Horses and their riders are mainstays in parades across the country. While the crowd enjoys and expects to see them, horse experts stress a lot of consideration and preparation must go into their participation.
Horses may have to follow cars, firetrucks and noisy marching bands and handle a pace with a lot of stop-and-go. Some horses are expected to prance and with their riders, put on a show. Horses can react differently to the crowd’s attention.
What went wrong in the tragic horse accident that killed Sherry Lizzethe Galindo after riding in the 2023 Pacoima Holiday Parade has yet to be determined.
The San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol shared an eyewitness account in previous coverage that indicated Galindo was still on the horse when it broke into a fast gallop, causing her to fall headfirst onto the street.
The fall caused a traumatic and fatal brain injury. The beloved local mother of three boys died two days later at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills; she was 35 years old.
After several requests for comment since December after the incident occurred, Eddie Gonzalez, president of the Pacoima Chamber of Commerce, responded via text message this week.
“We were all sad to hear about the passing of the young lady, Sherry, and our condolences go out to her family,” wrote Gonzalez organizer for the yearly local parade, stating that he was speaking only on behalf of himself – not for the Pacoima Chamber or any of its affiliates.
Gonzalez wrote he couldn’t comment on any specifics regarding the incident at this time – noting he will do so “when and if it’s appropriate” – but stressed that all the individuals involved in organizing the Pacoima Holiday Parade work hard “every year … for the community.”
“We do this because we are passionate about this long-standing tradition, and … the safety and the well-being of our spectators and participants is always our number one priority,” he wrote.
Galindo’s family previously reported they were seeking information about the circumstances and sequence of events leading up to the accident, and said they hoped to hire an attorney who can help answer their remaining questions and determine any legal culpability.
Mayor Karen Bass was Pacoima’s holiday parade Grand Marshal and rode in the lead car, but to date, city officials have not responded to inquiries about the accident from the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol.
Horses and Parade Safety
Geronimo Bugarin, a longtime resident of Sylmar and active member of the local equestrian community, never knew Galindo and he didn’t witness nor have any knowledge of the details that contributed to the fatal accident. But, as an experienced rider who has participated in several parades on horseback, Bugarin believes the primary safety consideration for any parade – to protect horses, riders and spectators alike – is for riders to practice “common sense” precautions.
“Anytime somebody rides a horse in a parade, it’s recommended that they know what they’re doing,” he said. “When you ride in a parade, you’re in public; you should have some sort of training and knowledge, and not just get on a horse without knowing the horse you’re riding.”
Along with experience, said Bugarin, a horse’s temperament matters, too. Some horses have calmer personalities, he explained, adding that, in most cases, the owner of the horse – or someone who has ridden it before – would be the best person to ride it in a parade. But even the most even-keeled horse can get unexpectedly spooked, he noted. In those situations, experience combined with familiarity with the horse can help the rider get it back under control.
“How you handle an animal is you transmit your knowledge and skills, and if you don’t have any experience, you’re not going to know how to do that,” Bugarin explained. “If [a rider] has the knowledge and the experience, they’re going to have the ability to manipulate the horse.”
But there are instances where even the most experienced rider might lose control of a horse, he admitted.
“Things are going to happen sometimes,” he said. “I’ve been knocked off a horse many times. A person that has never ridden a horse is probably the only person who has never fallen off one.”
Another thing riders and parade spectators should keep in mind about horses is their strength, size and weight – while a smaller horse might weigh 700 to 800 pounds, a full-size, well-fed horse can weigh between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds, noted Bugarin.
“You have to think about that and think about the consequences if things go wrong,” said Bugarin, adding that a seemingly harmless situation could pose dangers. “I’ve seen [in parades] where folks that are riding a horse go and get close to either family members or just the public.”
By doing so, he explained, the riders risk exposing themselves or spectators to a potentially dangerous scenario if someone accidentally scares the horse by trying to pet it or interact with it.
“Just to make it very clear: If you don’t have any type of experience with riding a horse, you should not be part of a parade,” he said, “otherwise you’re going to jeopardize your own safety or jeopardize the safety of somebody else.”
Another safety consideration – riders should avoid drinking and riding, said Bugarin.
“Drinking while parading is not encouraged,” he said.
The bottom line said Bugarin: “Anytime you’re on an animal, you can expect the unexpected.”