Six-year-old in ICU after falling from horse

Six-year-old Cashlynn Gierisch is in ICU after being kicked in the head by a horse after falling off.

Updated Tuesday 12:00 pm—Six-year-old Cashlynn Gierisch was riding her horse this past Sunday morning around 10 am when the saddle girth suddenly broke. After falling to the ground, she was kicked in the head and suffered multiple injuries including Diffuse Axonal injury (bleeding on the brain), three fractures to the skull and a severe laceration to her right ear. She was air lifted to University Hospital where she remains in ICU.
“What happened is the horse stepped down in a hole and stumbled, and when the horse brought herself back up, the girth just snapped. Cashlynn flipped off the saddle backwards and landed on the ground okay, but then the horse kicked back, striking her on the right side of the head,” said her father Mike Gierisch, of Devine.
“It was a rope girth, and it was in good condition, but somehow it just snapped. My dad called and said that the girth looks practically brand new… I don’t usually put a belly strap on the saddle either, but I did that day, and when the saddle slid backwards that leather belly strap went down into the horse’s flank and that’s what caused her to pitch. It just happened so fast. If the belly strap wasn’t on there, maybe the saddle would have slid right off with Cashlynn. It’s just one of those things. What if….what if.”
Cashlynn’s family was grateful to report that they believe the bleeding in the brain has been stopped as of this Monday afternoon, and that Cashlynn did have some positive interaction with a special visitor on Monday morning as doctors temporarily pulled her out of a medically induced coma.
“The Diffuse Axonal injury is a level 3, on a scale of 1 to 4 with 4 being the worst, but the doctors believe the bleeding on the brain has stopped and isn’t spreading,” Gierisch added.
“The doctors suggested asking her 1st grade teacher to come up and visit as they woke up Cashlynn this morning from a medically induced coma. Mrs. Nellie Gough went back there with me and my wife Caroline, and Cashlynn responded very well. She squeezed her teacher’s hand and blinked her eyes, which was really good to see,” Gierisch said.
Doctors decided to keep Cashlynn sedated in a medically induced coma Monday evening, and woke her up around 7 am this Tuesday on press day.
“They want to see if she wakes up and if she can follow commands. If so, they will take her off the ventilator,” Gierisch said this Tuesday around noon. “She has been moving a lot…moving her arms, legs, and even some facial movement of her eyebrows and wrinkling her forehead….Recovery is going to be a day by day thing. The doctors have been great though and everyone has told us this is the best trauma unit around. ”
Cashlynn is certainly a tough little cowgirl, and her friends and family know that will help in her fight through recovery process.
“She loves to be a cowgirl and she loves mermaids,” said her dad with a loving chuckle. “She actually just dyed her hair red like Ariel a couple days ago.”
Her little cousin Megan Gierisch wanted to send a special get well message to her cousin:
“My cousin Cashlynn and I love to be little mermaids at Grandpa and Grandma’s pool. We also love to ride horses together. To my cousin—Please get well soon so we can go be little mermaids again. I love you Cashlynn.”
Aunt Cheryl Gierisch adds, “Cashlynn is a very strong, willful little girl who will overcome this obstacle.”
A lot of prayers have been said for the Gierisch family, and they appreciate each and every one of them.
“That’s the thing about Devine…People come together to help when someone really needs it,” said Mike and Caroline Gierisch. “We would like to thank the community for their ongoing love and support during this time. We are Devine!”
A love fund has been set up at Security Bank. Checks should be made out in the name of Marylou Gierisch.
If friends or classmates would like to send Cashlynn a get well card, you can send it to the Gierisch’s at PO Box 417, Devine, TX 78016.