15-Year-Old Girl Dies After Horse Falls on Her During Equestrian Event

A teenage girl in Florida died over the weekend after the horse she was riding fell on top of her, according to reports.

Hannah Serfass, 15, died on Sunday after a horse fell on her head during an event at the Fox Lea Farm Spring Concours in Venice, Florida, according to a statement from the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF).

“Hannah, 15, was riding Quaxx 2, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding, in an equitation class when the horse tripped and suffered a rotational fall,” the USEF statement claimed.  “The fall was unrelated to a jumping effort.

“The USEF, USHJA, and Fox Lea Farm team wish to extend our deepest condolences to Hannah’s family, support team, and friends.”

According to a report from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the fatal misstep actually occurred after the horse completed its jump. The report states that the horse took a few steps after the jump and stumbled on its left front foot. That stumble caused Hannah to fall from the horse.

“This action caused the rider to then topple forward and off the horse in the same direction and onto the ground,” the report explained. “The horse then continued to fall in the same direction falling over and onto the rider’s head on the ground.”

The statement continued, “Hannah from Webster, Fla., was a very talented up-and-coming young rider who trained with Robin Swinderman. She was known for her passion for horses, her natural ability, and her work ethic.”

Serfass was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

In a March interview with World Equestrian Center, Hannah spoke about her love for horse riding and her desire to experience it fully.

“I just got into it and never wanted to stop,” Hannah said. “And now, I just want to learn everything I can about it. I want to keep going with it.”

The USEF plans to continue reviewing the incident.