Horse rider badly injured

A 60-year-old man sustained shoulder and chest injuries when he was thrown from a horse he was breaking in on hill country near Taumarunui yesterday.

Because the accident happened about 5km from the nearest road on the northeast side of Mt Hikurangi about 15km from Taumarunui, Taupo's Lion Foundation Rescue Helicopter had to be called to transport the man to Waikato Hospital.

He had been riding with companions on a farm track when he was thrown from the horse, and told emergency staff he had been "breaking in" the horse.