Horse riding horror as 16-year-old girl kicked to death by her pony

A teenage girl has died after she was kicked to death by her horse, leaving a small community in shock.

Emergency services were called to a property on Sandy Creed Road in Dunedoo, regional New South Wales, last Friday following reports that a child was injured after a encounter with a horse. The child, aged 16, was kicked by the animal after 4pm, and died at the scene, authorities confirmed this week. Orana Mid-Western Police District officers said they are preparing a report for the NSW coroner after police said the girl died despite the best efforts of first responders.

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The incident follows another horse-kicking incident in Wallerawang, a community near Lithgow, in which a girl was airlifted to hospital with severe injuries to her abdomen.

A famed horse trainer was also killed by her horse kicked her in the head during a routine training session.

Michelle O'Neill died at a property in Peak View near Cooma in the NSW Snowy Mountains, with police called to the scene following reports of a workplace accident.

The trainer, 49, was pronounced dead at the scene following the accident in August 2024, with news of her death sparking a series of local tributes.

Snowy Monaro residents posted their shock at her death on social media, with one user reflecting on her storied career in the horse training industry remembering her as "a hell of a horsewoman".

They wrote: "So humble, so kind and a hell of a horsewoman. The industry has truly lost one of the greats."

Another added that the Snowy Mountains community was left "shocked and saddened" by the trainer's passing.

She was someone "who gave something to the horse industry that we will all be forever grateful for", they said.

A third user remembered her as "an amazing woman who grew into a local legend in our community".

Ms O'Neill had run the Cherry Tree Equine for more than a decade, founding the business that trains both horses and their riders in a range of disciplines in 2010.

In a statement following her death, Ms O'Neill's family thanked people for their best wishes and condolences, adding the rider would be "sadly missed by all".

The family said: "We'd like to thank everyone for their best wishes, condolences and tributes to Michelle. She'll be sadly missed by all."