Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett is recovering after being kicked by a horse on his farm — an incident that comes just three years after his daughter was hospitalized with severe injuries from a similar accident.
The 60-year-old Republican was injured over the weekend while working on his property during Congress’s summer recess, his press secretary confirmed Monday.
“Rep. Burchett was accidentally kicked by a horse, resulting in a broken rib and some bruising,” spokesperson Will Garrett told PEOPLE. “But he hasn’t missed a beat. He spoke in Maury County last night and remains on track for a full week of district events. There have been no changes to his schedule.”
The mishap echoes a frightening episode from August 2022, when Burchett’s daughter Isabel — then described as an “avid barrel racer” — was thrown from a horse and suffered five broken ribs, a fractured wrist, and internal injuries. She spent 16 days in the ICU at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital before being released.
At the time, Burchett told WBIR, “It’s unbelievable just how it all went down. A rope could have wrapped around her neck — it could have been tragic.” Still, he praised her toughness and noted that shortly after being released, she joked, “Look, Mama, I didn’t break a nail.”
Burchett, who has represented Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District since 2019, is known for his staunch support of gun rights and his often blunt political style. In the wake of the 2023 Nashville school shooting, he drew criticism for saying, “We’re not gonna fix it. Criminals are gonna be criminals.”
He also made headlines later that year for allegedly being elbowed by then-Rep. Kevin McCarthy shortly after the former House Speaker’s ousting. Burchett publicly accused McCarthy of a “cheap shot,” escalating tensions among House Republicans.
Despite the weekend injury, Burchett appears committed to staying on the trail — bruised rib or not.
