A TEN-YEAR-OLD girl died from a severe brain injury after falling from a horse.

Michelle Holdstock, from Worthing, was found unconscious by her mother on a road near Angmering Park Estate after the horse she was riding broke into a trot on a bend in the road.

Michelle was taken to hospital in London by air ambulance but died eight days later, an inquest at Worthing Coroner’s Court was told yesterday.

Mother Maxine Holdstock told the inquest that her daughter had a passion for horses and had been riding a horse called Zorba regularly at the stables owned by Tanya Crew.

Describing the relationship between Michelle and Zorba, Mrs Holdstock said: “They were suited to each other.

“You saw her on the horse and it was like a match made in heaven.”

On the afternoon of October 2 last year, Michelle was riding Zorba with her mother and the stable owner walking behind.

They were going back along the route they had taken when they approached a right hand bend in the road.

The horse appeared to break into a trot and disappeared out of sight with Michelle doing her best to slow the horse as they went round the corner.

Moments later Mrs Holdstock found Michelle unconscious on the tarmac road.

She was airlifted to the trauma centre at St George’s Hospital in London.

Despite wearing a helmet she was found to have a bleed under and within the brain and was suffering from a lack of oxygen.

Paediatric intensive care consultant Buvana Dwarakanathan said Michelle’s brain injury was unsurvivable.

She said: “This was a high impact injury, something you would see in a road traffic accident.”

Police sergeant Darren Harries said: “Looking at the hoof marks on the road, they looked like skid marks – the same marks as tyres locking up and skidding.”

Michelle died from severe brain injury on October 10, 2016.

In a statement, Mr and Mrs Holdstock said: "Michelle was a bright friendly little girl who always had time for anyone, since the day she was born she was so very special to us and our small family and friends.

"She went to Durrington Middle School for two and a bit years and loved her friends and school very much. She was always on the go and we spent all our time with her doing different things, from ballet, horse riding, roller skating, ice skating to long country walks with our dog.

"This is a tragic loss to us and has left a big hole in out lives as well as our many friends, family, children and school.

"Michelle's school have been so amazing by raising money for the Air Ambulance and have put a permanent memorial outside her year  class room."

Assistant coroner Christopher Wilkinson, recording a narrative verdict, said: “It was simply an unexpected event and on the balance of probabilities it was an accident.

“It is a tragedy.

“It has robbed you of a daughter and I’m very sorry it has occurred.”