PROVIDENCE — Fists flew, a police horse was slapped and punched and three men went to the hospital after brawls outside nightclubs near Friendship and Richmond streets early yesterday, according to the police.

One man sustained minor injuries. The others were taken to Rhode Island Hospital, where they were not listed as patients yesterday.

Much of the fight took place around 2:20 a.m. outside Club Level 2, where a street worker for the Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence was stabbed and beaten a week ago.

One fight involved a crowd of women, who punched each other and pulled each other’s hair, the police said.

Seven people, most of them from Massachusetts, were charged and a 17-year-old girl was turned over to the police department’s Youth Services Bureau.

Police reports describe large and unruly crowds outside Club Level 2 at around 2:20 a.m., and parking lots nearby.

Three men were charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly assaulting Sardelli, a police horse ridden by Officer Tara DaSilva.

Marcos Araujo, 26, of Worcester, Mass., allegedly struck Sardelli on the buttocks. The horse bucked, nearly throwing DaSilva, according to a report. Errold Corbin, 23, of Brockton, Mass, allegedly slapped Sardelli on the neck as DaSilva attempted to disperse a crowd at parking lots at Friendship and Garnett streets. Corbin was also charged with threatening DaSilva.

Edward Benvides, 22, of Fall River, was charged with disorderly conduct and assembling to cause a fight after he slapped Sardelli on the neck.

Kristopher Moore, 26, of Norwich, Conn., was charged with resisting arrest, simple assault or battery, disorderly conduct and failure to move after allegedly exchanging blows with the police near the Ultra nightclub on Pine Street, reports said. Moore was taken to Rhode Island Hospital at 3:10 a.m. after he began vomiting while in a cellblock at Central Station, according to the report. A hospital spokeswoman said Moore was not listed as a patient yesterday.

At 2:45 a.m., as the police were still attempting to disperse crowds near Friendship, Richmond, Pine and Garnett streets and the parking lot of the J. Joseph Garrahy Judicial Complex on Dorrance Street, they found Derek Scherer, 21, on the ground, being punched and kicked in the face by Eric Saulnier 18, of Seekonk, a report said. Scherer’s address was not listed.

Scherer was taken to Rhode Island Hospital; he was not listed as a patient yesterday. Saulnier was treated and released from Roger Williams Hospital for a minor hand injury, according to a report, and charged with disorderly conduct.

The police also broke up a fight among a group of women outside Club Level 2 at 2:24 a.m. Marilee Rosa, 18, and Tatiana Moneiro, 19, both of Brockton, Mass., were charged with disorderly conduct. A 17-year-old Brockton woman was transferred to the custody of Youth Services.