SANDY, Utah — Richard Delgado was out riding with his 11-year-old Quarter Horse, Buckshot, at the Dimple Dell Recreation Area gully on Thursday when he saw a horse galloping straight for him.

The horse was without its rider and, seconds later, Delgado noticed a pit bull was hot on its heels.

Delgado’s friend Sarah Simmons grabbed the run-away horse.

“Even at that point I didn’t think the dog was being vicious,” said Simmons.

The dog attacked the loose horse, then turned to Simmons’ horse. Delgado said he tried to get in-between Simmons and the dog—that’s when the pit bull attacked Buckshot.

“On his front, right leg it was literally pouring blood like a fountain,” said Delgado. “His whole right leg is swollen in comparison to his left.”

The scars are still visible on Buckshot’s legs and there’s a limp in his stride.

Delgado said the pit bull’s owner apologized. The dog had not been on a leash in a leash-only zone, something Sandy Police said is a huge issue in the area.

“It is very serious giving an injury to an animal and even to a human,” said Sgt. Jason Nielsen. “It could be life-threatening sometimes.”

The pit bull owner faces court and a few charges, including animals attacking livestock. A dog can be impounded if it attacks a human. But, in this case, the victim was a horse, so it wasn't impounded, according to Sgt. Nielsen.

But for Delgado and Buckshot, it was a bad day they hope never happens again.

“If he had just followed the rules and been on a leash, there would’ve been no accident,” said Delgado.