On Thursday, July 28, 2022, a terrible tragedy occurred at an equestrian center in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region.
The eight-year-old girl fell because she lost her tail, local radio station France Bleu Pays Basque reported .
The equestrian center in Espelette in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, known as “Le Cheval de 3” (The Horse of Three), was the scene of a terrible tragedy on Thursday, July 28, 2022.
According to local radio station France Bleu Pays Basque , an eight-year-old girl died the following day after a fatal fall from a pony.
In an interview with a local broadcaster, mayor Jean-Marie Iputcha said the pony the girl was riding frightened her, leading to her death. The girl, originally from northern France, had been riding horses with her mother, aunt, and stepfather during the summer .
“We immediately understood that this was a very serious accident ,” the mayor said, noting that the young victim, who was wearing a riding helmet at the time of the accident, fell hard, hitting her head. The girl was taken “in a state of extreme exhaustion” to Bayonne University Hospital, where she went into cardiorespiratory arrest when emergency services arrived at the equestrian center to assist her.
Another 9-year-old girl dies in pony accident
Unfortunately, the girl died shortly thereafter from her injuries. The victim’s mother and aunt, both in a state of shock , were taken to the same hospital. The Bayonne prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the accident , according to the regional newspaper Sud Ouest . Meanwhile, a psychological support group has been established at the equestrian center where the tragedy occurred. Another rider suffered minor injuries after falling from a horse at the same equestrian center. A 38-year-old woman was also taken to hospital. It is worth recalling that at least 15 children and two outdoor recreation instructors were injured on Thursday, July 28, 2022, in a stampede involving ponies at an equestrian center in Saint-M’Herve, near Rennes. Furthermore, the following day, a nine-year-old girl died in a pony accident in Grezac, Charente-Maritime.