STOCKHOLM, Sweden-
A wild bear attacked three racehorses on a practice run in central Sweden but was forced to retreat into the forest with a broken leg and a bruised ego, news reports said Monday.
Coachman Bjorn Johansson was taking the three trotting horses for a run on a country road near the town of Ransater on Sunday when the bear came charging at them from behind, he told tabloid Aftonbladet.
Johansson was thrown from his carriage as the panicked horses tried to defend themselves against the bear.
“I think I broke a few ribs. It was total chaos,” Johansson said.
The horses quickly got the upper hand, however, kicking furiously at the bear, which limped off into the forest after repeated attacks.
“I think one of his legs was broken,” Johansson said.
One of the horses suffered a few cuts, but did not appear badly injured, he said.
Sweden’s bear population was nearly wiped out in the early 20th century but recovered after tougher hunting laws were introduced. Today there are an estimated 2,550 bears in the Scandinavian country, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
