A man and woman were injured by an out-of-control horse during the Michigan Horse Council's Horse Expo 2003 at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education on Sunday.

Witnesses say something spooked the horse, causing it to go on a four-minute rampage inside the pavilion.

MSU police Sgt. Jennifer Brown said the woman, a 45-year-old expo volunteer and Eaton Rapids resident, suffered unspecified wrist and back injuries after the horse bit her on the wrist and trampled her.

Both victims were taken to Lansing's Sparrow Hospital.

The 58-year-old man, who was a resident of Ontario, Calif. and the horse's owner and handler, attempted to control the horse only to be trampled and taken to the hospital for possible internal injuries, Brown said.

Hospital officials could not indicate either of the victims' conditions.

Other witnesses said they were shocked at what unfolded in front of them.

Elizabeth Schultz of Concord, Mich., said she has never seen a horse attack like this before.

"It attacked the man first," she said. "Then one of the ladies with the yellow, who I assume works here, tried to control him and he gave her a vicious attack.

"It had its feet on her and was biting her."

Perry resident Bruce Putnam Jr. said volunteers struggled to get the horse under control.

"I looked over and saw the horse was completely on top him, smashing him with its legs," Putnam said.

He said the tragedy escalated when a female volunteer tried to tame the horse in the center of the pavilion.

"This young girl grabbed ahold of the reins and had the reins really tight," he said. "The horse pulled her underneath him and she got caught by the reins and then he started biting her wrist and broke her arm really bad."

Putnam said the horse continued to trample the female as she was underneath him.

Jean Ligon, volunteer coordinator for the expo, said this is the first injury sustained by participants in the event's 20-year history.

She said safety has always been the Horse Expo's main concern.

"This is why we take such precaution when they are here," Ligon said.

"There is always someone in front and someone behind the horse. They are normally well-broken, gentle horses that come here."