44 German riders, most of them young, injured when horses panic during torch-lit ride at night

44 Germans injured when horses panic in night ride

BERLIN — Police say 44 riders, most of them young, were injured when their horses spooked and threw them off during a torch-lit night ride near a stable in northern Germany.

Police in Lathen, near said the group of 100 riders, most of them aged eight to 17, had headed out late Thursday for the ride when several of the animals panicked, throwing off their riders and trampling them.

Police said 44 people were injured in the crush, several of them seriously, including a 14-year-old girl who remained in critical condition Friday.

Several adults were accompanying the group, police said. It was not immediately clear what caused the horses to panic.