A two-year-old girl has died after falling from a “spooked” pony during a hunt meeting.
The toddler was participating at The Bedale Hunt in Kirkby Fleetham in North Yorkshire when she was thrown out of the animal.
After hearing that a child had fallen off a horse near Northallerton, emergency services raced to the scene.
Police confirmed that the little girl, who was a toddler, died in hospital from her injuries on Thursday morning.
The MailOnline was told by a Hambleton resident that the toddler fell.
One said: “All we can think of is that something must have spooked the horse.”
Another said: “The timing of the accident chimes with when we heard the hunting horn.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
“I understand there were three horses with a toddler and a very young toddler. The young one must have slipped off.”
He described the girl’s death as a “terrible, terrible tragedy” and said the entire village “is shocked” by the news.
Officials at the Bedale Hunt said members are “devastated.”
In a statement, a spokesman said: “We can confirm that a tragic accident happened on Wednesday, 15th September, when a two-year-old girl fell from her pony and subsequently lost her life.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
“As a community we are all completely devastated but are pulling together to support the family involved.
“Our sincere condolences go to all those affected and we urge that everybody respects the family’s privacy during what is a very distressing time.”
North Yorkshire Police say they are preparing a file for the coroner.
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A spokesman said about the fall: “It happened at 8 AM on Wednesday, September 15, 2021. The girl died in hospital at the beginning of Thursday.
“The girl’s family are receiving specialist support while enquiries are ongoing into the incident.
“Police ask that the family be kept in privacy during this very difficult time.