Another child dies from horse accident

[RR]

Girl, 12, injured in horse accident dies
By Ron Hayes
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 26, 2006

Shortly before sunset on Sunday, June 4, a horse backed into a tree along Key Lime Road. Startled, the animal stumbled, fell and slammed its rider's head into the pavement.

Nicole Hornstein, 12, wasn't wearing a helmet.

She died Saturday at St. Mary's Medical Center, after 20 days in a coma.
"Every trainer we had told her, 'You've got to wear a helmet,'" her father said Monday as family members bustled about the house, preparing for Wednesday's memorial service.

The helmets are hot, Nicole complained. They don't look cool. They're too heavy. They bounce in my eyes when the horse jiggles.
"We fought constantly," Gary Hornstein said. "I'd make her wear it, then find the helmet on a post." Hornstein's face broke into a smile at the memory of his daughter, then collapsed in tears. Nicole wasn't riding Fred, her own horse, that day. She was riding a neighbor's. But Hornstein doesn't blame the horse.

"I saw where Nicole hit her head," he said. "I saw where the helmet lined up, and she would be alive today if she'd been wearing it. There's no question about it in my mind. Now I just want to tell other parents to make their kids wear helmets. Make them put the helmet on." According to the American Medical Equestrian Association, head injuries are the most common cause of death among the 12 to 15 million Americans who ride a horse or pony every year. And while a fall from only 2 feet can cause permanent brain damage, a horse elevates its rider 8 or more feet above the ground.

Gary and Monique Hornstein and their children, Brittney, 14; Nicole, 12; and Samantha, 4, moved into their spread off Key Lime Road a year ago. The children, especially Brittney and Nicole, had been involved in riding for about two years. An eighth-grader at Western Pines Middle School, she would have turned 13 on Aug. 7.

"I don't ride," Hornstein said. "I did this for them." Hornstein built a small barn on his 1 1/2 -acre lot, and a corral for the family's three horses, Fred, Oliver and Rashon. He paid for the children's riding lessons and rejoiced in their growing love of horses.

"Nicole was so happy when she got that horse," her father recalled. "Her grades went up and her weight went down because she'd found something she loved to do." Her bedroom is a testament to that love. Riding ribbons hang above the window. Her bookshelf is adorned with toy horses. A picture frame is decorated with a horse motif.

"Everything was horses to her," he said. "Everything." Asked about helmets, Nicole's sister, Brittney, echoed the same complaints: They're hot, they're uncomfortable, they're not cool. But she promised her father to wear one when riding, always.

"She's angry," Gary Hornstein said as Brittney slipped back into her bedroom.

"As a father, I blame myself," he said. "Because I didn't give her enough discipline. I slept in the hospital with her the whole time, on one of those little cots beside her bed. I spent Father's Day in the hospital, and I watched her die slowly. So many tubes she had in her." He wiped at new tears.
"I'm 43 years old and this is the first funeral I've ever gone to," he said. "Can you believe it? Parents shouldn't bury their children over a helmet."

[Monty]

This story speaks volumes - :(

[Barbwire]

That's just heartbreaking. :(

[Carol Nelson]

Awful...just awful...I'm speechless...

[Fino1]

Gosh, my heart breaks for that family.

J & C

[Abejita]

So sad


They bounce in my eyes when the horse jiggles.

If a child(or adult ) has this complaint then the helmet does not fit correctly. MAking sure the helmet fits could be one step in making it more acceptable to the rider.To late now for that little girl.

[tinomino]

hey all, Not to take away from this story at all , it is very tragic, but even with a helmet you can still die from a fall. My trainer when I was in highschool died in a fall and she had a helmet on. We don't know what happened to her that she fell since her horse was a very bomb proof horse. Well as bomb proof as they come. She was old but it still shows that no matter what you do to protect yourself it IS still a dangerous sport and you have to be as careful as possible to prevent accidents from happening. That being said not wearing a helmet shouldn't be a choice for children. Either they wear it or they don't ride. It should be as simple as that. When I learned to ride I didn't have a choice. And I am grateful for the adults who made that decision for me. I know as a kid I wouldn't have made a good one on my own. I would have said the same thing that little girl said. It's a tragic thing that happened but hopefully someone will learn from this little girl's story and a life will be saved by someone making that desision to wear a helmet.

[Linda Y]

That is terribly sad.
And I agree that the helmet must not have fit correctly. If it is right, it is not hot, and doesn't bounce. After a bit, you don't even know you have it on.
What would have to be done to make helmets 'cool'? So many 'cool' horse people wear them, but it stilll isn't seen as an in thing. :(

[SandyMM]

It isn't just kids who die - my niece was 31....

[Brigitte]

Sad..

[baileyholc]

Very sad. :(

[CarolU]

What a hard lesson in parenting for the father. It is not always easy to make the right decisions for kids, and often disasterous to let them make thier own. What a sad, sad story.

[PasoPerson38]

Oh man that is horrible. I pray for that little girl and her family...

[El Indio Elegante]

Cassies mom here posting on her name.. Cassie also had a very bad experience years ago when she was very young. She was wearing a helmet, but it wouldn't have helped.. It was the first real hot day of the year, and she was cantering in a lesson ring.. The saddle slipped to the side of the horse and she was literally riding on the side of the horse hanging on for dear life until the horse saw the growth on its side and went one way and Cassie went the other.. She landed on her bottom.. The impact of the hit pushed her brain into her skull and caused contusions. She had abneshia (sp) We were very lucky

[CarolU]

Hello Cassie's mom...thanks for sharing that story. No, helmets won't solve all problems, but they certainly can save some people a lot of heartache.

I had a girlfriend riding one of my horses on a trail ride. Going down the mountain her saddle started sliding forward over Santiago's withers. She jumped off and landed on her feet, but on the steep mountain, her feet slipped out from under her and she landed on her butt. We all talked to her and she seemed okay to ride the rest the way down. Later that night she started getting nausous and headaches. She went to the ER and they x-rayed her. She had a concusion fracture of her spine, and like Cassie, the brain stem had pushed into her brain and she got concusions. It was many months before she was okay again.

I wanted to share that my cousin's daughter died, falling off a horse and landing on asphalt with her head. The horse did nothing, the girl was just bareback and slipped off. She died in my cousin's arms waiting for the ambulance. It's a rough thing for a parent to live with. I really feel for this girl's father.

[LaValiaDeFe]

Ya that is so so so Sad :cry: I feel so bad for the parents I hope they are Ok

[Moniece Dickerson]

I am completely heartbroken for this young girls father and all families that have lost their loved ones in accidents.Heartbroken.Yes there is risk envolved reguardless but we owe it to our families and all who really love us to protect ourselves the best we can since we are going to take the risk.And as for it not being cool,it would be considered cool or just part of riding if all the adults kids saw were wearing them.If that were the case when kids did come across a person not wearing one they would think THAT was the person that was less than smart and uncool.I would rather be the one that people see wearing one and say to themselves maybe it's not so stupid than one of the ones people see not wearing one and talk theirselves right out of starting to wear one then get hurt or die when a helmet might have saved them.The point is to live to ride and love our horses another day.Your friend,Moniece

[sporthorse]

For anyone out there with the same complaint of "it's too, hot, too heavy, too big, too small" I say try a Tipperary. I went through 3 helmets before my Tipperary. They were all of the above plus ugly. To stay put they had to be tight. About a mile into a ride I'd have a splitting headache. Now I put my helmet on and literally forget about it. In fact, Ed's had to say to me about a half hour after I complete ride and am tending to my steed, "Are you ever going to take your helmet off?" I don't even know it's on! Lindsay

[Minouri]

I always feel bad when I hear that someone died young......but if I watched the news nightlyand let what I saw dictate my decisions I wouldn't even get in my car. People die nightly in car accidents (with and without seatbelts) but horse accidents seem to be big news.

I would take from the accident a renewed awareness to be careful but I wouldn't assume that it's a lesson for the parents. We had family members die in a large club fire that happened a few years ago....would our lesson be not to ever go out to a club? My niece's boyfriend died last year on his motorcycle....had his helmet on....but that didn't stop the SUV.

I'm not sure unfortunate deaths provide us with much more than a reminder that life is something we shouldn't take for granted.

[motorgypsy]

This is so very sad and in this case, preventable. Our heart breaks for the parents and siblings.

Each safety precaution we take improves the odds that we will survive the activity, but never guarantees that we will. There is really only one guarantee and that is that our life here is finite. How long it will last depends on a lot of factors, some of which we can control. People who wear seat belts are much more likely to survive crashes. Cyclists who wear helmets are much more likely to survive crashes. Equestrians who wear helmets are much more likely to survive a fall. But none of these guarantee survival.

We would be dead or probably had our riding career ended if we didn't wear helmets and vests. If you saw the dents in the helmets you would know that's true. If you saw Kyle hit the ground when his saddle twisted and he already had two broken ribs you would know this is true. We now have padded pants we are trying out.

But there is the inconveninece vs benefit factor. Some precautions just don't have the benefit others do. If you are young and have "rubber bones", a fall that doesn't cause a head injury will probably not do you in - but it would do us in. So the benefit for us to wear extreme skater's pants for riding is probably worth the inconvenience.

As far as looking cool - does anyone really look more "cool" than a snowboarder or extreme skater??? Hardly - but they wear all kinds of protective gear. Besides - when YOU know you're cool - you can get away with wearing anything!!!

[Fuego]

Horses come with risk. Period.

Nearly every human 'horse related' death is preventable. Don't own/be around/ride horses.

Everyone decides how they want to minimize the risk to theirselves. ( Yes children need responsible parents making these decisions for them)

Some people (adults) chose not to ride their horses at all ( too dangerous, can easily get hurt)

Some people chose not to ride outside of an arena ( too many risks on the trails).

Some people chose to trail ride but NEVER canter or gallop their horses ( too many risks with going that fast)

Some people chose to never ride bareback. (too easy to fall off)

Some people chose to ride with helmets only, while others chose to wear every piece of protective they can find.

And some people chose to simply ride their horse without any protective gear, going any place they want to go at any speed.

Everyone makes their own decisions on how they want to handle the risks that come with riding horses.

Yes the death of this young girl is tragic, but is it really neccessary for these types of tragedies to continuously get exploited by the pro helmet lobby to once again insist that everyone needs to wear a helmet?

I support the right to wear safety gear and respect those who chose do so ( especially if you lack the ability to stay in the saddle where you belong, smart thinking).
You manage the risks in your life, I'll manage the risks in mine.

I won't tease you for wearing a helmet if you don't harp at me to wear one.

Deal?

[Edurne]

it's interesting that you find people's passion for promoting wearing a helmet as "harping". If you disagree.... what does it matter to you...?

[Pasonoodle]

That is terrible! Absolutey horrible! I think i'm going to cry. :(

[mea772]

These stories break my heart.

The people involved are going to be in my prayers

[Bella-Vista]

That sure is a terrible accident and my thoughts an prayers go to the Family.

Just the other day my Step Daughter (age 10)wanted to go for a bike ride with my son ( age 19) she was heading out without wearing a helmet and I stopped her and said to her where's your helmet? her response was i don't wear a helmet. I said to her you are wearing one today if you want to ride with Justin ( my son). She pissed and moaned and went to complain to her mother. She said to her , my other Dad lets me ride without a helmet why do I have to wear it Today. My wife's response was because Dad (me) told you to wear it because he loves you and doesn't want you to get hurt. She put on her helmet against her will and went off.
To our disbelief she came back in a neighbors car. She fell going down a hill and landed guess how? HEAD FIRST OVER THE HANDLE BARS. If not for her helmet who knows what could've happend.
Guess what was the first thing I told her after checking to see she was not seriously hurt? ;-) ;-) ;-)

Sorry for the long winded,

Jay

[Barbwire]

Jay, check your private messages.

[motorgypsy]

Again I have no problem if someone I don't know or love chooses to take what I consider unnecessary risks - as long as they have to pay higher insurance premiums for their medical insurance or will pay their own medical bills if they are injured.

One person's freedom stops where another person's begins. Our formerly "freedom of choice for seatbelts" governor changed his mind very quickly when he compared the medical bills for auto accidents and the severity of the accidents for our state which had no seatbelt law to a neighboring state which had one. The difference, which the state by way of taxing it's residents, was having to pay one way or another, was staggering. Guess who has a mandatory seat belt law now??? YUP - good old freedom of choice for seatbelts SC.

Why do we wrap up in protective gear? Do you know what happens to bones that are down 3 standard deviations in bone density if that person hits the ground unprotected? Well we don't want to find out and we don't want to stop riding our horses. So we look dorky! We wouldn't look too attractive in traction and casts either.

[Laura S]

Jay, the same exact thing happened to my son. He wore his helmet up to the neighbors house to ride bikes in their drive. My husband went up to check on him later and he had taken it off. He made him put it back on and shortly after when my son was riding home he fell going down a little hill. He went over the handle bars, scraped his elbow to the bone and had many gauges and scrapes all over the helmet. We saved the helmet to show his classmates at school and it has made an impression on people!

So kudos for making her put her helmet back on!