A 12-year-old girl who died after being trampled by a horse in Sydney's northwest was an accomplished rider and junior school leader.
It's believed the Year 6 student at Arndell Anglican College was leading her mother's horse back to the stables of a rural agistment property at Pitt Town yesterday afternoon when the horse got spooked.
It is unknown how long the girl lay injured in the paddock after she was dragged and trampled, because there were no witnesses to the accident, police say.
Her mother and a neighbour were first at the scene and called for help.
Emergency services found the girl in a paddock at about 5.30pm with serious head, chest and abdominal injuries. She was airlifted to Westmead Children's Hospital but died a short time later.
"The girl was an accomplished equestrian rider and handler, fairly well respected throughout the equestrian community for her age," Acting Inspector Scott Griffin told reporters at Windsor Police Station.
"Obviously the family will be extremely distraught after his horrific incident."
