A Horse Fell on Him: The Injury That Changed His Life Forever

“My life changed in a single moment,” says 34 year old Nati Dadon, six years after the accident that completely altered the course of his life. What began as a normal workday at a therapeutic riding ranch ended with a severe injury, months of rehabilitation, emotional collapse, and eventually a completely new mission in life.

Today, Dadon is a dog trainer, works with at risk youth, and helps people through therapeutic animal care. But the road to rebuilding himself was long and painful.

A Life Built Around Helping Others

Dadon, who lives in Kiryat Ekron, has always felt deeply connected to animals.

“That was always where I found comfort,” he explains. “I went through a lot in childhood, and having a brother with special needs also deeply influenced me and pushed me toward therapeutic work.”

After serving as a combat soldier in the IDF, he studied therapeutic riding and eventually became a central figure at the ranch where he trained. He worked there for more than five years, overseeing the stable and guiding children through therapy programs.

At the same time, he built a family life with his wife Shira and their three sons. Yet his devotion to work came with a price.

“I would leave home at six in the morning and return at ten at night,” he recalls. “Shira used to call me ‘the Shabbat father,’ because that was basically the only time I saw the children.”

The Accident That Changed Everything

The turning point came during a workshop for children at the ranch.

“I was walking with the mare normally when suddenly she collapsed sideways onto my leg,” he says. “We’re talking about over 1,000 pounds.”

At first, Dadon ignored the pain because he was responsible for supervising the children around him. Only hours later did he realize the injury was severe.

Doctors discovered he had fractured the talus bone, a critical bone responsible for balance and stability. From there, his life spiraled into surgeries, casts, physical limitations, and a long rehabilitation process.

“I Went From the Most Active Person to the Most Limited”

For months, Dadon was largely confined to bed.

The emotional impact was devastating.

“I went from carrying heavy bags of horse feed every day to not even being able to carry a cup of coffee across the room,” he recalls. “That moment broke me.”

The horses, which had always been a source of comfort and emotional stability for him, were suddenly gone from his life.

He describes sinking into a long depression during that period.

The Support That Helped Him Survive

Dadon says one of the biggest sources of strength throughout the ordeal was his wife.

“Shira was and still is my anchor,” he says. “I truly do not know what I would have done without her.”

About a year after the injury, doctors realized his leg still was not healing properly, forcing him into another surgery and another long recovery period.

Knowing he could not survive emotionally on his own, Dadon sought professional psychiatric help and temporary medication support during the darkest period of rehabilitation.

A New Direction Through Dogs

During those months of recovery, Dadon slowly began rebuilding his life through dog training.

His dog Melody became a major source of comfort and emotional healing during the process. Eventually, he began studying professional dog training privately with leading trainers in Israel.

What started as rehabilitation slowly turned into a completely new career path.

Today, Dadon manages a therapeutic animal corner at a school for at risk youth, where he combines dog training with emotional support and communication skills.

“We work on frustration, communication, and respect,” he explains. “A lot of the students simply need someone to truly listen to them.”

“When You Give, You Receive”

Although he still lives with pain and limps on difficult days, Dadon says helping others became part of his own healing process.

“It’s not a cliché that when you give, you receive,” he says. “The fact that I help people fills me up and heals me too.”

His work now also includes helping injured soldiers through therapeutic dog training, something he feels deeply connected to because of both his combat background and his own injury experience.

“The Injury Ended Up Changing My Life for the Better”

Despite everything he endured, Dadon says he ultimately views the accident through the lens of faith and hashgacha pratit.

“With all the pain and limitations, I can honestly say it was the best thing that ever happened to me,” he reflects. “If it had not happened, maybe I would have stayed stuck in the same place in life.”

He says the injury helped him discover himself in entirely new ways:
“As a father, as a husband, as a professional, and as a person.”

Today, he believes every part of the difficult journey ultimately led him exactly where he was meant to be.