New River girl survives freak horse accident
by Michael Murphy

PHOENIX – Eight‑year‑old Tanner Taylor looked up at her father, Tony, with luminous blue eyes. She brushed aside her tousled blond hair and flashed an excited smile.

After 11 days in the hospital– including five in intensive care–Tanner last week received a special gift. She got to return to the family’s New River home.

Doctors say Tanner is fortunate to be alive after a freak accident at a recent gymkhana.

“She’s a miracle. It’s amazing that she’s even here,” said Tanner’s mother, Toni, as the family prepared to take the little girl home from St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.

The Taylors’ tranquil family life was shattered in just seconds May 12 when a startled horse kicked Tanner, slamming its hoof into her chest and throwing her to the dusty ground at Phoenix Horse Lover’s Park.

The impact shattered her liver and tore her pancreas. No bones were broken, but Tanner underwent surgery to repair her damaged organs. She suffered internal bleeding for days afterward and underwent a blood transfusion.

The accident has spurred an outpouring of support from members of the Scottsdale Saddle Club, the New River Saddle Club, and the equestrian community, which has held fundraisers and a blood drive to support the family. The Scottsdale Saddle Club established a Bank of America account to help defray the family’s medical expenses. (The account is under SSC/Tanner Taylor #4570 0365 5432.)

“When somebody gets hurt, it’s like one of their own. It really is a family unto itself,” explained Ross Libonati, president of Scottsdale Saddle Club. “You’d be surprised at how many people are willing to step up and help.”

The Taylors are overwhelmed by the outpouring of kindness. “To know that so many people care about your little girl, it’s huge,” Toni said.

They also are determined to turn their misfortune into awareness about keeping children safe around horses.

With thousands of Arizonans involved in equestrian activities, “We hope people will really start to recognize where their children are,” said Toni.

Libonati said the biggest risk in being around horses occurs if the animals become frightened. Their only reaction is escape and survival, he explained, so people who are in the wrong place at the wrong time can be hurt.

“Horses do things not to hurt you ¼ I’ve never seen an intentionally mean horse,” he said.

At the gymkhana, Tanner was attempting to move away from the startled horse. “She couldn’t get away fast enough,” Toni Taylor said.

Libonati heard the impact. “When I first saw her, her lips were blue and she wasn’t breathing,” he said. Luckily, Libonati added, Tanner landed next to a pediatric nurse, who was attending the gymkhana.

Tanner has some recollection of the event. “I remember Baylee screaming,” she said, referring to her 10‑year‑old sister.

The girls’ parents were nearby tending to the family’s trailer business, “All Tacked Up.”  Tony Taylor knew the injury was serious when he lifted his daughter’s shirt and saw an imprint left by the hoof. “It was so detailed you could see the horse had shoes. That really got me,” he said.

Today, Tanner is facing at least six months of recovery and inactivity–a daunting challenge for a little girl who loves horses and riding bikes. She had planned a summer of roping lessons with her horse, “Miss Kitty.”

Asked if she fears horses now, Tanner quickly shook her head no.

“She’d have a heart attack if we told her, ‘We’re getting rid of your horse,’” her mother said. “She’s a strong little girl, physically and emotionally.”

Looking at her daughter, Toni added, “She’s going to be great now.”