LAKEVILLE — A horseback rider was significantly injured Friday, Aug. 9 after falling from a horse at Betty’s Neck, a hiking area near Assawompset Pond. 

The Lakeville Fire Department responded shortly after 7 p.m., locating the rider in a field near the peach barn on the property. The individual sustained multiple bone fractures and was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital with significant but non-life-threatening injuries, according to fire officials.

Fire Chief Michael O’Brien credited recent training and new equipment with the department’s swift response. 

“We recently added a UTV to our department that brings with it the capability to navigate trails and roads that are not accessible by our ambulances and our fire trucks,” O’Brien said.

“We figured that Betty’s Neck would be the most likely location for us to use it, since there’s so much recreational traffic down there,” he said, adding that crews had recently trained with the equipment at the location. 

The rider was not alone and no large animal rescue was required as part of the response, O’Brien said. 

The UTV for responding to railroad related emergencies, but O’Brien noted it has broader benefits. 

“These are resources that we lacked to be ready for a rail incident,” he said. “The benefit to the rest of the town is the equipment can be used in other locations for other situations.”