What a sad tragic accident, poor girl

cremedemonthe

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A 13-year-old girl was killed in horror accident when she suffered a fatal horse kick to the head as her mum cried "stay down", an inquest has heard.
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Maci Williams suffered a horrific head injury when she was kicked while helping lead a group of horses from a paddock to the barn.
She collapsed on the ground in front of her mother, Caroline, after the incident at a farm in Lewes, East Sussex. Her mother shouted: "Stay down, stay down" as the group of horses continued to kick out.
After the horses were cleared, she immediately rushed over and began trying to resuscitate her daughter.
Paramedics were called and they continued CPR before summoning the Sussex Air Ambulance.
Maci was then flown to King's College Hospital in London where her injuries were found to be "unsurvivable."
She was transferred to Chestnut Tree House – a hospice – where she died the following day.
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An inquest was told the tragic accident happened at Lower Stoneham Farm in Lewes, East Sussex on February 27 last year.
Maci, a keen horse rider, had gone to the farm to ride her pony, Susie, with her mother.
While they prepared to ride out they went to get the horses from the field but noticed one animal, Amir, had jumped his fence and was standing next to a group of mares in another field.
The hearing was told the mares may have been in season and Amir had probably jumped his fence to get near them.
The group of riders went out to round up the horses and the animals were being led from the paddock back to the barns down a lane.
Maci was leading her own horse, Susie, and another horse, Lulu, a short distance behind Amir.
The hearing was told Amir became "spooked" and kicked out which set off the other horses causing them to kick.
Maci was caught with a kick to the head causing the horrific injury and she fell to the ground.
In a statement her mother said Maci had been around horses for many years and was used to them.
Ms Williams said Maci was "happy, bright and confident around people she trusted but could be quiet and shy with people until she got to know them."
The hearing was told Maci, a pupil at Seaford Head School, had found school difficult and been suffering from anxiety but she loved to ride her horse as it helped ease her stress.
 
This is so sad.

My worst horse related injury came when I was a teenager and got badly kicked by loose milling horses in a field. I wasn’t the target, but I was in the way.

It can happen to any of us at any time when we are around horses, even the normally sensible ones can have their moments.
 
I wouldn't want to comment on this particular incident other than to say what an absolute tragedy it is.My comments are general.I read somewhere that there are more deaths and serious injuries off horses than riding them.Most people understand the need for a hard hat with a chin strap done up when riding but not otherwise .A woman that I know ,who is careless about riding without a hard hat will never load a horse without one as she had a friend killed doing just that as the horse lashed out on the ramp.
Accidents will always happen but perhaps we just need a bit more thought. It's very rare that a horse intends harm but it can happen.
 
Again and again, it is really important to wear a hard hat when doing anything near horses, even when not riding. My great aunt was killed by a kick to the head when she slipped and fell petting horses in the field.
I know at least three people who have been kicked in the head and only one survived.
 
Absolutely awful, I Can't imagine what her family are going through, very similar to what happened to me August 2024 but somehow I made it out the other side with only a TBI, jaw broken in 5 places and missing a few teeth, and my parents struggled enough with that!
 
It is completely heartbreaking and sadly, what I fear will happen to a young girl at my old yard. She has on more than one occasion been in the middle of a this kind of thing (she often takes treats into the field) and I was reported to the YO as a bully when I told her to not be so silly! (she posted a FB video of her being knocked over and laughing, hooves everywhere, it was terrifying to watch!) I hope she sees this poor girls fate and takes note, but sadly I doubt it :( Horses are so powerful and our skulls have no chance.
 
In my nearly 40 years around horses I’ve been kicked once (luckily only in the knee) and that was by daughter’s pony shortly after we bought her. Pony is a total saint but I went to check something on her stomach in the field and earned a boot for my time.
 
This tragic accident bought back memories of a near miss I had years ago.

I had my horse on DIY livery. There were about six horses that needed to be moved across into the next field. I was there with three friends, so we moved them between us. As we let them go, my friend screamed my name, and I turned my head to face her. She was as white as a ghost. In a split second, one of the horses had spun round, kicked out, and their hoof missed my head by a couple of inches. It was only because my friend had shouted me that I had turned my head those few precious inches - otherwise, I would have certainly been a goner. 😢

It all happened so fast. Every time I think about it my blood runs cold........
 
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