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A month after Redwood City resident Uriel Chavez was injured in a hit-and-run incident while riding horseback on Woodside Road, he and his horse Regidor are still recovering from their injuries. Neither of them will be able to ride for months.
Chavez was on his way to the Horse Park at Woodside around 6:45 p.m. on July 1 when a white SUV collided with his horse at the intersection of Woodside Road and Hacienda Drive, knocking both of them down.
Chavez, who is renting a barn in Woodside, said he had been taking the same route to the horse park for years and had never had an accident while riding in the bike lane.
“We probably got struck at 40 mph and when I rolled down the hill, I thought, ‘I’m dead.’ Like it was pretty much over for me,” he said.
Chavez recalls getting thrown off of his horse, landing on the hood of the car and falling down the hill to the right of the road with his horse, who landed on top of him. Regidor, an Andalusian stallion, later ran down Woodside Road and was stopped by residents in the area.
The accident injured Chavez’s back, leaving a 12-inch scar from a cut he sustained during the fall. Since then, he said he’s experienced chronic pain in his lower back, knees, ankles, elbows and neck.
Regidor had visible wounds on his hind legs after the collision and while his cuts have healed, the horse’s internal injuries are still causing pain in his neck, chest, knees and hind legs.
Kristina Chancholo, founder of EquiKneads, which provides physical therapy for horses, is treating Regidor for his injuries. She said the horse has lost weight and muscles despite being hand-walked twice a day. She said other horses she’s rehabilitated don’t usually lose muscle unless there is more to their injuries.
“The horse is not moving normally. He usually has energy and he’s very spunky, and he jumps around, and he’s just really not (doing that),” said Chancholo. “I don’t see Uriel riding him for probably six months.”
Chavez is worried that his horse will have to retire once he recovers from his injuries and will never return to his normal self, he said. Regidor also might no longer be safe to ride, if he’s traumatized by cars and develops bad habits, Chavez said.
“It’s a lot to worry about and a lot of expenses at this moment,” he said. “I can’t even do what I love anymore. I can’t even ride for another two to three months.”
Since the accident, Chavez said he feels wary about being out on the road. He thinks the vegetation in the area should be cut down to increase the visibility of the bike lane for drivers and that police should be monitoring the area better.
“The road’s not safe. People are irresponsible,” Chavez said. “It’s a horse area, so people should be careful. If I had been biking that day, the driver would have killed me for sure.”
Investigators have identified the vehicle and a possible suspect, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. The case has been forwarded to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office which will weigh whether to press charges.
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