Minutes mattered.

If medical help hadn't been literally a few feet away, renowned horseman Eitan Beth-Halachmy probably would have died Saturday after leaving the show ring at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

"At the end of the opening ceremonies Eitan went into ventricular fibrillation. This is in effect, instant death," explained family spokesman Bonnie Glasgow, who is blogging at CaringBridge.com/visit/cowboy8 to inform far-flung friends and fans about the 70-year-old's condition.

In layman's terms, Beth- Halachmy's heart stopped. Most watching in Rolex Stadium were focused on the stage for the final notes of the opening ceremony and did not see the renowned horseman slump in his saddle and slide to the ground.

Medical personnel, who were steps away, immediately began CPR, and a retired emergency room physician, Dr. Michael Reiser, came out of the stands to their aid. As Beth-Halachmy was taken away from the stadium, strapped to a cart, his two custom-made dressage whips were left in the dirt.

Beth-Halachmy, who had a history of atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, injured his spleen, probably in the fall, and suffered several broken ribs and a broken sternum during the course of what Glasgow described as "aggressive" CPR. Beth-Halachmy continues to improve at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.

Glasgow said Beth-Halachmy's wife, Debbie, has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of concern for the man friends call "Eight."

More than 500 people have written messages at CaringBridge.org, where Glasgow is posting updates. There have been more than 7,000 visits to the site since Sunday.

One of the nurses in the intensive care unit is a fan who attended the opening ceremony to see her equestrian idol.

The response is not a surprise to Jack Brainard, who has worked with Beth-Halachmy to help spread their unique equestrian discipline, cowboy dressage.

Beth-Halachmy is known around the world for his passion for horses and an uncanny ability to get the most out of the equine/equestrian partnership. In addition to performing in the opening ceremony, he had been scheduled to teach and perform at the Equine Village at the Horse Park.

Born in what is now Israel, Beth-Halachmy grew up dreaming of being an American cowboy like the ones in the movies starring John Wayne and Gene Autry.

On his Web site, Cowboydressage.com, Beth-Halachmy describes his form of riding as "when dressage suits your needs but a Stetson suits your lifestyle."

Beth-Halachmy brings a touch of classical training to his work, Brainard said. As a young man, Beth-Halachmy lived in Vienna, studying pre-veterinary medicine and cleaning stalls at the Spanish Riding School, the oldest classical dressage riding school in the world and home to the famous Lipizzaner stallions.

Brainard said that while his friend didn't get to work with the horses, he paid close attention to what was happening around him and learned all he could from grooms and trainers.

That unique history helped for cowboy dressage, which Beth-Halachmy describes on his Web site as combining "the free spirit of the cowboy with the discipline and finesse of classical dressage."

Although known for his crowd-pleasing entertainment, the famed showman also has a toughness that friends say will serve him well in his recovery.

"He's the kind of man you can't keep down. He's not just physically strong," said Brainard, "he's strong-minded."

Glasgow said in an interview that Beth-Halachmy's wife, Debbie, is focusing her energy on helping her husband get well. She hasn't been back to the Horse Park since the incident. Beth-Halachmy's horse, Sante Fe Renegade, is staying at a friend's Kentucky farm. All are waiting for the day when they can return to home base, Wolf Creek Ranch in California.

As of Thursday, Beth-Halachmy was listed in serious condition at UK. Glasgow reported on CaringBridge that doctors are planning to do surgery to implant a defibrillator to regulate his heart beat.

"Keep your positive thoughts and prayers," she told people in one of her updates. "They are working!"

WEG and the Herald-Leader

Stop by the Herald-Leader's booth at the WEG trade show to buy Herald-Leader merchandise and meet personalities from the newspaper. Appearing at the booth from noon to 2 p.m. Friday will be Herald-Leader columnist Tom Eblen.

Reach Mary Meehan at (859) 231-3261 or 1-800-950-6397, Ext. 3261.