22/11/09 16:15 hrs

The Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to a horse riding accident on the Wainuiomata South Coast earlier this afternoon.

The helicopter, with a Wellington Free Ambulance (WFA) Helicopter Paramedic responded to the south end of Coast Road, Wainuiomata, just before 2:00pm.

Upon our arrival the team found a young woman who had been trapped underneath her dying horse.

"Apparently the woman was in a group of three horse back riders when her horse suffered a seizure, falling to the ground and trapping her underneath" says Dave Greenberg, Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman. "Luckily there were some other people nearby and they were able to pull her out from under the horse after a few minutes".

The woman was knocked unconcious in the fall and her helmet was heavily damaged.

"It would appear the helmet saved her life" says Greenberg. "The helmet was shattered but it did it's job and protected her head".

The 19 year old Lower Hutt woman had been knocked unconcious briefly but was concious but groggy upon our arrival.

She was transported to The Wellington Hospital Emergency Department where she is currently being assessed and treated.

The horse died at the scene.

ENDS

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