Posted on 03/22/2007 8:59:06 AM PDT by stainlessbanner
VENICE, Fla. -- A 13-year-old Venice girl died after being thrown from a horse.
Mary Angela Jaquith was practicing for a jumping competition at her family farm on Saturday when another member of her riding club had a problem with a horse. Jaquith saddled up to see if she could help.
But the horse reared back, threw Jaquith to the ground and rolled over her.
Jaquith's mother, Debra is a former nurse. She rushed to the girl's side and found her unconscious and bleeding heavily.
Jaquith was airlifted to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.
Despite her riding helmet, Jaquith suffered a fracture to the base of her skull. She died on Sunday.
A Mass of Christian burial is scheduled for today in Venice.
Sad one
I wonder how often this happens?
I had a dear friend who got tossed off her mount when the horse balked in front a jump. The rider landed on her head, suffered a serious concussion and broker an ankle. She was lucky.
Oh yeah, she's not riding anymore.
How horrible! No parent should ever have to bury a child.
Not as often as we might think, given the size and strength of horses and the potential for accidents. But it can always happen.
Not often. My daughter rides and she's been thrown a couple of times. Every time it was a case of the horse refusing a jump and stopping short. Fortunately every time it was in a ring with a soft dirt surface.
We need horse registration, mandatory saddle locks, and "assault horse" bans now! We also need laws that mandate storage of horses and food in separate, locked areas that are inaccessible to children. /'rat mindset
The was some debate here last year on what animals kill more humans than any other. I said dogs but was corrected, they noted horses are the number one killer and sighted some study I then read supporting it.
I would be interested to know in what discipline more people are killed in. Seems to me a lot of jumpers are killed, even more then you hear about rodeo contestants.
Becky
I would like to see the breakdown between English vs. Western, also.
This was a tragic accident. However, there was an accident in Tucson recently where a 5 year old girl was killed in a parade accident, though it was forbidden for children that young to be riding.
Jumping is certainly dangerous... It's not for the meek. I can see that it might be potentially more dangerous than rodeo sport.
SOMETIMES, a horse rearing straight back over itself is a heart problem with the horse.
Could also be a young horse.
shaking head....and she was probably on a horse that was "kid broke" and would never do anything...People now a days just put way to much trust in horses...drives me crazy:)
Becky
Also, I would think the physics of an 800 lb animal rolling on a 50 lb child pose a greater risk than a 150lb adult.
Did the horse fall on top of the young child in that parade? So sad.
Well, then I don't understand why people do it...any more then I understand bronc riders, and bull riders...
And I also know that jumping is hard on a horse, usually breaks them down before they would if they weren't jumping.
Just don't get it.
Becky
More that you'd think. I know of two people that suffered broken legs when their horses reared up and fell over on them.
On the other hand, kids are remarkably resilient when taking falls, I got tossed a lot when I was young, and bounced right back on. As an adult, it hurts a lot more. A horse falling on you can be bad for anyone.
Yeah. Sad.
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