 11 a.m. 

"The average person doesn't know how skittish horses are since they're mostly used to police and circus horses who are 'bomb proof.' Of course no horse is 100 percent," said Hoffman. 

If you have any information about this incident, contact eastgreenwich@patch.com.