Horse killed, drivers hurt after Bradenton’s Florida Beach Horse trailer hit in crash

A vehicle and trailer hauling horses for a Bradenton-based business were flipped in a crash on Friday night, leaving people and animals seriously injured and one horse dead, according to the business owners.

Owners of Florida Beach Horses, a business that offers popular horseback rides in Palma Sola Bay, launched a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign on Saturday to raise money for recovery after the crash.

“With the heaviest heart, we come to share that our truck and trailer was involved in a wreck where it was t-boned and flipped last night after the beach rides,” owners of Florida Beach Horses wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday. “All horses are injured and we lost our beloved Hoss. We are so devastated and have absolutely no words for any of this.”

Alice Mercer, who identified herself on Facebook as a former horse guide for the business, said the crash happened on State Road 70 near County Road 675 in East Manatee County.

“My heart hurts for my Florida Beach Horses family right now,” Mercer wrote on Facebook. “Please pray for all involved.”

The owners said two people transporting the trailer suffered serious injuries in the crash, and one of them required surgery.

A horse named Sparkles also required surgery after she suffered skull fractures and leg injuries, according to the business owners. The medical costs for her injuries alone were estimated at $10,000, they said on Facebook, and her treatment was ongoing.

As of Sunday afternoon, the GoFundMe had raised over $85,000. The owners said the funds will be used for expenses including the medical bills and surgery costs for the injured drivers, emergency and veterinary care for the horses and rehabilitation and recovery costs for everyone involved in the crash.

In an update posted on Facebook Sunday, the business owners thanked the community for the outpouring of support.

“We can’t even believe how incredibly supported we have been by our community. In tough times, we are feeling hugged and (helped) by each one of you,” the post said.

This story was originally published December 1, 2024 at 2:37 PM.