A 21-year-old man who suffered head injuries after crashing into a horse at Thornton near Whakatane is this morning in a critical condition.
The Tauranga man was travelling on a motorcycle on Saturday night when he collided with the horse and suffered head injuries.
The man was taken to Whakatane Hospital, where he was later picked up and flown by Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Waikato Hospital.
He was carrying a pillon passenger, a 16-year-old girl who was taken to Tauranga Hospital with moderate injuries.
A Waikato Hospital spokeswoman said the man was this morning in a critical condition.