Texas twins’ hero horse sucked into quicksand during Kerrville flood relief

Texas twins? hero horse sucked into quicksand during Central Texas flood relief

A local horse and his owner went down in quicksand while helping with recovery efforts in Kerr County. They miraculously survived. But getting back to full strength is not going to be easy.

HOUSTON - As deadly floodwaters surged through Kerr County earlier this month, twin siblings Kendall and Haley Higgins didn’t hesitate to step in and help. But their act of service turned tragic when Kendall’s horse, Phoenix, was critically injured during recovery efforts. 

Horse gets sucked into quicksand 

Kendall says she was riding Phoenix, her personal horse, searching an untouched area with the crew they'd assembled. She says suddenly, they were sucked into a patch of quicksand. Kendall leaped to safety on a nearby flatbed trailer, but Phoenix struggled free alone - badly injuring his leg on the submerged debris. 

Kendall says Phoenix is one of the most precious things in her life, and she uses him in her animal science college program at Tarleton. 

"I carry a lot of guilt," she said. 

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50/50 shot at survival 

Kendall says the damage was devastating: a septic hock infection, a sliced artery, a torn extensor tendon, a pulled muscle, and a possible hairline fracture in his cannon bone. Veterinarians estimate just a 50% chance of survival.

"We’re just trying to battle the septic hock because we want him to live," Kendall said. "I’m not going to lie — I was mad, very mad at God. I was like, why? I’m just trying to help these people."

While Phoenix is already walking and recovering well - the road to recovery is long, and it's not clear if he'll ever be sound enough to ride again. 

Called to serve 

Kendall and Haley’s decision to deploy their horses in the recovery wasn’t random. Their late grandmother lived in Kerrville making the floods feel personal.

"It was too hard to sit there and watch that happen from a chair instead of being out there and helping in some way," said Haley.

The Higgins twins have been saddling up since childhood. Raised in Montgomery County, they found their calling through horseback riding and 4H programs as teens. Now both students at Tarleton State University, they ride competitively on the equestrian team, study equine sciences, and work part-time in mounted patrol. While home for the summer, they work to give back by hosting clinics and running other programs for the community. 

Despite the heartbreak, the twins remain committed to their mission: using their horses not just to ride, but to serve.

"I'm just so grateful to my support system, who have been there for me," said Kendall. "I think at some point in the near future I'll realize why this happened, but we just have to get him through it." 

If you'd like to help with Phoenix's vet bills, you can do so here.