Eight-year-old Archie was sent “out after cows’’ at his parents’ property 12 miles from Condobolin, NSW, one Saturday afternoon.
His horse came home riderless about 20 minutes later, and the boy was found unconscious about 400 metres from the house.
From an open gate and a stirrup iron lying close to the body, it was surmised
“the boy had lost his balance whilst opening the gate and the horse had made off, dragging its rider along with one foot caught in the stirrup iron until it broke free’’.
He was hurriedly taken to town in a buggy, but despite medical attention died about 12 hours later, without having regained consciousness. The medicaal opinion was that he suffered a concussion of the brain, shock and bruising from the head along the back and arms.
Sources: The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957) Tuesday 23 October 1900 p 6 Lachlander and Condobolin and Western Districts Recorder (NSW : 1899 – 1952) Friday 26 October 1900 p 5
Way to go Australia 