BALLPLAY BEND– The Ballplay Bend Fire Department and A-Med Ambulance Service responded after a rider fell from her horse when part of her saddle rigging broke, according to an account shared by her family.

The accident happened around 4:40 p.m. while the rider was traveling at a canter. Her family said a screw snapped near the front of the saddle, releasing part of the rigging that secured it. The rider fell with the saddle, her feet still in the stirrups, while the horse continued home.

A neighbor witnessed the fall and called 911. Other neighbors then gathered to stay with the rider and her family while they waited for emergency crews.

The family said Ballplay Bend’s Rescue 406 crew arrived within minutes, stabilized the rider’s spine, and checked her vital signs. A-Med personnel then transferred her to a stretcher and transported her to Gadsden Regional Medical Center.

According to the family, the ambulance crew also established IV access before reaching the hospital. Emergency department staff evaluated the rider and kept her for observation into the early morning hours.

The family also reported that X-rays and a CT scan showed a fractured tailbone, with no spinal cord damage found.

The family thanked the rescue crew, ambulance personnel, hospital staff, and neighbors for their help.

AREA NEWS