KEY POINTS:
A man's arm was torn off and a horse died as the result of a crash on State Highway 1 in Huntly yesterday.
The 11.38am crash closed the highway for three hours.
Witnesses say a southbound car and an oncoming horse float containing four rodeo horses collided, causing the truck to topple on its side.
The driver of the southbound Toyota Camry needed to be cut out from his vehicle with the jaws of life.
He suffered a severely injured arm which police later said he had lost.
At the scene the man's female passenger appeared to be in shock.
Police later described her injuries as moderate.
The horses were being transported from Taumarunui to Auckland.
One of the animals died instantly, while another suffered severe cuts to its right front and back legs.
Two of the horses escaped from the float almost immediately and appeared unharmed.
Horse-owner Elaine Gubb was distraught as the remaining surviving horse lay trapped in the vehicle for about an hour.
Veterinarians sedated the animal while the jaws of life were used to pry open the roof of the truck to give better access to emergency workers.
Ms Gubb said she was taking the horses up to her parents' farm to prepare them for a rodeo competition next month. Her husband had been driving the truck.
Auckland couple James and Heather Cowland were in the car that followed the float.
"I saw the car come out and hit the side of the truck, and then the truck went over on its side," Mrs Cowland said.
Debris, including sawdust, spilled out from behind the truck, Mr Cowland said, making braking and control of his vehicle difficult.
He went into a roadside barrier but avoided going into the back of the truck.
The crash occurred in a 70km/h area.
In a car following the southbound car were three students travelling to university in Hamilton.
Two of them were Cassandra Williams and Alex Young.
After the impact their vehicle hit the Camry from behind, although none of the three students was injured.
Ms Williams said she went straight to the driver of the Camry.
"He wasn't good, and the woman jumped out - she was in shock.
"She didn't know what was happening.
"I tried to hold his hand, arm chunks were over the car and he was having trouble breathing."
