By Kath Gannaway
AMBULANCE Victoria has warned horse-riders and those working around horses to take care after 13 people were hospitalised over the weekend of 3 and 4 December, in accidents involving horses.
Three of the incidents occurred in the Yarra Valley on Sunday, one involving a women in her fifties and the others involving primary school-aged girls.
The woman, from Seville, fell from her horse injuring her shoulder and back; a girl from Yarra Junction also fell from her horse injuring her arm and a second girl from Coldstream was injured when a horse was spooked and reared resulting in back injuries.
All three were taken to Maroondah Hospital in a stable condition.
An Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said Sunday was particularly busy with nine incidents including the most seriously injured, a South Gippsland girl who was hurt when a horse kicked over a gate which landed on her.
She was flown by air ambulance helicopter to the Royal Children’s Hospital with serious head injuries.
Paramedics are urging people as the warmer weather and school holidays approach to take care around horses and ensure they have a helmet, safety equipment and a mobile phone.
Anyone riding or working with horses in an unfamiliar area is advised to download the Emergency + app to get an exact location to make it easier for emergency services to reach injured people.
