Horse Trailer Accident: What to Do, Lessons from Diego Ventura's Truck

Early on Monday, October 19, 2026, a truck carrying Diego Ventura's horses home from Zaragoza (nine or ten, depending on the report) overturned on Spain's A-5 near Trujillo. The horses were injured, mostly with cuts, two of them seriously, and a Guardia Civil officer was kicked while moving a horse off the road.

If you're ever in a horse trailer accident, what to do in the first few minutes matters for the people and the horses. Here's the practical guide, plus what this case teaches.

Horse trailer accident: what to do in the first minutes

First, get people safe, make the scene visible and call emergency services (911 in the U.S. and Mexico, 112 in Spain), saying that horses are involved. Then call a vet, and don't open doors or unload any horse until the scene is secure and there's a plan.

The order matters. Trailer safety guides agree on one thing: people first, then horses.

1. Check the people. That means the driver, any passengers and anyone in other vehicles. If someone is hurt, say so first when you call.
2. Make yourself visible. Put on a reflective vest, turn on your hazards and set out triangles or flares. If the rig can still roll and it's safe, creep to an exit or rest area instead of stopping on the shoulder.
3. Call emergency services. Give the road and nearest mile marker, how many horses are on board, and whether any are loose, down or trapped.
4. Call a vet. Call your own vet or the nearest equine vet. If it's safe, take photos or video of the horses from outside and send them, which helps the vet decide what to do.
5. Look, don't open. Check the horses through windows and vents. Are they standing or down, tied or loose, bleeding?
6. Wait for a plan. After a serious crash, let responders arrive and agree on a plan with them before anyone touches a door.

What we know about Diego Ventura's overturned truck

The articulated truck overturned at kilometer 266 of the southbound A-5, in the municipality of Santa Cruz de la Sierra next to Trujillo, in Spain's Cáceres province. It was returning from Zaragoza, where the Seville-based rider had closed his season on Sunday.

• The horses: Reports differ on how many were on board, with some outlets saying nine and others ten. All had injuries of some degree, mostly cuts, according to people close to the rider.
• Brillante and Fouto: These two had the most serious wounds and were treated by vets. Early reports that morning described their condition as serious.
• Their condition later: That afternoon, the rider's manager, Andrés Caballero, told Spanish broadcaster COPE the horses had been stabilized and were on their way to the rider's farm.
• The people: The driver had minor injuries. A Guardia Civil officer was kicked in the knee while moving a horse off the road and was taken to Cáceres University Hospital.
• Traffic: The highway was closed, with traffic diverted from kilometer 248 onto the A-58 and A-66.

The cause of the crash has not been established. We won't speculate. What the case does offer is clear lessons about the inside of the trailer and about handling horses on a road.

Why loose or injured horses are dangerous to rescuers

The officer's kick isn't a side note. It's exactly what large-animal rescue experts warn about.

A horse that has just been in a rollover is frightened, hurting and disoriented. Its instinct is to flee, and if it can't, it defends itself. Even the quietest horse in the barn can kick, shove or pin someone against a wall in that state.

• Don't climb into the trailer with a down or panicking horse. You can get trapped between the horse and a divider.
• Don't stand behind a horse you don't know, or in range of its legs if it's down.
• An injured horse on the road is a danger to itself, to you and to every passing driver. If it must be moved, use a halter and lead, walk, and have someone stop or divert traffic.
• If a horse gets loose, don't chase it at a run. See our guide on how to catch a loose horse.

To understand how fear shapes a horse's reactions, browse our behavior section and the basics in safety.

When not to unload horses after a crash

It feels wrong, but leaving them in is often the safest choice. A damaged trailer still contains horses, and an open highway doesn't.

When horses do need to come out, make that call with emergency responders and the vet. Before opening anything, have a fenced or controlled area ready, spare lead ropes in hand and traffic stopped.

Don't try to treat wounds yourself. Don't clean, close or medicate them. Call the vet and follow their advice. Even horses that look unhurt should be checked by a vet after a crash.

Prevention: horse trailer partitions, rest stops and an emergency card

You can't control everything on the road, but you can control what's inside your rig.

Partitions and dividers with no sharp edges

In the A-5 case, cuts were the most common injury. What caused them hasn't been detailed, but in any crash a horse is thrown against whatever surrounds it, which makes horse trailer partition safety a direct lesson.

• Smooth, padded walls and dividers reduce the risk of injury.
• No exposed edges, corners or welds. Run your hand along every divider, bar and hinge before each season.
• Solid pins and latches. A divider that comes loose mid-trip is a hazard.
• Bars and dividers that release from outside make it easier to free a trapped horse.
• Remove what you don't need. Loose dividers, saddles or unsecured tack can become projectiles.

Rest stops

Plan regular breaks. A common benchmark is every 3 to 4 hours, which is how often commercial horse haulers typically stop. Offer water, check each horse and, on long hauls, let them lower their heads to help clear their airways.

Our full guide on how to haul a horse long distance covers route planning and trailer checks.

An emergency card

If you're the one who's hurt, someone else needs to know who each horse is and whom to call. Keep a card in the cab and another in the trailer, and save a copy in your phone under "ICE" (in case of emergency).

• Each horse's name, sex, color, markings, age and stall position.
• Whether any is a stallion, or bites or kicks.
• The owner's number and an emergency contact.
• Your regular vet's number.
• Insurance details, if you have them.
• Your destination and route.

A first-aid kit in the vehicle

Keep an equine first-aid kit in the truck, separate from your barn kit, and write your vet's number on paper in case your phone dies. See our horse first-aid kit checklist, and note each horse's normal vital signs.

A checklist for anyone who hauls horses

Save it to your phone or print it for the glove box.

Before you leave

• Tires (spare included), brakes, lights, hitch and safety chains checked.
• Floor solid with no rot; mats lifted and dried after the last trip.
• Dividers, bars and latches smooth and secure.
• Emergency card in the cab and the trailer.
• First-aid kit, reflective vest, triangles, flashlight and spare lead ropes.
• Health papers and travel documents up to date.

On the road

• Smooth braking and wide, slow turns; double your following distance.
• No phone calls or texting while towing.
• A stop every few hours for water and a check.

If there's a crash

• People safe and the scene marked.
• Emergency services told your location, number of horses and any loose or trapped.
• Vet called.
• Horses checked from outside, doors closed.
• A rescue plan agreed on before any horse is unloaded.

What to watch next

In the A-5 case, the story now is how Brillante and Fouto recover. COPE's report that the horses were stabilized is good news, and later updates should show how their wounds heal.

The cause of the crash will be up to the Guardia Civil to determine. Until then, any theory is just a theory.

For your own horses, a vet check after an eventful trip is never overkill. After any long haul, watch temperature, appetite and attitude for a day or two, and use our health basics section to know what's normal.