Horse Fall

We had quite the scare last weekend. We adopted an 18-year-old Tennessee Walker named Frosty and were planning to keep him as a companion/light rider. We were told he wasn't for a beginner, but would need an experienced rider. We figured Samantha could ride him and get him to the point that I could ride him. She had her first, and last, lesson on him last Sunday. We decided to use the trainer from the rescue organization since she was not only familiar with him personally, but has worked with gaited horses and rescue horses.

Frosty had trouble during the lesson staying focused and kept wanting to take Samantha back to the barn gate. She was able to redirect him and gave him plenty of rest time at a spot in the farthest corner from the barn. On her last lap around the pasture, however, Frosty decided to break into a full-blown gallop. Samantha has never galloped a horse, let alone a horse that isn't responding to leg or rein commands. As they headed towards the barn gate Samantha tried to steer him right to go past the fence post. Frosty decided to go left at the last minute, and unfortunately, Samantha continued right. She fell off and slammed into the fence post, which just happened to be a square one and the only one sticking out into the pasture.

We called for an ambulance because she was coughing up blood and already has serious bruises on her back. After being rushed to the trauma center with sirens on (25 miles away), we were told everything was fine and Samantha was released within two hours. We are so thankful that she wasn't seriously hurt. She doesn't ever want to ride Frosty again, which I completely understand, but still loves him.

Our quandary now is, do we keep him as a companion only, keep him and try to train him, or send him back and get something rideable? He's very sweet on the ground and we've grown quite attached to him.