Horse bites off boy's arm

Trinidad Express ^ | February 21, 2004 | Richard Charan

[kerosene]

Seven-year-old David Sinanan reached out to touch the face of a "friendly looking" horse, and the stallion ripped his left arm off from his shoulder yesterday.

Doctors at the Mt Hope Hospital tried, but failed in their attempt last night to reattach the hand.

Sinanan's life was saved because of the efforts of horse farm worker Deonanan Sankar, 30, who stopped the attack, rescued the boy and kept him alive until paramedics came.

Sinanan had stayed away from classes because he did not want to take part in his school's Carnival celebrations.

The incident happened just before 11 a.m. yesterday at the horse farm at Williams Trace, Ragoonanan Road, Enterprise. The farm is owned by noted race horse owner and trainer Maniram "Boboy" Maharaj.

Sinanan's weeping grandfather, Sinanan Toolsie, said the boy stayed home yesterday because he did not want to take part in the Carnival celebrations at school.

Instead, Sinanan, his two brothers and a friend travelled on their bicycles to the farm a quarter mile from their home.

Sankar was tending the horses when he saw the boy.

He said: "I saw this little fella riding his bike near the fence with the horse Java In Flight running up and down. He put down the bike and jump the drain.

"He reach his arm and before I could bawl out, he put out his hand and touch the horse nose."

Sankar said that from about 100 feet away, he saw the horse "snatch and raise the boy off the ground.

"The boy held on the bar of the fence, but Java In Flight raised him over the railing and high the the air and start to shake him, swinging him like a kite."

Sankar said he screamed to the horse "and Java In Flight drop the boy and run away with the hand in his mouth."

Sankar said he covered the boy in towels and tried to stop the blood.

"He would have died if I didn't help. He said he not moving his hand. I told him don't worry, the doctors would fix him up."

Sinanan was said to be in critical condition at hospital.

Cunupia Police are investigating.

[FITZ]

I have seen good ones --- but most stallions used for breeding are cooped up except to breed and don't get the socialization horses need. Someone told me about an Arabian horse breeder in New Mexico who would keep the stallion in a fence all the time with a couple mares which was a natural life and the stallion was very gentle and calm. For a stallion to bite off a child's arm, I would suspect that stallion was mishandled and very frustrated but some seem to turn mean even with normal handling.